2012 O’Brien Award Finalists

On Monday, December 17, Standardbred Canada announced the finalists for the 2012 O’Brien Awards, which honour Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season.

The winners will be announced at the annual O’Brien Awards Black Tie Gala on Saturday, January 26, 2013.

The awards are named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Sylvain Filion and Scott Zeron, both en route to career years in the earnings column, are the Driver of the Year finalists.

Sylvain Filion, 43, a native of Saint-Andre-D'Argenteuil, Quebec, who now resides in Milton, Ontario, has won 413 races this year while banking more than $8.39 million in purses. He currently ranks among Canada's top five drivers in wins and purse earnings and was the leading driver in the Ontario Sires Stakes this year. Hailing from one of the most accomplished harness racing families, some of Filion's 2012 accomplishments include victories in the Breeders Crown with the undefeated juvenile trotting colt Wheeling N Dealin, the Golden Girls with Rebeka Bayama, the Masters Stakes with Sparky Mark, and numerous Ontario Sires Stakes events with Prestidigitator.

This marks the third time that Scott Zeron, 23, of Oakville, Ontario is a finalist for the Driver of the Year title. He became the youngest driver to win the coveted Little Brown Jug when he guided Michaels Power to the two heat victory. This year Zeron has 343 wins and more than $8.5 million in purse earnings. In addition to his Jug win, he scored victories in the Upper Canada Cup, the Confederation Cup, Battle of Waterloo, many Ontario Sires Stakes events including a Super Final, the Canadian Breeders Championship, a division of the Champlain, Forest City, Eternal Camnation and Somebeachsomewhere Stakes.

A number of O’Brien winners from 2011 are back to either defend divisional titles or take another trophy in their new division. These past winners include: American Jewel, Anndrovette, Check Me Out, Daylon Magician, Foiled Again, Frenchfrysnvinegar, Warrawee Farm and Jeff Gillis.

The Trainer of the Year category has shaped up as a three-way battle between the defending champion, Jeff Gillis, four-time winner Casie Coleman and first-time nominee, Richard Moreau.

2012 was another stellar year for Casie Coleman, 32, of Cambridge, Ontario. Her two stable stars, Betterthancheddar and Michaels Power have both earned O’Brien nominations in their divisions and were major contributors to Coleman’s impressive statistics, which include 219 winners and more than $6.7 million in purse money.

Jeff Gillis, 35, of Hillsburgh, Ontario, has enjoyed another productive season, conditioning 111 winners and training horses to more than $3.9 million in purse money -- a personal best. His stable was led by the standout older trotter, Mister Herbie, a finalist in the Older Trotting Horse category, and trotting mare Frenchfrysnvinegar, who is back to defend her title as Canada’s Older Trotting Mare.

Richard Moreau, 48, of Puslinch, Ontario, is en route to a career season for wins and earnings. Currently leading all Canadian trainers with 320 wins, he’s also trained horses to $3.4 million in purse money. He conditions a 60-horse stable made up primarily of claiming and condition horses.

Trainer-drivers Marc Campbell and Kelly Hoerdt are the finalists for the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship.

A finalist in this category last year, Marc Campbell, 28, of Winsloe, Prince Edward Island, has proven himself to be one of the top horsemen in the Canadian Maritimes. Campbell is closing in on a career best year this season and just broke his single-season record of most wins at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park (122 set in 2011). This year he has a total of 179 driving wins, 48 training wins, $462,183 in driving earnings and $218,950 in training earnings. Campbell won the annual E.F. Acorn Memorial Driver’s Championship held at Red Shores Charlottetown and is the trainer-driver for Malabrigo, a finalist in the Three-Year-Old Filly Pacer category.

A familiar face on the Alberta racing scene, Kelly Hoerdt, 46, of Beaumont, Alberta, is annually near the top of the training and driving charts in Alberta. To date this year, Hoerdt has 87 driving wins, 73 training wins, $566,684 in driving earnings and $520,088 in training earnings. Some of Hoerdt’s top performers include multiple stakes winner Cowboy Caper, with earnings in excess of $93,000 in purse money, and two-year-old pacing colt Premium Attaction, a $1,700 yearling purchase that has earned more than $80,000 this season. Hoerdt topped the training and driving charts at Alberta Downs this year.

I Luv The Nitelife and Somwherovrarainbow are the nominees in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly division.

I Luv The Nitelife finished the season with a record of 4-4-1 from 10 races and bankrolled $682,574 in earnings. The daughter of Rocknroll Hanover paced to a world record 1:50.1 in an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady at Mohawk Racetrack. Her other stakes wins included the Shes A Great Lady final, the Eternal Camnation and a division of the Bluegrass Stakes.

