The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 48th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony through a live presentation on the evening of Thursday, April 13, 2023. The evening began with a commemoration of the club's 50th anniversary and recognition of the founding members from 1973.
The top three finalists in each category are determined by the online ballots of the Jockey Club of Canada's knowledgeable voters. The media category award finalists were determined by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America.
The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to announce the 2022 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.
E. P. Taylor Award of Merit: DALE SAUNDERS
In Alberta, they affectionately call him “The Colonel,” but it wouldn't be far off to consider trainer Dale Saunders a king in Thoroughbred racing in Canada, in particular his home province of Alberta. The Jockey Club of Canada is pleased to honour Dale with the coveted E. P. Taylor Award of Merit, presented to an individual who has accomplished outstanding lifetime achievements in Canadian thoroughbred racing and made significant contributions to the industry in this country.
Through more than half a century of training horses, Dale is among an elite group of Canadian horsepeople, his 2,177 winners putting him sixth on the list of all-time leading trainers. Dale is only the second trainer to win more than 2,000 races while running exclusively in Alberta, along with Canadian Horse Racing Hall Fame of Fame inductee Ron 'Red' Smith.
Dale has won the Alberta trainer's title eight times and through 2022 his horses collected more than $17 million in earnings. In 2012, he was named Horseperson of the Year at the Alberta Thoroughbred Awards and in 2016, the town of Bowden presented Dale with a plaque for his 2,000th winner and his contributions to the community.
Outstanding Writing: GEORGE WILLIAMS
Derby winner has a Manitoba mother
Published May 8, 2022 on WinnipegFreePress.com
Outstanding Photograph (tie):
ALLAN DE LA PLANTE
The Catch
Published December 27, 2022 on CanadianThoroughbred.com
JULIE WRIGHT
On Cloud Nine – 2022 E. P. Taylor Champions
Published December 12, 2022 on DRF.com
Outstanding Audio Visual/Digital Broadcast: WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT
The Queen's Plate
Aired on CTV/TSN on August 21, 2022
Outstanding Grooms:
AMBER HUTCHINSON
Amber Hutchinson was just 15 years old when she got her first job on the backstretch at Woodbine. Born in Barrie, Ontario, Amber was in love with horses from a young age. Her mother signed her up for riding camps as a child and one fateful day, when her daughter saw an ad for grooms wanted at Woodbine, she signed her daughter's racing commission license, allowing her to work during the summers and on weekends.
That first job at the track, with trainer Jim Hutchison and his daughter Julie, paved the way for Amber to be honoured as an Outstanding Groom at this evening's Sovereign Awards ceremony. Amber worked her way up from hot-walker to groom, also doing some pony riding along the way when outrider Wayne Green was absent.
She found her dream job some 17 years ago when she started working for 1984 Sovereign Award-winning trainer Mike Doyle, and has been there ever since.
RICARDO NICHALSON
Ricardo Nichalson has always been seeking a challenge. Hard work and being a team player come easily to the 41-year old who will be honoured this evening with the Outstanding Groom award. He was nominated by his boss of almost 18 years, trainer Ian Black, who hired Ricardo soon after opening a successful public stable.
Ricardo and his family moved from Jamaica to Toronto when he was 11 and it would be some time before he even got close to a horse. Throughout school, “Ricky” concentrated on getting good grades and preparing for the workforce. After Grade 12, he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, an architect, and began working in construction for a local union.
One day, some high school friends told him about jobs at Woodbine racetrack where they worked with horses, and, in his first visit to the barn area at the Etobicoke track, he was put right to work.
Champion Two-year Old Female: CAIRO CONSORT
Trainer: Nathan Squires
Owner: Maple Lane Farm LLC
Breeder: Frankfort Park Farm
GR./RO. F. 2, by Cairo Prince – Absolutely Awesome (Street Cry *Ire)
2022: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $266,149
Winner: Catch a Glimpse S., MSW
Stakes Placings: 2nd Johnnie Walker Natalma S. (G1), 3rd Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1)
Cairo Consort (118), Last Call (72), Renegade Rebel (22)
Champion Two-year Old Male: PHILIP MY DEAR
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Owner: Raroma Stable
Breeder: Adena Springs
DK. B./BR. C. 2, by Silent Name *Jpn – Involuntary (City Zip)
2022: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds – $305,762
Winner: Cup and Saucer S., Soaring Free S., MSW
Stakes Placings: 3rd Pattison Summer S. (G1), 3rd Coronation Futurity
Philip My Dear (112), Poulin in O T (60), Velocitor (43)
Champion Three-year Old Female: MOIRA
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Owner: X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC
Breeder: Adena Springs
B. F. 3, by Ghostzapper – Devine Aida (Unbridled's Song)
2022: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $819,267
Winner: Queen's Plate S., Stella Artois Fury S., Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser
Moira (134), Souper Hoity Toity (53), Sister Seagull (25)
Champion Three-year Old Male: SIR FOR SURE
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Heste Sport Inc.
Breeder: Norse Ridge Farms
B. G. 3, by Sligo Bay *Ire – Serena's Rose (My Way Only)
2022: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $353,212
Winner: Breeders' S., Plate Trial S., MSW
Stakes Placings: 3rd Queen's Plate S.
