FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Toronto
The Jockey Club of Canada Announces 2016 Sovereign Award Finalists and extends an invitation for everyone to attend the Awards Ceremony!
The Jockey Club of Canada will host the 42nd Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony to honor Canada’s racing Champions of 2016 and Canada’s 2016 Horse of the Year on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Palais Royale located in Toronto, Ontario.
Even if you are not a finalist, you’re invited to come and have fun and celebrate with the 2016 Champions of Thoroughbred Racing in Canada.
This year’s event will now be held on Thursday night to be more accommodating allowing everyone to come out and have fun prior to the of the start of Thoroughbred racing in Canada with Woodbine Racetrack’s 2017 Thoroughbred season set to begin on the Saturday , April 15, 2017at 1:00 pm (EST).
Tickets to the 42nd Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony are $250 each and tables of 10 are slightly discounted at $2400. Please note there is an Early Bird discount on ticket purchasing available until March 15, 2017. Tickets can be purchased for $200 each and Tables of 10 would be $2000. All tickets are plus applicable taxes and must be reserved in advance by contacting The Jockey Club of Canada at 416-675-7756 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In an effort to promote equal opportunity in determining the winners for 2016 in the 17 race award categories, the voting began January 9, 2017, allowing for statistics for the entire 2016 year to be considered. To be eligible to receive a Sovereign Award in each divisional category a horse must have raced in Canada at least three times for all horses three years-old and up and two times for all two-year-olds. For the Owner, Trainer, Breeder, Jockey and Apprentice Jockey categories, a minimum of 10 starts in Canada must be made. The Outstanding Broodmare Award is a lifetime achievement award. The mare must have a Canadian-bred Stakes horse (by, definition, the horse must have come first, second or third in a Stakes race) in the current year and must have produced a different Canadian-bred stakes horse in a previous year.
The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to announce the top four finalists in each category as determined by the online ballots of 41 knowledgeable voters across Canada and in the United States.
The 2016 Sovereign Award Finalists, listed alphabetically in each category, are:
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly: Conquest Vivi Ghostly Presence Let It Ride Mom Victory to Victory |
Champion Two-Year-Old Male: Channel Maker Golden Hawk King and His Court Tiz a Slam |
Champion Three-Year-Old Female: Caren Gamble’s Ghost Neshama Snuggles |
Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Amis Gizmo Conquest Enforcer Ready Intaglio Sir Dudley Digges |
Champion Older Female: Goodyearforroses (IRE) Hot Kiss Ice Festival Midnight MIley |
Champion Older Male: Are You Kidding Me Breaking Lucky Killin Me Smalls Melmich |
Champion Female Turf Horse: Caren Goodyearforroses (IRE) Internal Bourbon Lexie Lou |
Champion Male Turf Horse: Calgary Cat Conquest Enforcer Dimension (GB) Glenville Gardens |
Champion Female Sprinter: Cactus Kris Midnight Miley River Maid Southern Ring |
Champion Male Sprinter: Calgary Cat Conquest Enforcer Noholdingback Bear Passion for Action |
Outstanding Broodmare: Cruising Kris Galloping Ami Keen Victory Song of the Lark |
Outstanding Breeder: Adena Springs Melnyk, Eugene Sam-Son Farm Tall Oaks Farm |
Outstanding Owner: Barber, Gary Conquest Stables, LLC Dalos, Ivan Sam-Son Farm |
Outstanding Trainer: Attfield, Roger L. Casse, Mark E. De Paulo, Michael P. Tracy, Greg |
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Asencio, Jose Mariano Auger, Aimee D. Gopie, Daniel Pizarro, Kayla |
Outstanding Jockey: Contreras, Luis Da Silva, Eurico Rosa Hernandez, Rafael Manual Husbands, Patrick |
2016 Horse of the Year TBA on awards night |
The four finalists for 2016 Horse of the Year honors will be announced on the evening of the awards ceremony.
Media Award Categories:
The judging for the 2016 Media Sovereign Award categories will be performed by the Journalism Professors at Humber, School of Media Studies & Information Technology, in Toronto, Ontario. The three finalists in each of the three media categories will be announced before February 28.
The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.
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For more information on The Jockey Club of Canada’s annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony contact Melanie O’Sullivan 416-675-7756/416-801-1640; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.jockeyclubcanada.com
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Melanie O’Sullivan
Consultant - Sovereign Awards Chair