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Seven-Time Sovereign Award Winner Pink Lloyd Kicks Off 2021 Campaign Sunday At Woodbine

Multiple stakes champion and fan favourite Pink Lloyd goes after his fifth straight Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes crown, Sunday at Woodbine, part of a 12-race card that also features the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes.

A seven-time Sovereign award winner, including Horse of the Year honours in 2017 and four straight (2017-2020) Male Sprinter titles, Pink Lloyd, owned by Entourage Stable and trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Robert Tiller, will launch his 9-year-old campaign in a race he has dominated since 2017.

With regular rider Rafael Hernandez on the sidelines after an injury suffered in an opening day spill on June 12, Daisuke Fukumoto will take the reins of the speedy son of Old Forester in the $150,000 Jacques Cartier.

Tiller, who has campaigned the ultra consistent chestnut since his first start in 2016, will take a race-to-race approach with Pink Lloyd this season.

“You're dealing with a 9-year-old,” said Tiller, who won the first race of the 2021 Woodbine Thoroughbred meet with Five Days in May. “This horse, his career will be over this year at some time. He will be retired this year. He's been a wonderful animal, he's earned over $2 million, and he loves racing. He's happy and he's sound right now – that's why he's running. We're going to take it one start at a time and make a decision after each start.”

Bred by John Carey, Pink Lloyd launched his career five years ago, winning his first three races, including a victory in his debut on August 28, 2016, a 1 ½-length score over six furlongs on the Woodbine main track.

The veteran campaigner hasn't missed a beat since then, racking up a slew of stakes triumphs while filling his connections' trophy cases with hard-earned hardware.

“We have a lot of challenges for this race,” noted Tiller. “He carries high weight again. If he runs a good race like he did in his last race of 2020, I'll be happy and we'll see how he comes out of it. The horse is doing well and he has every right to run in this race.”

When Pink Lloyd is retired, he'll be sent to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society to enjoy his post-racing life.

As Tiller noted last year, “He'll be a movie star there after being a rock star on the racetrack.”

Other contenders include Wesley Ward trainee Joker On Jack, 2020 Jacques Cartier runner-up Malibu Secret, Zilli Racing Stables' 5-year-old Readyforprimetime, Live Oak Plantation homebred Souper Stonehenge, and stakes winner Dixie's Gamble.

Listed at 25-1 in the Queen's Plate Winterbook, Derzkii, a 3-year-old son of Frac Daddy, will make his 2021 debut in the Woodstock Stakes, traditionally a key prep on the road to Canada's most famous horse race.

Owned by Fieldstone Farms Inc., and trained by Carlos Grant, the two-time winner from six starts closed out his 2-year-old campaign with back-to-back scores, on October 18 and November 12.

Grant saw potential in Derzkii early on, but waited until after the dark bay's first race to see if his confidence was warranted.

“Some of them will fool you, so you just have to wait until they start racing. When he was a yearling, he'd be running around the paddock like a madman. There would be ice and everything in the paddock, and he'd be going like a madman. I always told my wife and my brother-in-law, 'He's a freak.' Nothing will faze him. That's what you want in a horse.

“He just can't stand it when you leave him in his stall. I have to train him first in the morning and when he comes off the track, he's still full of energy. He's got no shortage of energy. He's a beautiful horse to be around.”

After a third, fourth, fifth and second to begin his career, Derzkii, bred by Megan Allan and Lesley Kraus, hit his best stride in his past two performances.

Grant was thoroughly pleased with his rookie campaign.

“He had a beautiful year. He came out of all the races very happy and he showed us all what he could do out there. I usually give my horses three days off, depending on how they come out of the race, but he was ready and raring to go again the day after his races. During his training, I realized he wanted to go further. After every work, I would say, 'This guy wants to go long.' In his third start, I noticed him looking around, so we put the blinkers on. We made that adjustment and that was all he needed.”