Somwherovrarainbow hit for seven wins in 11 starts and more than $522,000 in purse money. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere took a mark of 1:51.2 in her Breeders Crown elimination. Her season’s highlights included sweeping the eliminations and finals of both the Breeders Crown and the Matron.

Two outstanding colts will compete in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt category -- Captaintreacherous and Mach Pride.

“The Captain” started his stakes campaign with an amazing track record victory in the Woodrow Wilson at the Meadowlands in 1:49.3. On Canadian soil he triumphed in the Nassagaweya, a Metro elimination, the $1-million Metro final in a stakes-record equalling 1:49.2, and a Breeders Crown elimination. The son of new superstar sire Somebeachsomewhere also added victories in the Bluegrass and International Stallion Stakes in Lexington to his impressive credentials. His phenomenal two-year-old campaign included $911,277 in earnings and eight wins, with four victories in 1:50 or better — a feat never before achieved by a two-year-old.

Mach Pride was a model of consistency, hitting the board for 13 top-three finishes in 14 starts. With more than $433,000 in earnings, the son of Mach Three won four Ontario Sires Stakes events, including the season-ending OSS Super Final in a personal best of 1:51.4.

The nominees for Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year are American Jewel and Malabrigo.

American Jewel is looking for her second consecutive O’Brien trophy following another stellar season, which included a record of 9-4-2 in 16 starts and earnings of more than $1.1 million. The daughter of American Ideal captured such prestigious events as the Fan Hanover -- where she set a world record, the Lynch Memorial, Simcoe Stake, Bluegrass, Breeders Crown and American National. Not bad for a filly that suffered a fractured sesamoid at the end of last season.

Malabrigo boasted a perfect 16-for-16 season, and $82,000 in earnings, competing strictly in the Maritimes. Trained and driven by Marc Campbell, the Western Paradise filly was flawless in her 16 stakes performances, including victories in the Atlantic Breeders Crown and Maritime Breeders Stakes.

Michaels Power and Thinking Out Loud are the nominees in the Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt division.

A winner of 14 starts in 20 outings with earnings in excess of $1.4 million this season, Michaels Power gave trainer Casie Coleman and driver Scott Zeron a much-dreamed-of opportunity to hoist the historic Little Brown Jug at the Delaware, Ohio County Fairgrounds in September when he posted a two-heat victory in the prestigious race. The Camluck colt also etched his name in the Ontario Sires Stakes record books by virtue of his lifetime best 1:48.1 victory in the OSS Super Final. His season also included wins in the Confederation Cup, a division of the Somebeachsomewhere, Upper Canada Cup, Canadian Breeders Championship, and three OSS Gold Final titles.

Thinking Out Loud won seven of 24 races this year and earned $1.2 million for trainer Bob McIntosh and breeders/owners Robert McIntosh Stables, C S X Stables and Al McIntosh Holdings. His triumphs included Canada’s richest harness race, the $1.5 million North America Cup. He was also victorious in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes and posted runner-up finishes in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes, Progress, Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship, and Matron.

Anndrovette is back to defend her title as Canada’s Older Pacing Mare of the Year. A winner of seven of 23 races and more than $696,000, the highlight of her 2012 season was a dazzling 1:48.1 world record performance in the Roses Are Red Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack. She also racked up victories in three legs of the Blue Chip, Matchmaker, Overbid Series Final, an elimination of the Milton Stakes and the Breeders Crown.

Rebeka Bayama, a daughter of Quebec-based sire Leader Bayama, is the other older pacing mare finalist. A consistent performer in the fillies and mares open ranks on the WEG circuit, she also competed in several stakes events, adding a victory in the Golden Girls at the Meadowlands and third place finish in the Breeders Crown to her credentials. Her consistent season included seven wins in 17 races and almost $400,000 in purse earnings.

Millionaires Betterthancheddar and Foiled Again faced each other on multiple occasions over the course of the year and are the finalists for Older Pacing Horse honours.

Betterthancheddar made a seamless transition from the sophomore class to the older pacing ranks. Winning nine of 11 races and earning more than $800,000, he took a season’s mark of 1:48, equalling the world record, in the Ben Franklin at Pocono. He added wins in the Des Smith, Bobby Quillen - also a world record performance - and Canadian Pacing Derby elimination to his resume.

The iron-tough Foiled Again became the richest pacer in harness racing history this season with his victory in the Canadian Pacing Derby on September 1 at Mohawk Racetrack. The lion's share of the purse pushed the 65-time winner's career bankroll to $4,356,551, surpassing Gallo Blue Chip's $4,293,108 earnings record. He ended the season with a record of 7-8-5 in 24 races, $1.2 million in purse money, and $4,629,540 in lifetime earnings. His other stakes wins included three legs of the Levy, the Molson Pace, and the Indiana Pacing Derby.