Sire for Sure (109), Ironstone (48), Hall of Dreams (26)
Outstanding Owner: BRUNO SCHICKEDANZ
412 Starts; 73 Wins; 60 Seconds; 64 Thirds
Earnings $2,017,539; Stakes wins 4
Second in the voting in this category in 2000, Bruno Schickedanz has been the leading owner at Woodbine racetrack by wins for nine consecutive years and the leading owner at Fort Erie in 2021 and 2022. Bruno has expanded his stable over the years and in 2022 his horses made over 400 starts in Canada, with his red-and-white striped silks crossing the finish in front 73 times and his horses earning just over $2 million. Bruno's star horse of 2022 was the Irish-bred four-year old War Bomber, a finalist for Champion Older Main Track Male. Claimed for just $25,000 in 2021 and a stakes winner that year as well, War Bomber blossomed at four with trainer Norm McKnight, winning the Grade 3 Seagram Cup. The son of War Front was also second in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes and third in the Grade 3 Durham Cup, earning over $140,000 on the season. Bruno also won three added-money races at Fort Erie including the Puss 'n Boots Stakes with that track's Horse of the Year, Strong Ending.
Bruno Schickedanz (59), X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC (52), Al & Bill Ulwelling (39)
Champion Female Sprinter: HAZELBROOK
Trainer: Lorne Richards
Owner: True North Stable
Breeder: Mike Bilbrey
B. F. 4, by Bayern – Zaphia (Bernstein)
2022: 6 Starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds – $274,996
Winner: Hendrie S. (G3), Ontario Fashion S. (G3), Sweet Briar Too S., ALW/OC
Stakes Placings: 2nd Bessarabian S. (G2), 2nd Seaway S. (G3)
Hazelbrook (110), Our Flash Drive (43), Lady Speightspeare (27)
Champion Male Sprinter: FILO DI ARIANNA (BRZ)
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Barber, Gary, Wachtel Stable and Deutsch, Peter
Breeder: Stud Principessa di Capri
CH. H. 6, by Drosselmeyer – Principessa Capri *Brz (Northern Afleet)
2022: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $213,443
Winner: Connaught Cup S. (G2), King Edward S. (G2), ALW/OC
Filo di Arianna (BRZ) (98), Arzak (49), Lucky Score (43)
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: SLADE JONES
443 Starts; 61 Wins; 54 Seconds; 57 Thirds
Earnings $1,928,304
Sixteen-year-old Slade Jones arrived in Ontario from Barbados to ride at Woodbine in May of 2022 and, to no-one's surprise, he was an instant hit right out of the gate. The son of former top Woodbine rider, Jono Jones, and grandson of the great Barbados rider 'Chally' Jones, was getting on horses almost before he could walk. While he was born in Canada, Slade was raised in Barbados where he rode his first race at the age of 15. He showed plenty of talent on horseback and when he arrived at Woodbine he was quickly embraced by owners and trainers. Slade was the leading race-winning apprentice jockey in Canada in 2022 and his 61 wins, a 14% win rate, also saw him finish a solid 12th in the overall jockey standings at Woodbine. No doubt one of his favourite horses of the year was Touch of Red, a 2-year-old filly he guided to victory in the South Ocean Stakes, his first added-money winning ride.
Slade Jones (140), N'Rico Prescod (56), Kimal Santo (34)
Outstanding Jockey: KAZUSHI KIMURA
760 Starts; 152 Wins; 127 Seconds; 127 Thirds
Earnings $6,881,254; Stakes wins 15
In only his fifth season of riding since arriving from Japan, Kazushi Kimura ran away with the leading jockey title at Woodbine for the second consecutive year. The 2021 Sovereign Award winner for Outstanding Jockey also has two Sovereign Awards and an Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice in 2019 and 2020. In 2022, he set personal bests for victories with 152 and purse earnings with over $6.8 million. One of his biggest wins of the year came aboard the Chad Brown-trained mare Rougir (FR), owned by Peter Brant; the two overcame some serious traffic trouble to take the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes against a stellar field. Kazushi also partnered a number of this evening's Sovereign Awards finalists, including Filo di Arianna (Brz), who took the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes, one of the year's top two-year olds, Philip My Dear, who won the Cup & Saucer Stakes and was third in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes, and the talented three-year old Ironstone who took the Grade 3 Ontario Derby.