This will be the second stakes appearance for Derzkii, who finished fourth in the 2020 Simcoe Stakes.

His connections are hoping it's the start of even bigger things to come.

“I dream about it [Queen's Plate] every day, every single minute,” said Grant. “Racing in the Plate would be a dream come true. We have to keep our fingers crossed.”

The field showcases stakes winners Chasing Artie, Jaxon Traveler, Master Spy, and Outadore, along with multiple stakes placed Sky's Not Falling, and Saturday George, who broke his maiden with an impressive turf triumph last September at Woodbine.

FIELD FOR THE JACQUES CARTIER

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Joker On Jack – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Wesley Ward

2 – Pink Lloyd – Daisuke Fukumoto – Robert Tiller

3 – Malibu Secret – Kazushi Kimura – Martin Drexler

4 – Readyforprimetime – Justin Stein – Michael De Paulo

5 – Souper Stonehenge – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

6 – Dixie's Gamble – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

FIELD FOR THE WOODSTOCK

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Chasing Artie – Kazushi Kimura – Wesley Ward

2 – Outadore – Justin Stein – Wesley Ward

3 – Saturday George – David Moran – Michael De Paulo

4 – Jaxon Traveler – Luis Contreras – Steve Asmussen

5 – Sky's Not Falling – Gary Boulanger – Michael Trombetta

6 – Derzkii – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Carlos Grant

7 – Master Spy – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

The Jacques Cartier is scheduled as race seven. The Woodstock goes as race 10. First post is 1:20 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIBet.com.

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Sovereign Awards: Mighty Heart Voted Canada’s Horse Of The Year

The Jockey Club of Canada hosted the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony through a virtual presentation on Thursday evening, April 15, 2021.

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 2020 Sovereign Award winners in the order in which they were presented.

Outstanding Photograph:
WILL WONG

Mambointheforest

Published, September 27, 2020; Ontario Racing Website

Outstanding Writing:
CHRIS LOMON
The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen's Plate Crown
Published, September 18, 2020; Ontario Racing website

Outstanding Digital Audio/Visual & Broadcast:
SANTINO DI PAOLA
Dear Horse Racing
Aired, June 8th, 2020; Paulick Report website
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZyQdLfDZW4

Outstanding Groom Award: Michelle Gibson
Michelle learned everything she could about riding and horse care when she attended riding school in Caledon. She began to work with top circuit show jumpers and was soon travelling throughout the United States to major horse shows. When her son Devin was born in 2001, Michelle wanted to leave travelling behind and she checked in at Woodbine racetrack where she got her first job with Thoroughbreds.

Michelle has worked for Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller for almost 10 years and she is the groom of Pink Lloyd, the 2017 Horse of the Year, a six-time Sovereign Award winner. Michelle, who likes to have lots of time to get her horses ready and is at the barn at 3:30 a.m. each morning, believes her strengths as a groom come from her meticulous work habits and ability to multi-task. Humbled by receiving the Sovereign Award, Michelle is grateful that she gets to work at what she loves. “The horses are my therapy, they keep me sound and they keep me sane.”

Champion Older Main Track Male: SKYWIRE
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Gary Barber and Lucio Tucci
Breeder: William D. Graham
B. G. 5, by Afleet Alex – Meandering Stream (Gone West)
2020: 8 Starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds – $321,980
Winner: Autumn S. (G2), Eclipse S. (G2)

Skywire (116), Pink Lloyd (94), Mr. Ritz (24)

Champion Older Main Track Female: SOUPER ESCAPE
Trainer: Michael J. Trombetta
Owner: Live Oak Plantation
Breeder: Live Oak Stud
Dk. b or b F. 4, by Medaglia d'Oro – Cry and Catch Me (Street Cry*Ire)
2020: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third – $200,950
Winner: Seaway S. (G3), Trillium S. (G3)

Souper Escape (142), Painting (52), Summer Sunday (32)

