Richard Moreau Adds Record Eighth O’Brien Award In Canadian Standardbred Racing

Standardbred Canada announced the winners of 2020 O'Brien Awards, which honor Canada's best in harness racing over the past season, during a Virtual Gala videostreamed on standardbredcanada.ca on Sunday, Jan. 31.

Richard Moreau added a record eighth O'Brien trophy to his mantle in the Trainer of the Year Category after a season which saw him top the earnings and win charts for Canadian trainers.  Based in Puslinch, Ont., Moreau is one of the country's busiest trainers sending postward 1,604 starters that made 237 trips to the winner's circle and earned more than $3.6 million in purses.

Bob McClure of Rockwood, Ont., won his first O'Brien trophy as Canada's Driver of the Year following  a career-best season for earnings.  McClure was the country's leading money winning driver and he also reached several major milestones last year — eclipsing the $7 million mark in earnings, winning his first Breeders Crown Championship and capturing the Lampman Cup as the Ontario Sires Stakes' leading driver.  Some of the horses he regularly drove who contributed to his earnings milestone and 233 trips to the winner's circle included divisional champions Donna Soprano, Lauras Love, Lawless Shadow and Tattoo Artist , while sharing the driving duties aboard On A Streak.

Kelly Hoerdt of Beaumont, Alta., won his second O'Brien Award of Horsemanship following a year that saw the Albertabased trainer-driver condition 157 winners and horses to more than $877,000 in earnings, while driving 163 winners and horses to purse earnings in excess of $895,000.

Scarlett Hanover was crowned champion in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly division following a stellar season which saw her post 11 top-three finishes from 14 starts and bank more than $449,000 in earnings. She won two Ontario Sires Stakes events including the OSS Super Final and also competed against Grand Circuit company, scoring a season's best 1:51.3 victory in the Champlain Stakes while also winning an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady.

Lawless Shadow was voted Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year after an ultra-consistent season that saw him hit the board in eight of nine races, including four victories, while earning more than $307,000. He scored two victories in Ontario Sires Stakes events, a win in the Nassagaweya, runner-up finishes in his Metro elimination and OSS Super Final and a third-place finish in the Metro Final. This was one of three winners from the Dr. Ian Moore Stable, along with Tattoo Artist in the Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt division and Century Farroh, winner of the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year Title and Older Pacing Horse division.

In the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly division, Lauras Love took O'Brien honours. The Betterthancheddar filly was a model of consistency in 2020, scoring 16 top-three finishes, including eight victories from 20 races, and earning $331,000 for her connections. In addition to a victory in an Ontario Sires Stakes event, she scored multiple victories in overnight competition and also won a division of the Simcoe Stakes against Grand Circuit company.

Tattoo Artist was voted Canada's Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year.   The son of Hes Watching was a winner of eight of 17 starts and more than $666,000 last season with victories in five Ontario Sires Stakes events and a division of the Simcoe Stakes. One of his biggest efforts was a runner-up finish in the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup.

So Much More, a dominant competitor in the Fillies & Mares Preferred Ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, took Older Pacing Mare honours.  She won 12 of 30 starts and eclipsed $300,000 in earnings last year while scoring a career best 1:49.3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Century Farroh took home two O'Brien Awards; one as Older Pacing Horse of the Year and the other as the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of The Year. Competing as a four-year-old, the son of Mach Three scored 12 top-three finishes in 16 starts and accrued more than $637,000 in earnings in 2020. His stakes victories included the Breeders Crown and the Dan Patch, both at Hoosier Park.

Trainer Luc Blais had two O'Brien Award winners – Donna Soprano and On A Streak.  Donna Soprano was voted Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the year. The Donato Hanover filly won five of seven races and more than $575,000 for her connections in a season that included sweeps of the Pure Ivory and Peaceful Way Stakes, a win in a Champlain division and an impressive runner-up finish in the inaugural edition of the Mohawk Million.

In the Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt division, On A Streak beat out stablemate Macho Martini.  On A Streak had only two wins in 10 starts, but they were both very lucrative ones. His maiden-breaking effort came in the $525,000 William Wellwood Stakes, which was worth $267,500 and a coveted spot in the inaugural Mohawk Million where he finished a solid third. His second victory came in the Breeders Crown, and was worth $300,000. In total the Cantab Hall colt earned in excess of $850,000 for his season which also included a runner-up finish in the Valley Victory.