Kazushi Kimura (123), Rafael Hernandez (83), Patrick Husbands (11), Emma-Jayne Wilson (11)
Champion Female Turf Horse: LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE
Trainer: Roger L. Attfield
Owner: Charles E. Fipke
Breeder: Charles Fipke
CH. F. 4, by Speightstown – Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical)
2022: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $486,766
Winner: Nassau S. (G2), Seaway S. (G3), Trillium S. (G3)
Stakes Placings: 2nd Endeavour S. (G3), 3rd Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), 3rd Jenny Wiley S. (G1)
Lady Speightspeare (120), Fev Rover (IRE) (36), Moira (29)
Champion Male Turf Horse: FILO DI ARIANNA (BRZ)
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Barber, Gary, Wachtel Stable and Deutsch, Peter
Breeder: Stud Principessa di Capri
CH. H. 6, by Drosselmeyer – Principessa Capri *Brz (Northern Afleet)
2022: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $213,443
Winner: Connaught Cup S. (G2), King Edward S. (G2), ALW/OC
Town Cruise (124), Philip My Dear (41), Ready for the Lady (22), Sir for Sure (22)
Outstanding Trainer: MARK E. CASSE
673 Starts; 119 Wins; 109 Seconds; 84 Thirds
Earnings $7,513,799; Stakes wins 22
Canada's perennial leading trainer Mark Casse seeks an unprecedented 15th Sovereign Award for Outstanding Trainer this evening and a 12th straight honour. Incredibly, Mark's Woodbine-based stable set new marks for number of starts and purse earnings in 2022. In addition, the barn's 119 victories matched its previous high set in 2011. Overall, Mark Casse trainees made 673 starts and earned over $7.5 million. Fifteen Casse-trained horses won 22 stakes races last year, including 2022 Sovereign Awards finalist Sir for Sure, one of the year's top three-year olds and winner of the Breeders' Stakes for owners and breeders Rene and Darlene Hunderup of King, Ontario. Sir for Sure also won the Plate Trial Stakes and finished third in the Queen's Plate. Other Sovereign Awards finalists for the Mark Casse barn include graded stakes winning sprinter Filo di Arianna (Brz), Who's the Star, a winner of three graded stakes races, Souper Hoity Toity, a top 3-year-old filly, Our Flash Drive, a leading older female, and the two-year old filly Renegade Rebel.
Mark E. Casse (105), Kevin Attard (102), Josie Carroll (16)
Champion Older Main Track Female: LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE
Trainer: Roger L. Attfield
Owner: Charles E. Fipke
Breeder: Charles Fipke
CH. F. 4, by Speightstown – Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical)
2022: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds – $486,766
Winner: Nassau S. (G2), Seaway S. (G3), Trillium S. (G3)
Stakes Placings: 2nd Endeavour S. (G3), 3rd Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), 3rd Jenny Wiley S. (G1)
Lady Speightspeare (117), Infinite Patience (51), Our Flash Drive (44)
Champion Older Main Track Male: WHO'S THE STAR
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: M Racing Group, LLC
Breeder: Oscar Penn & John R. Penn
B. G. 4, by Tonalist – Shine Forth (Carson City)
2022: 11 Starts – 6 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $299,740
Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Durham Cup S. (G3), Valedictory S. (G3), Niagara S., ALW/OC, ALW/OC
Who's the Star (136), War Bomber (IRE) (30), Soy Tapatio (24)
Outstanding Broodmare: COUNT TO THREE
B. M. 2002 by Red Ransom – Countus In (Dancing Count)
7 Starters, 5 Winners, 2 Graded Blacktype winners
Progeny earnings $2,114,389
A finalist for Outstanding Broodmare in 2020, Count to Three has been a remarkable producer with two Grade 1 winning Ontario-breds from seven foals to race. Bred and raced by Sam-Son Farms, Count to Three was a stakes winner herself and graded stakes-placed in her racing career. Her 2012 foal, Ransom the Moon, by Malibu Moon, won consecutive editions of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in 2017 and 2018. Ransom the Moon retired with earnings of over $884,000 and is now a successful young sire. Count to Three's 2015 foal, Count Again, by Awesome Again, became a Grade 1 winner and millionaire in 2022 with victories in the prestigious Shoemaker Mile and Frank E. Kilroe Mile, both at Santa Anita. He also won the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes last year.
Count to Three (74), Include Katherine (48), Cosa Rara (32)
Outstanding Breeder: ADENA SPRINGS
Starters 65; Winners 30
348 Starts; 51 Wins; 40 Seconds; 51 Thirds
Earnings $3,544,253
For more than half a century, Frank and Frieda Stronach have bred some of the greatest horses in Canada and, on 12 occasions, the couple's Adena Springs, based in Aurora, Ontario, has won the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Breeder. Rarely a Canadian racing season goes by without at least one Adena Springs-bred star, and that was certainly true in 2022. Moira, the brilliant three-year old filly by the Stronachs' world class sire Ghostzapper, was the top sophomore of any gender in Canada, winning the Queen's Plate over males, and the Woodbine Oaks and the Fury Stakes over females. A finalist in two categories this evening, Moira is out of the mare Devine Aida, a stakes winner purchased by Adena Springs as a two-year old in 2014. Another top Adena-bred of note in 2022 was Philip My Dear, a finalist tonight for Champion Two-year Old Male and Champion Male Turf Horse.
Adena Springs (94), Sam-Son Farm (93), Tall Oaks Farm (21)
Horse of the Year: MOIRA
Trainer: Kevin Attard
Owner: X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and SF Racing LLC
Breeder: Adena Springs
B. F. 3, by Ghostzapper – Devine Aida (Unbridled's Song)
2022: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $819,267
Winner: Queen's Plate S., Stella Artois Fury S., Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser
Moira (103), Lady Speightspeare (75), Filo di Arianna (BRZ) (24)
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