Champion Three-Year-Old Male: MIGHTY HEART
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Lawrence Cordes
Breeder: Lawrence Cordes
B. C. 3, by Dramedy – Emma's Bullseye (City Place)
2020: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $922,870
Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen's Plate, MSW

Mighty Heart (149), Belichick (78), Shirl's Speight (31)

Champion Three-Year-Old Female: CURLIN'S VOYAGE
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Windsor Boys Racing
Breeder: Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc.
F. 3, by Curlin – Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic) 
2020: 6 Starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third – $447,000
Winner: Fury S., Woodbine Oaks

Curlin's Voyage (83), Merveilleux (76), Artie's Princess (72)

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: MAURICIO MALVAEZ
Starts 191; Wins 16; Seconds 27; Thirds 16
Earnings $210,888; Stakes Wins 1

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Mauricio Malvaez grew up spending time working with racehorses. Mauricio began his career as a jockey in 2019 and completed his first full season as an apprentice in 2020 quickly making an impression. However, it was his superb front-running ride on Real Grace, trained by Shelley Brown, to win the Grade 3 Canadian Derby, for owners Shelley Brown, Jean McEwan, Bette Holtman and Bernell B. Rhone that put Mauricio's name in the headlines. Mauricio's 16 wins led all apprentice riders in Canada in 2020.

Mauricio Malvaez (154), Nikki Alderson (60), Edgar Zenteno (59)

Outstanding Jockey: RAFAEL HERNANDEZ
Starts 637; Wins 129; Seconds 99; Thirds 77
Earnings $5,463,126; Stakes Wins 17

Born in Puerto Rico, Rafael won a meet-leading 17 stakes races among his 129 wins in Canada earning himself the riders title at Woodbine for 2020. He held a steady 20% win average throughout the meet. Rafael's biggest win came in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes when he guided Etoile (Fr), trained by Chad Brown, to preserve victory in the $600,000 race winning by a neck. Rafael's other achievements include three graded stakes wins aboard champion Pink Lloyd and Skywire, winner of the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes, Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes.

Rafael Hernandez (145), Justin Stein (82), Patrick Husbands (13)

Outstanding Trainer: MARK CASSE
Starts 482; Wins 93; Seconds 86; Thirds: 51

Earnings $5,385,935; Stakes Wins 17

In 2020, Mark's trainees won 93 races from 482 starts, 17 of which were stakes races. His starters earned over $5.3 million in purses. Those numbers all exceeded his 2019 totals despite a shortened 2020 season at Woodbine. Leading the charge of stakes winners in Canada for Mark was Grade 1 Summer Stakes winner Gretzky the Great, two-time graded stakes winner Skywire, and Not So Quiet, a two-time stakes winner. Mark had several other juvenile stakes winners on his roster in 2020 including Cup & Saucer Stakes winner Master Spy and Grade 3 Display Stakes winner Helium.

Mark Casse (120), Josie Carroll (100), Kevin Attard (50)

Champion Male Sprinter: PINK LLOYD
Trainer: Robert P. Tiller
Owner: Entourage Stable
Breeder: John Carey
Ch. G. 8, by Old Forester – Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator)
2020: 5 Starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $357,600
Winner: Vigil S. (G3), Bold Venture S. (G3), Shepperton S., Jacques Cartier S. (G3)

Pink Lloyd (142), Silent Poet (95), Not So Quiet (35)

Champion Female Sprinter: ARTIE'S PRINCESS
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Owner: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
Breeder: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey
B. F. 3, by We Miss Artie – Stormkeeper (Stormy Atlantic)
2020: 4 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $260,220
Winner: Bessarabian S. (G2), Ruling Angel S., ALW

Artie's Princess (133), Lady Grace (45), Boardroom (38)

Special Sovereign Award: SAM-SON FARM
Sam-Son Farm, a Canadian thoroughbred breeding and racing operation, was founded in 1972 by Ernie and Liza Samuel. The red and gold colours of Sam-Son Farm enjoyed their first of five Queen's Plate victories in 1988 with Regal Intention.

