The Sovereign Awards

Horse Racing

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Horse Racing

Dateline: 12/14/01

The 27th annual Sovereign Awards for excellence in Canadian Thoroughbred racing, Canadian thoroughbred racing's equivalent of the Eclipse Awards, were handed out on Friday night December 14th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto.

Champion 3-Year-Old Male and Horse of the Year Win City winning the Prince of Wales Stakes

Similar to last year, the big winner for the evening was Sam Son Farm, which took home five Sovereigns. This year they had to share the limelight with the owner-trainer combination of Frank Di Giulio Jr. and Bob Tiller who captured four including Horse of the Year for their 3-year-old colt Win City.

Tammy Samual-Balaz the daughter of the late Ernie Samuel who founded Sam-Son Farm accepts one of their many awards for the evening.

Perennial winner Sam-Son took home the awards for Champion Broodmare with Dance Smartly, Champion Older Female with Ontario Matron Stakes winner Mountain Angel, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly with Dancethruthedawn who won both the Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate, along with Outstanding Owner and Outstanding Breeder.

Frank Di Giulio Jr. and Bob Tiller accept the Horse of the Year award for Win City from Woodbine Chairman and CEO David Willmot (center).

Bob Tiller, who has been training horses for thirty years, finally broke his jinx in the Sovereigns by capturing the Outstanding Trainer award. His multiple stakes-winning trainee Win City, owned by Frank Di Giulio Jr., was named the Champion Three-Year-Old Male and Horse of the Year. Tiller and Di Giulio co-own Rare Friends who was voted Champion Two-Year-Old Male off of a 4-for-5 season, three of the victories in stakes company.

Jockey Patrick Husbands celebrates winning Outstanding Jockey for an the third consecutive year.

Numerous Times, who was undefeated for the year including a huge win in the Grade 1 Atto Mile, was awarded Champion Male Turf Horse. His jockey Patrick Husbands was named Outstanding Jockey for the third year in a row, the first ever to accomplish the feat. Husbands was also aboard Exciting Story when he won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont at odds of almost 57-1. Interestingly enough, the Outstanding Photograph award went to a picture by photographer Michael Burns Sr. of Numerous Times barely nosing out Affirmed Success and Quiet Resolve in the Atto Mile.

Sovereign Award Vote Totals

Horse of the Year             Sprinter               
Win City             99       Mr. Epperson        146
Numerous Times       71       Exciting Story       70
Dancethruthedawn     70       Wake At Noon         52

2-Year-Old Filly              2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Ginger Gold         187       Rare Friends        148
Lady Shari           81       Changeintheweather  103
Miss Noire           20       Streakin Rob         54

3-Year-Old Filly              3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Dancethruthedawn    200       Win City            165
Highland Mood        49       Fancy As            138
Meadow Gem           38       Stage Classic        35

Older Female                  Older Male             
Mountain Angel      121       A Fleets Dancer     157
Mysterious Affair   111       Exciting Story      127
Catch the Ring       82       Lord Nelson          28

Turf Female                   Turf Male              
Sweetest Thing      153       Numerous Times      194
Diadella             90       Strut the Stage      86
Only to You          55       Quite Resolve        43

Jockey                        Apprentice Jockey      
Patrick Husbands    140       Chantal Sutherland  173
Todd Kabel          121       Leanne Noel         112
Emile Ramsammy       32       Jeffrey Burningham   47

Trainer                       Owner                  
Robert Tiller       184       Sam-Son Farm        144
Mark Frostad         60       Stronach Stables    100
Ron K. Smith         32       Frank Di Guilio Jr.  34

Breeder                       Broodmare              
Sam-Son Farm        191       Dance Smartly       191
Adena Springs        81       Cargo                51
Michael C. Byrne     39       Carry (CHI)          41