Sorella took divisional honors as Canada's Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year for a season which saw her win eight of 15 races and $737,000.  The Muscle Hill filly posted victories in multiple stakes events including the Hambletonian Oaks, the Reynolds, the Casual Breeze, the Bluegrass and the Matron.

Pemberton, a son of Wheeling N Dealin, was voted Canada's Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year.  A winner of eight of 10 races, he earned more than $363,000 during his sophomore season. Four of his victories came in Ontario Sires Stakes events including the season-ending Super Final.

In the Older Trotting Mare category, Hey Livvy won O'Brien honours for her season which included nine wins and more than $283,000 in 23 trips postward, highlighted by her richest payday, an impressive victory in the Armbro Flight Stakes.

Perfetto was voted Older Trotting Horse of the Year after winning seven of 25 races and more than $151,000 while making all but one start at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The son of Majestic Son posted a career best effort of 1:52.3 on December 14.

Austin Sorrie, of Freelton, Ont.,  was recognized with the Future Star Award.  The Prince Edward Island native was in demand on the Ontario B Track circuit in 2020, driving in more than 1,200 races, scoring 151 wins and driving horses to more than $923,000 in purse earnings.

In the Armstrong Breeder of the Year category, Seelster Farms in Lucan, Ont.,  added a fourth O'Brien bronze to their trophy case. In 2020, horses bred by Seelster won 260 races and earned more than $3.5 million. Top performers included O'Brien divisional winner Lawless Shadow, O'Brien finalist Karma Seelster along with Tokyo Seelster.

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Standardbred Canada Announces Finalists For 2020 O’Brien Awards

Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2020 O'Brien Awards, which honor Canada's best in harness racing over the past season. There are two finalists in each category, which includes 12 divisional horse categories and five people awards. Horse of the Year will be one of the divisional champions.

The winners will be announced at the Virtual O'Brien Awards Gala on Sunday, Jan. 31 on standardbredcanada.ca.

This will mark the 32nd edition of the O'Brien Awards, named in honor of the late Joe O'Brien, an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Richard Moreau will be looking to add a record eighth O'Brien trophy to his mantle in the Trainer of the Year Category and is up against Ben Baillargeon of Guelph, Ont., a first-time nominee.

Baillargeon is enjoying a career-best season, training horses that posted 123 victories and banked more than $2.9 million in earnings including O'Brien finalist PL Jill in the Older Trotting Mare category.

Richard Moreau of Puslinch, Ont. has earned seven consecutive titles as Canada's Trainer of the Year. To date in 2020, he has sent 236 winners postward and trained horses to more than $3.6 million in earnings including O'Brien finalist Lit De Rose in the Older Pacing Mare Category. Moreau, one of the country's busiest trainers with more than 1,582 races to his credit, has topped the Canadian earnings charts for trainers for several years and was the leading money earning trainer at Woodbine Mohawk Park and Georgian Downs during 2020.

Bob McClure and Doug McNair, the top two money-earning drivers in the country are the Driver of the Year finalists.

Bob McClure of Rockwood, Ont., is en route to a career-best season in the earnings column, and is the leading money winning driver in Canada. He recently eclipsed the $7 million mark, an impressive addition to his resume and has also made 229 trips to the winner's circle. McClure, a finalist in this category in 2016, 2018 and 2019.was the regular driver for five O'Brien finalists – Donna Soprano, Lauras Love, Lawless Shadow, Macho Martini and Tattoo Artist. McClure was also the winner of the prestigious Lampman Cup as the Ontario Sires Stakes' leading driver this past season.

The winner of Driver of the Year honors in 2017, Doug McNair of Guelph, Ont. is having one of his best years with 283 winners and more than $6.2 million in earnings. He was the regular reinsman for two O'Brien finalists – 3-Year-Old[1] Pacing Filly Karma Seelster and 3-Year-Old Trotting Filly, Warrawee Vicky.

Gilles Barrieau and Kelly Hoerdt are the finalists for the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship and are both past winners in this category.

Two-time Horsemanship winner and defending champion, Gilles Barrieau of Saint John, N.B., competes on the Atlantic Provinces circuit and to date this season, he's trained 44 winners and horses to more than $227,000 in purse earnings while boasting a UTRS of .552. On the driving side, he has 170 winners and more than $485,000 in earnings, giving him a .411 UDRS.