Sam-Son also bred and raced nine Woodbine Oaks heroines starting with Classy 'n' Smart in 1984. The brilliant Dance Smartly, a daughter of Classy 'n' Smart, became the 1991 Canadian triple crown winner. Following this incredible feat, Dance Smartly went on to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs becoming the first Canadian-bred to win a Breeders Cup race. Sam-Son's beloved Dance Smartly continued her legacy in the breeding shed producing Queen's Plate winners Dancethruthedawn and Scatter the Gold.

In 1991 after which Sam-Son's horses established a world record earning more than $6.8 million in purses, Ernie was presented the Man of the Year award by The Jockey Club of Canada. This honour affirmed Ernie's greatest joy and that of his family, their cherished broodmares and their breeding program.

After Ernie passed away in 2000 Sam-Son was managed by his daughter Tammy Samuel-Balaz until her own passing in 2008. Today the farm's breeding and racing operation is overseen by farm manager David Whitford and racing manager Tom Zwiesler under the leadership of Mark Samuel (CEO), Kim Samuel and Rick Balaz (President).

Celebrating almost 50 years in the thoroughbred breeding and racing business, Sam-Son has been the recipient of an impressive four Eclipse awards, 13 Hall of Fame Awards and 84 Sovereign Awards. Since its inception Sam-Son has bred and raced 44 Graded Stakes winners including 37 Classic winners and 14 Grade 1 winners.

Outstanding Breeder: TALL OAKS FARM
Starters 44; Winners 19
Earnings $2,231,813
Starts 206; Wins 28; Seconds 26; Thirds 25

Ivan Dalos and his Tall Oaks Farm was once again prominent on the leading breeders list in Canada and the United States. Channel Maker, a son of English Channel out of Ivan's 2018 Outstanding Broodmare In Return, had another stellar racing campaign in 2020. Winning the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes and finishing third in the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland earning the gelding the 2020 Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Male. Dalos bred and raced stakes winner Court Return, winner of the Eternal Search Stakes, second in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes and third in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes as well as, graded stakes placed Avie's Samurai and Avie's Flatter. Tall Oaks led Canadian breeders in earnings with over $2.2 million in purses.

Tall Oaks Farm (103), Sam-Son Farm (93), Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (48)

Outstanding Broodmare: DANCEFORTHECAUSE
M. 2011 by Giant's Causeway – Dancethruthestorm (Thunder Gulch)
3 Foals, 2 Starters, 2 Winners, 2 Graded Black-Type Winners
Progeny Earnings $760,518

A granddaughter of the great Dance Smartly, Danceforthecause bred by Sam-Son Farm never made it to the races but she is off to a spectacular start in her broodmare career. The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch has had two starters and both are graded stakes winners. Rideforthecause winner of the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes and Say the Word who won the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine and finished third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar and the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes. The mare is now owned by Gainesway Farm. She was purchased by Gainesway at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. Danceforthecause has 2019 foal by Distorted Humor and a 2020 foal by Street Sense.

Danceforthecause (75), Include Katherine (62), Count to Three (59)

Champion Two-Year-Old Male: GRETZKY THE GREAT
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber
Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.
B. C. 2, by Nyquist – Pearl Turn (Bernardini)
2020: 5 Starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds – $354,400
Winner: Summer S. (G1), Soaring Free S., MSW

Gretzky the Great (152), Ready to Repeat (46), Stephen (27), Master Spy (27)

Champion Two-Year-Old Female: LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE
Trainer: Roger L. Attfield
Owner: Charles E. Fipke
Breeder: Charles E. Fipke
Ch. F. 2, by Speightstown – Lady Shakespeare (Theatrical*Ire)
2020: 2 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $146,394
Winner: Natalma S. (G1), MSW

Lady Speightspeare (148), Dreaming of Drew (54), Alda (39)

