Retired Jockey Rosa da Silva Honored With Avelino Gomez Memorial Award

Eurico Rosa da Silva, one of Canadian Thoroughbred racing's most accomplished riders and popular personalities, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award.

The coveted Gomez Award is given to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport.

It is named in memory of one of the sport's most heralded and loved performers. The Cuban-born Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident in the 1980 Canadian Oaks.

The 46-year-old da Silva, now retired, is no doubt a worthy recipient of the award.

Da Silva won a slew of several impressive awards and high-profile races over the course of an outstanding career, including a pair of Queen's Plate triumphs, and stirring upset scores in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile and Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International.

His catchphrase, “Good Luck To Everybody,” was always accompanied by a wide smile, words, and a look that embodied an unabashed love for all things horse racing.

Da Silva now has another reason to flash that winning smile, as this year's Gomez honoree. He ranks the distinction as one of the most treasured moments associated with his life in the saddle.

“What a nice surprise. Jessica Buckley [Woodbine Entertainment SVP, Standardbred & Thoroughbred Racing] called and told me. I was so happy. I didn't expect this, but I feel very lucky. This is a great award. I am so thrilled. I feel like I know Avelino. I have heard so many stories about him. I've heard how great he was as a rider and how the fans loved him. So, to win this award that is named after one of the best riders, it is amazing.”

Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, da Silva launched his career in his homeland before moving to Macau. He counts the Brazil Derby, a two-mile Group 1 turf race, among his most memorable early triumphs.

Upon his arrival at Woodbine in 2004, da Silva's stated goal was to become the racetrack's leading rider. He wasted no time in putting his plan in motion.

He recorded his first Woodbine victory on May 20, 2004, teaming with Point Hidden, a bay son of Tale of the Cat, for a half-length win over five furlongs on the main track.

From there, da Silva began his steady ascent in the jockey standings.

Da Silva first topped the standings in 2010 and won the riding title from 2015-2019. In 2018, he set the record for most wins in a single meet at Woodbine with 237 victories.

A seven-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada's Outstanding Jockey, he has victories in all three legs of the Canadian Triple Crown, including consecutive editions of The Queen's Plate in 2009 and 2010, with Eye of the Leopard and Big Red Mike, respectively.

In 2017, he teamed with longshot Bullards Alley to win the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Two years later, he engineered another upset, this time with El Tormenta in the Grade 1 Pattison Canadian International. He was a part of the Horse of the Year campaigns by Pink Lloyd (2017), Up With the Birds (2013), Biofuel (2010), and Fatal Bullet (2008).

Da Silva, who won his final stakes race with Pumpkin Rumble in the 2019 Valedictory Stakes, also made a name for himself on the international stage.

A lifetime winner of 2,286 races, da Silva bested his rivals to reign victorious in the 2017 World All-Star Jockeys Championship in Japan.

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Now, he can add another cherished piece of hardware to his trophy case.

“When I look back on my career, I wanted to be a good rider, but I also wanted to help in the community as well,” said da Silva, who released his autobiography, 'Riding For Freedom,' in late 2020, and now works as a Certified Mind Coach. “The fans, the community around Woodbine, all of it is important to me.

“This honor made me reflect on my career and all the great people and horses I connected with. What it makes me think about is every day that I walked into the jocks' room and how happy I was to do that. So many great riders, like Avelino, were there. I was proud to be able to walk into that room and be part of one of the toughest jockey colonies in the world. Woodbine is so competitive. When you are able to accomplish your dreams, it is very rewarding.”

To commemorate his contributions to the sport, a life-size statue of Gomez, who called Toronto home and raised a family there, keeps watch over Woodbine's walking ring. A replica is presented to each year's honoree.

Although presented annually on Woodbine Oaks day at Woodbine (August 1 this year), this year's ceremony will take place on September 19 at Woodbine. With attendance currently limited to due COVID restrictions, the September date will allow more fans to share in the festivities.

Da Silva joins Ron Turcotte, Johnny Longden, Sandy Hawley, Don MacBeth, Chris Rogers, Jeff Fell, Lloyd Duffy, Hugo Dittfach, Robin Platts, Larry Attard, Don Seymour, David Gall, Richard Grubb, Irwin Driedger, David Clark, Jim McKnight, Chris Loseth, Richard Dos Ramos, Robert Landry, Francine Villeneuve, Sam Krasner, John LeBlanc Sr., George Ho Sang, Jack Lauzon, Robert King Jr., Stewart Elliott, Emile Ramsammy, Steve Bahen, Mickey Walls, Patrick Husbands, Quincy Welch, Gary Stahlbaum, Gary Boulanger, Emma-Jayne Wilson, and Frank Barroby as Gomez honorees.

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Mirth Named 2019 Pennsylvania-Bred Horse Of The Year

This year's Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association Iroquois Awards was held on Friday, June 26 via Zoom. The event virtually hosted top Pennsylvania breeders from all over in celebration of the 2019 stakes winners and champions.

Following is the complete list of winners from Friday's ceremony.

