The 2007 Sovereign Awards, Canadian Thoroughbred racing's version of the Eclipse Awards, were handed out at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel on December 14. To qualify, equine nominees must have made three starts in Canada (juveniles need two starts), while human nominees need ten starts in this country. This differs significantly from the U.S. Eclipse Awards, where many European-based horses have won championships off of just one start. Winners receive a trophy depicting St. Simon, an undefeated colt who raced in England in the 1880's and then went on to an illustrious career at stud.
The night belonged to Sealy Hill and owner Eugene Melnyk. After capturing the Sovereign Award for Champion Female Turf Horse and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, the daughter of Point Given was named Canada's Horse of the Year for 2007. She earned $958,389 this year as the first-ever winner of the Canadian Triple Tiara. sweeping the Woodbine Oaks, Bison City Stakes and the Wonder Where. She ended the year with a close second to European shipper Mrs. Lindsay in the E.P. Taylor(G1). Melnyk said, "When you see things come together in our program, like Sealy Hill, it is most satisfying."
Sealy Hill's success led to awards for each of her connections. Eugene Melnyk was named Outstanding Owner, regular rider Patrick Husbands was named Outstanding Jockey, and trainer Mark Casse was named Outstanding Trainer, repeating as the winner after winning the award for the first time last year. When claiming his award as champion owner, Melnyk said, "When I see who has won this award before, I see names like Ernie Samuel, Frank Stronach, Kinghaven Farm, Steve Stavro. These were people I looked up to, and I always wanted to do what they were doing. This business is a lot of work but it's the most fun you can have. It takes so much patience and money to invest in this business." Melnyk, a Toronto native who resides in Barbados, owns Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Florida, the Ottawa Senators NHL team, and is the former chairman and CEO of pharmaceutical firm Biovail Corporation.
Husbands and Casse had career years in 2007, topping the standings at Woodbine. Husbands led all riders at Woodbine with 149 wins in 717 starts, with 147 seconds and 89 thirds, earning $9,171,168 for the year. Casse led all trainers at Woodbine with 84 wins in 367 starts, with 76 seconds and 46 thirds, with total earnings of $5,766,880, about $2.5 million more than the nearest trainer on the earnings list. His stakes winners include Sealy Hill, Natalma (G3) winner Clearly Foxy, Alywow winner Silky Smooth, Breeders' Stakes winner Marchfield, and Officer Cherrie, winner of the Natalma (G3) and the Ontario Debutante.
Owner Bob Cheema took home two awards on Friday night. Road warrior True Metropolitan repeated as Champion Older Male, with wins in the Dominion Day and Autumn Stakes at Woodbine, as well as the Westerner and Speed to Spare at Northlands and the Winston Churchill at Hastings. Dancing Allstar was named Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, in a year where she starts off the year with a win in the My Dear at Woodbine and runner-up finishes in the Colin against males and then the Ontario Debutante. Shipped back to Hastings Park, she won the last three starts of the year, the CTHS Sales Stakes, the Diamond Futurity, and then the Fantasy. Both of Cheema's winners are trained by Terry Jordan.
The 6-year-old gray mare Financingavailable took home two awards for her owner K.K. Sangara, as she was named Champion Older Female and also Champion Sprinter, a category in which three of the four finalists were distaffers. She raced exclusively at Woodbine in 2007, with wins in the Ballade, the Victoriana on turf, the Classy'n Smart, and then the Ontario Fashion. The daughter of Kiridashi earned $451,151 in 7 starts this year.
Seven-year-old gelding Cloudy's Knight was named Champion Male Turf Horse. He shipped in to Woodbine for three stakes races after finishing a close second at home in the Stars and Stripes Handicap (G2) at Arlington. The Frank Kirby trainee was second in the Nijinsky (G2) and then won both the Sky Classic (G2) and then the Canadian International (G1) by a nose over European shipper Ask, under regular rider Ramsey Zimmerman. Cloudy's Knight earned $1,762,868 in nine starts in 2007, with 3 wins, 3 seconds,and 1 third. Owner and breeder Dr. Jerrold Schwartz was on hand to accept the trophy.
Kodiak Kowboy, winner of the Bashford Manor and Saratoga Special, was named Champion 2-Year-Old Male. Although he mostly raced in the U.S., closing out he year with a 3rd place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), he qualified for the award under the new rule where juveniles only need 2 Canadian starts. The Steve Asmussen trainee started off his career with a close fourth place finish in a 1/4 mile dash at Woodbine, and then after breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs, he returned to Woodbine to win the Victoria Stakes.
Prince of Wales Stakes winner Alezzandro was named Champion 3-Year-Old Male, edging out stablemate Leonnatus Anteas. Alezzandro made his debut in May a winning one, and after finishing second in the Queen's Plate to Mike Fox, came back to take the second jewel of the Triple Crown. He closed out the year with a runner-up finish in the Ontario Derby.
Lover's Talk was named Outstanding Broodmare, a lifetime achievement award. Of her 14 foals, 12 raced, including stakes winners Love Grows, Barley Talk, Torrid Affair, Wild Whiskey, and Lyrically. The daughter of Vice Regent has recorded total progeny earnings of $1,768,047 to date.
Tyler Pizarro was named Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, as his 124 victories and $5.2 million in earnings were tops among all apprentices at Woodbine this year.
Frank Stronach's Adena Springs edged out Eugene Melnyk for the Outstanding Breeder award. Their stakes winners in Canada this year include Awesome Action, Executive Choice, Just Rushing, and The Niagara Queen. 148 Adena Springs horses made a total of 844 North American starts, with 132 wins including 13 stakes. Farm manager Mike Rogers was on hand to accept the trophy.