Champion Male Turf Horse: SAY THE WORD
Trainer: D'Amato Philip
Owner: Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm
Breeder: Sam-Son Farm
Dk. b. or b. G. 5, by More Than Ready – Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway)
2020: 7 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds – $298,490
Winner: Northern Dancer S. (G1), ALW/OC

Say the Word (111), Silent Poet (79), Count Again (74)

Champion Female Turf Horse: THEODORA B.
Trainer: Michael W. Dickinson
Owner: Augustin Stable
Breeder: Augustin Stables
Dk. b. or b. M. 5, by Ghostzapper – Dyna Waltz*GB (Dynaformer)
2020: 6 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds – $455,940
Winner: TVG S., Dance Smartly S. (G2), ALW/OC

Theodora B. (90), Rideforthecause (88), Elizabeth Way (47)

Outstanding Owner: LIVE OAK PLANTATION
Starts 47; Wins 14; Seconds 9; Thirds 4
Earnings $1,146,408; Stakes Wins 5

Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation and Stud, in Florida, has produced and raced top racehorses since the early 1990s. Charlotte's horses, trained by Mark Casse and Michael Trombetta, closed the season with purse earnings of over $1.1 million placing her third on the leading owners list. The Live Oak stars of 2020 include Souper Escape, a multiple graded stakes winner with victories in the Grade 3 Seaway Stakes and Grade 3 Trillium Stakes. The farm also campaigned the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes winner March to the Arch, the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes winner Salute With Honor and 2-year-old filly Souper Sensational, who won the Glorious Song Stakes.

Live Oak Plantation (124), Sam-Son Farm (51), Gary Barber (35)

Horse of The Year: MIGHTY HEART
Trainer: Josie Carroll
Owner: Lawrence Cordes
Breeder: Lawrence Cordes
B. C. 3, by Dramedy – Emma's Bullseye (City Place)
2020: 8 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third – $922,870
Winner: Prince of Wales S., Queen's Plate, MSW

Mighty Heart (95), Pink Lloyd (78), Silent Poet (30)

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Canadian Horse of the Year Goes to Mighty Heart

Dual Canadian Classic winner Mighty Heart (Dramedy), a homebred for Lawrence Cordes, was named Canadian Horse of the Year at the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony held Thursday evening. It marked the second year in a row Canada's championship awards were held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Mighty Heart began his sophomore campaign in July with a maiden special weight victory at Woodbine, then went on to capture the Sept. 12 Queen's Plate S. and the Sept. 29 Prince of Wales S. The one-eyed fan favorite also earned the champion 3-year-old male honor.

Josie Carroll also trained the winner of the champion 3-year-old female title in Curlin's Voyage (Curlin). Running for the partnership of Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Windsor Boys Racing, Curlin's Voyage won both the Woodbine Oaks and the Fury S.

Champion older main track male honors went to the Gary Barber and Lucio Tucci runner Skywire (Afleet Alex), who won the GII Autumn S. and the GII Eclipse S. Live Oak homebred Souper Escape (Medaglia d'Oro), winner of both the GIII Seaway S. and the GIII Trillium S., took home the champion older main track female award.

The Sovereign for champion 2-year-old colt was awarded to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), winner of the GI Summer S. and Soaring Free S., while champion 2-year-old filly honors went to Charles E. Fipke's homebred Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who captured the GI Natalma S.

The title of champion male turf horse went to GI Northern Dancer S. winner Say the Word (More Than Ready), an Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm colorbearer. Augustin Stables homebred Theodora B. (Ghostzapper), who won the GII Dance Smartly S. and the TVG S., took home the champion female turf award.

Always popular, the 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd (Old Forester), who had also previously been named champion male sprinter three times, as well as champion older dirt male and champion older horse, was back to add another championship title to his resume with a fourth consecutive champion male sprinter honor. The Entourage Stable champ added four of his 23 total black-type victories in 2020: the GIII Vigil S., the GIII Jacques Cartier S., the GIII Bold Venture S., and the Shepperton S. Artie's Princess (We Miss Artie), a homebred for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, captured the GII Bessarabian S., the Ruling Angel S., and the champion female sprinter award.