Horse of the Year, Older Female, Turf Female – Mirth

Bred by Barlar LLC

Mirth didn't make her stakes debut until June of her 4-year-old season in her 13th career start. Three months later, she was a Grade 1 winner. She won Santa Anita's Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles while leading at every call in 1:58.47, wrapped up the year with a score in the G3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes, and in between, set the pace in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf before giving way late to be beaten less than six lengths. She won or placed in seven of 11 starts for the year and earned $347,281.

2-Year-Old Filly – Weed Wacker

Bred by Triple Threat Stables LLC

A winner first time out, a stakes winner in her second start and outfinishing all but Pennsylvania-bred champion juvenile colt Newstome in her third start, Weed Wacker dominated her own division. She won the Mrs. Henry D. Paxson Memorial Stakes at Presque Isle Downs by 3 1/4 lengths after a 2 3/4-length maiden win.

2-Year-Old Colt – Newstome

Bred by Equivine Farm

A stakes winner at Presque Isle Downs in the Mark McDermott by three lengths, and at Laurel Park in the James F. Lewis III against open company, Newstome had three wins from five starts for the year and concluded his season with a third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes.

3-Year-Old Filly – Gotta Be Strong

Bred by Scott Naylor

A busy season saw the bay filly win or place in 11 of 14 starts. Tops among her five wins was Penn National's New Start Stakes in which she rallied from last to win in the final strides. She also finished third in the Alma North Stakes at Laurel Park.

3-Year-Old Colt – Parsimony

Bred by Maria Montez Haire

Starting at least once a month through November in 2019, Parsimony made starts at Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park, Keeneland, Los Alamitos and Del Mar. Four times he was sent out in graded stakes, and finished second to champion Game Winner in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby. He was also second in the Cinema Stakes and finished in the top three in nine of his 16 starts at three.

Older Male – Prince Lucky

Bred by Daniel W. McConnell Sr.

The richest Pennsylvania-bred runner of 2019, Prince Lucky kicked off his 4-year-old season with dominating back-to-back stakes scores in the G3 Hal's Hope, winning by six lengths, followed by the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile by nearly five lengths. Racing exclusively in stakes, he added a win in the State Dinner Stakes at Belmont in July and turned in a game performance to just miss when second in the G2 Kelso Handicap.

Turf Male – Pumpkin Rumble

Bred by Smart Angle

Making his first start of the season in late June, the veteran Pumpkin Rumble made five starts, four in graded stakes company, and won twice – defending his title in Woodbine's G3 Valedictory Stakes by more than five lengths, and taking his only start away from his base in Canada in Parx Racing's Alphabet Soup Handicap. He also finished third in the G2 Nijinsky and G3 Dominion Day Stakes.

Female Sprinter – Bronx Beauty

Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

Six starts, all stakes. Three wins at three different tracks. Bronx Beauty flew home in the Penn Ladies Dash at Penn National in 1:08.57 for six furlongs; battled home to win the Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park; and proved tough when taking Monmouth Park's Regret. She was also third in the Roamin Rachel at Parx.

Male Sprinter – Midtowncharlybrown

Bred by Godric LLC

A two-time stakes winner in the tough sprint division, Midtowncharlybrown shot to the lead and flew home in the Chocolate Town Sprint at Penn National, and followed with a gutsy performance in the Banjo Picker Sprint at Parx Racing while turning back multiple challengers.

Steeplechaser – Senior Senator

Bred by Charles C.D. McGill

The timber star made history by winning the Maryland Hunt Cup for a third time, the first horse to do so in 36 years, and also accounted for his third consecutive Grand National Timber Stakes.

Pennsylvania-Preferred Female – Imply

Bred by Barlar LLC

2019 earnings: $240,980

Won Lyphard Stakes at Penn National, Northern Fling Stakes at Presque Isle Downs and Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx Racing.

PA-Preferred Male – Midnightcharly

Bred by Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC and Godric LLC

2019 earnings: $267,888

Won Lyman Handicap at Parx Racing; 2nd Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National, Banjo Picker Sprint Stakes at Parx Racing; 3rd Chocolate Town Sprint Stakes at Penn National

Broodmare – Di's Delight

Owned by Barlar LLC

A stakes-placed daughter of French Deputy owned by Barlar since being purchased in November 2011, she has five Pennsylvania-bred foals of racing age, all winners, three of them stakes performers. Two were stakes winners in 2019 – Grade 1 winner and Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year Mirth and the Jump Start filly Vault, who won or placed in seven of eight starts.

Leading Breeding Fund Recipient (horse) – Imply

Bred by Barlar LLC

$307,170

Leading Total Breeding Fund Recipient – Northview Stallion Station Inc.

$434,751

Leading Overall Breeder of Pennsylvania Breds – Blackstone Farm LLC

$2,151,160

Leading Stallion – Jump Start

$251,650

Lifetime Achievement Award – Bettina Jenney

OTTB – Fairly Obvious

Bred by Ghost Ridge Farm

Award of Merit – Touch of Kindness Sanctuary

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