Kelly Hoerdt of Beaumont, Alta., won the Horsemanship Award in 2013. This year, the Alberta-based trainer-driver has trained 152 winners and horses to more than $860,000 in earnings, while driving 163 winners and horses that earned more than $895,000.

So Much More dominated the Fillies & Mares Preferred Ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning 12 of 30 starts and eclipsing $300,000 in earnings during her season.

Caviart Audrey and Scarlett Hanover, both daughters of Bettors Delight, are the nominees in the 2-Year-Old Pacing Filly division. Caviart Audrey won five of nine races and more than $372,000 in her rookie campaign which included victories in the Eternal Camnation, Champlain, an elimination and final of the Shes A Great Lady.

Scarlett Hanover posted 11 top-three finishes from 14 starts and earned more than $449,000. She won two Ontario Sires Stakes events including the Super Final and also competed against Grand Circuit company, scoring a season's best 1:51.3 victory in the Champlain Stakes and winning an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady.

A pair of Shadow Play colts, Bulldog Hanover and Lawless Shadow, are the finalists in the 2-Year-Old Pacing Colt division.

Bulldog Hanover won four of six races, all Ontario Sires Stakes events including the season ending Super Final and more than $248,000 in 2020.

Lawless Shadow hit the board in eight of nine races, including four wins in his rookie campaign and topped $307,000 in purse earnings. He scored two victories in Ontario Sires Stakes events, a win in the Nassagaweya, runner-up finishes in a Metro elimination and OSS Super Final and a third-place finish in the Metro Final.

In the 3-Year-Old Pacing Filly division, Ontario-breds Lauras Love and Karma Seelster will compete for O'Brien honors.

Unraced as a 2-year-old, the Betterthancheddar filly, Lauras Love was a model of consistency in 2020, scoring 16 top-three finishes, including eight victories from 20 races, and earning $331,000 for her connections. In addition to a victory in an Ontario Sires Stakes event, she scored multiple victories in overnight competition and also won a division of the Simcoe against Grand Circuit company.

The Sportswriter filly Karma Seelster had three wins and nine top three finishes in 15 races and earned more than $277,000. She added a win in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold event and a sweep of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association Stake (SBOA) to her resume.

Major Custard and Tattoo Artist are the 3-Year-Old Pacing Colt finalists.

Major Custard was almost invincible this season, winning 15 of 16 races and earning more than $237,000 while competing on the Western Provinces Circuit which included Fraser Downs in B.C. and Century Downs and Century Mile in Alberta. The Alberta-bred son of Custard The Dragon scored victories in the Alberta Sires Stakes, the Ralph Klein, the Maverick, the Robert Murphy Stakes, the Western Canada Pacing Derby and the Brad Gunn Stake.

Tattoo Artist, a son of Hes Watching, won eight of 17 starts and more than $666,000 this season with victories in five Ontario Sires Stakes events, and a division of the Simcoe Stakes. One of his biggest efforts was a runner-up finish in the $1 million North America Cup.

Lit De Rose and So Much More are finalists in the Older Pacing Mare category.

Lit De Rose boasted 14 top-three finishes from 18 starts and earned more than $169,000. Primarily a Fillies & Mares Preferred campaigner, the daughter of Leader Bayama scored an impressive runner-up finish in the Milton Stake Final.

So Much More dominated the Fillies & Mares Preferred Ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning 12 of 30 starts and eclipsing $300,000 in earnings during her season. On July 25, she scored a career best 1:49.3 lifetime best at Woodbine Mohawk Park and put together a three-race win streak in October.

Century Farroh and Sintra are the Older Pacing Horse finalists.

Century Farroh is looking for his second consecutive O'Brien trophy, after being voted Canada's 3-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2019. Competing as a four-year-old, the son of Mach Three scored 12 top-three finishes in 16 starts and more than $637,000 in earnings. His stakes victories included the Breeders Crown and the Dan Patch.

Sintra is also looking to secure his second O'Brien trophy in this category after winning it in 2017. In 2020 the son of Mach Three scored 15 top-three finishes, including nine wins, in 22 starts and bankrolled $249,531 for his connections. Competing primarily in the Preferred ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, he most recently scored three consecutive wins at Mohawk.