The final equine award given at the Sovereigns is outstanding broodmare, which went to Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway). The 10-year-old mare has produced two graded winners from two starters, including Grade I winner Say the Word, whose champion male turf horse award would be announced just moments after Danceforthecause's honor. The mare also produced GII Canadian S. winner Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}), who finished second by a narrow margin in voting for the evening's champion female turf horse award. Danceforthecause was sold by Sam-Son Farm at the Keeneland January sale to Gainesway Farm for $925,000.

Trainer Mark Casse earned his 12th Sovereign Award for outstanding trainer. His trainees won 93 Canadian races in 2020–17 in stakes events–and earned over $5.3 million. Among his runners were aforementioned champions Gretzky the Great and Skywire. Outstanding jockey went to Rafael Hernandez, whose 129 wins in 2020 contributed to his earnings of over $5.4 million. Among his regular mounts were champions Pink Lloyd and Skywire. The Sovereign for apprentice jockey went to Mauricio Malvaez, whose 16 scores topped all apprentices in Canada for 2020. Among his victories was his first black-type win, which took place in the GIII Canadian Derby aboard Real Grace (Mineshaft).

Live Oak Plantation was named outstanding owner with earnings of over $1.1 million. Among Live Oak's best runners of 2020 was champion Souper Escape. Outstanding breeder honors went to Tall Oaks Farm, which led Canadian breeders in purse earnings with $2.2 million. The outstanding groom award went to champion Pink Lloyd's groom Michelle Gibson. She has been a part of Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller's operation for almost 10 years.

As had been previously announced, Sam-Son Farm was honored with a special sovereign award. Outstanding photograph went to Will Wong for his work entitled Mambointheforest, which was published on the Ontario Racing website; outstanding writing was awarded to Chris Lomon for “The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen's Plate Crown,” also published on the Ontario Racing website; and Santino di Paola won the outstanding digital audio/visual and broadcast award for his work called Dear Horse Racing, which was published on YouTube by Woodbine.

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Sam-Son Farm To Be Recognized With Special Sovereign Award

Sam-Son Farm will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award during the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards Virtual Ceremony, which will be held in April. Selected by the Jockey Club of Canada's Stewards, the Special Sovereign Award honors those who have accomplished outstanding achievements and made a significant contribution to the Thoroughbred Industry in Canada.

Over the past five decades, Sam-Son Farm, a Canadian Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation founded in 1972 by Ernie and Liza Samuel, has been the recipient of four Eclipse Awards, 13 Hall of Fame Awards and 84 Sovereign Awards. Since its inception, Sam-Son Farm has enjoyed five Queen's Plate winners, eight Woodbine Oaks winners and 60 graded stakes winners.

Also to be recognized at this year's virtual awards, Michelle Gibson will receive the 2020 Outstanding Groom Award. Currently employed by Robert Tiller, she is the groom of 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year, Pink Lloyd.

Additionally, the finalists for the 2020 Sovereign Awards Media categories were announced Thursday. This year's entries were evaluated by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America. A 4-2-1 points system was used to determine the first, second and third place finalists in each category.

Digital Audio/visual and Broadcast Category:

Santino Di Paola – Dear Horse Racing
Horse Racing Alberta – Canadian Derby Year of the Mask
Woodbine Entertainment Group – The Queen's Plate

Photograph Category:

Rusty Barton – The Race Goes on a Year Without Fans
Michael Burns – Training Before Dawn
Lisa M. Thompson – One Rider Two Horses
Will Wong – Mambointheforest

Writing Category:

Muriel Lennox – Northern Dancer: A virile stable genius
Chris Lomon – The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen's Plate Crown
Bruce McDougall – Riding for Freedom

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