Donna Soprano and Imextraspecial will compete for 2-Year-Old Trotting Filly honors. Donna Soprano won five of seven races and more than $575,000 for her connections which included sweeps of the Pure Ivory and Peaceful Way Stakes, a win in a Champlain division and an impressive runner-up finish in the inaugural edition of the Mohawk Million.

Imextraspecial won five of 10 races and more than $223,000 in her rookie campaign, which was highlighted by five victories in Ontario Sires Stakes events.

In the 2-Year-Old Trotting Colt division, stablemates Macho Martini and On A Streak are the finalists. Trained by Luc Blais for Determination of Montreal, Que., these two colts topped the rookie trotting colt charts in 2020. The Muscle Mass colt Macho Martini was a winner of eight of 11 starts and $454,000, scoring victories in four Ontario Sires Stakes events, the Millard Farm elimination and final, a Champlain division and an elimination of the William Wellwood Memorial Stake.

On A Streak had only two wins in 10 starts, but they were both very lucrative ones. His maiden-breaking effort came in the $525,000 William Wellwood Stakes which was worth $267,500 and a spot in the inaugural Mohawk Million, where he finished a solid third. His second victory came in the Breeders Crown, and was worth $300,000. In total the Cantab Hall colt earned in excess of $850,000 for his season which also included a runner-up finish in the Valley Victory.

Sorella and Warrawee Vicky are the finalists in the 3-Year-Old Trotting Filly division.

Sorella won eight of 15 races and $737,000 including victories in the Reynolds, the Hambletonian Oaks, the Casual Breeze, the Bluegrass and the Matron.

Warrawee Vicky scored four wins in 12 starts and banked more than $230,000. Three of those wins came in the Ontario Sires Stakes events and the fourth was in a Simcoe division.

Pemberton and Ready For Moni will compete for 3-Year-Old Trotting Colt honors.

Pemberton, a son of Wheeling N Dealin, won eight of 10 races and earned more than $363,000 for his sophomore season. Four of his victories came in Ontario Sires Stakes events including the season-ending Super Final.

The aptly-named Ready For Moni boasted a bankroll in excess of $646,000 for his sophomore season which included five wins in 11 starts. His season was highlighted by a sweep of the Goodtimes, victories in the Zweig Memorial and Stanley Dancer, and a runner-up finish in the Hambletonian.

In the Older Trotting Mare category, Hey Livvy and PL Jill are the finalists.

Hey Livvy won nine races and more than $278,000 in 22 trips postward, highlighted by her richest payday, an impressive victory in the Armbro Flight.

PL Jill was a consistent performer in the Preferred trotting ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, winning nine of 25 starts and banking more than $241,000. Her biggest payday came in the Earl Rowe Stake where she got up for a head victory.

On The Ropes and Perfetto are finalists in the Older Trotting Horse Category.

On The Ropes won six races and $142,000 during his five-year-old campaign and all of his 34 starts took place at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Perfetto won seven of 24 races and $149,000 while also making all but one start at Mohawk.

This year marks the eighth year for the Future Star Award, with two P.E.I. natives competing as finalists. Rachel Andrew, of Dundas, Ont., and Austin Sorrie who resides in Freelton, Ont., both posted some impressive stats this season.[2]

Andrew, trained 51 winners and horses to more than $434,000 in earnings in just her third year of full-time training.

This marks the second consecutive year that Sorrie is a finalist in this category. The young reinsman was in demand on the Ontario B Track circuit in 2020, driving in more than 1,155 races, scoring 143 wins and driving horses to more than $874,000 in purse earnings.

Seelster Farms and Warrawee Farm are finalists in the Armstrong Breeder of the Year Category.

Three-time Breeder of the Year Seelster Farms of Lucan, Ont., won this award in 2006, 2013, and 2018.

In 2020, horses bred by Seelster won 239 races and earned more than $3.3 million. Top performers included O'Brien finalists Lawless Shadow and Karma Seelster along with Tokyo Seelster.

Horses bred by Rockwood, Ont.-based Warrawee Farm won 41 races and earned more than $1 million in 2020, including O'Brien finalist Warrawee Vicky. Other top performers included Warrawee Vital and Warrawee Ubeaut.

One of the winners in the divisional categories will be awarded the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year title.

The winners will be announced at the 2020 Virtual O'Brien Awards Gala on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, which will be video streamed on standardbredcanada.ca.

 

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