Bee A Magician and To Dream On are the finalists for Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year. Bee A Magician, a daughter of Hall of Fame sire Kadabra, had a profitable season with 10 wins, one second and one third in thirteen starts. The Ontario Sires Stakes divisional leader banked $757,138 in earnings and was victorious in the elimination and final of the Peaceful Way, the Champlain and the OSS Super Final.

It was a dream season for To Dream On as she scored eight wins and one second in nine starts for almost $720,000. Her stakes portfolio included wins in the Simpson, the Reynolds, the Merrie Annabelle elimination and final, an elimination of the Peaceful Way, the Bluegrass and International Stallion Stake at The Red Mile, and the Breeders Crown.

Wheeling N Dealin was invincible in nine season starts, earning $683,544 in purse money and a deserved nomination as Canada’s Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year. His victories included two legs and the final of the Bridger, the Champlain, the William Wellwood elimination and final, and elimination and final of the Breeders Crown.

The other finalist in this category is Murmur Hanover, who enjoyed a productive season with nine top three finishes from 14 races and $414,457 in earnings. All of his five victories were posted in Ontario Sires Stakes events. He also competed with North America’s top colts in other stakes and posted runner-up finishes in the elimination and final of the William Wellwood and a solid third place effort in the Breeders Crown.

Check Me Out and Maven are the finalists for Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year.

Check Me Out scored 11 wins in 15 races and more than $960,000 with numerous stakes wins including a world record 1:51.2 effort in the Bluegrass Stake at The Red Mile. The Donato Hanover filly took a Canadian Stakes record in the Elegantimage and also knocked off a 1:51.3 world record mile on a five-eighths mile track in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship.

The Glidemaster filly Maven won eight of 15 starts and $758,000 during a stellar campaign which saw her finish the season at the top of her game with a Breeders Crown Championship and American National victory to her credit. She also scored victories in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, the Reynolds, an elimination of the Elegantimage, and an elimination of the Hambletonian Oaks.

Intimidate and Market Share are the Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt finalists.

From 17 starts in his three-year-old campaign, the Luc Blais-trained Intimidate recorded 13 wins, three second-place finishes and finished with more than $415,000 in purse earnings. The son of Justice Hall ended the season with five straight wins highlighted by his victories in the elimination and final of the Breeders Crown.

Market Share won both million dollar events for sophomore trotters in North America - the $1.5 million Hambletonian and the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic. Combined with victories in the Zweig Memorial, American-National Stakes, and Galt Stakes, he became just the fourth trotter in history to surpass $2 million in U.S. earnings in a year.

Frenchfrysnvinegar will attempt to defend her title as Canada’s Older Trotting Mare against Pembroke Heat Wave.

Frenchfrysnvinegar has travelled plenty of miles, literally, throughout her career: 133 starts that have yielded 30 wins, 71 top-three finishes and more than $1-million in lifetime earnings. She is back to defend her title as the country’s top trotting mare. In 2012 she continued to deliver top notch performances, winning eight races and more than $430,000 in purses. She took the Masters at Georgian Downs, the Miss Versatility final at Delaware and posted a lifetime best 1:52 in the Allerage Fillies & Mares Trot.

Pembroke Heat Wave enjoyed a productive year with five wins and over $314,000 in earnings. She swept the Armbro Flight at Mohawk, winning an elimination in a dead-heat, and getting up for a neck victory in the final.

Daylon Magician and Mister Herbie are the Older Trotting Horse finalists.

Following his million dollar sophomore season in 2011, Daylon Magician made a smooth transition to the older horse ranks. Following a runner up finish in the Earl Rowe, he demolished the field in the Masters Final at Georgian Downs. In Canada’s richest event for older trotters - the Maple Leaf Trot, he finished a respectable fourth. He ended the season with four wins and eight top-three finishes with earnings of $308,144.

Mister Herbie served notice that he was a contender in the Older Trotting Horse ranks when he defeated superstar San Pail by a nose in a stakes record 1:51.3 in the Glorys Comet Trotting Series Final at Woodbine. His most impressive effort of the 2012 season was a Canadian record mile of 1:50.4 in the Maple Leaf Trot. He also added wins in the Cutler and the Frank Ryan Memorial and was the runner up in the Nat Ray, the Allerage and Breeders Crown to accrue a seasonal bankroll of $955,860.

Al McIntosh Holdings Inc., of Leamington & Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of Windsor, and Warrawee Farm of Rockwood, Ont. are the finalists for the Armstrong Breeder of the Year Award. Robert McIntosh Stables were winners of this award in 2007 and 2010.

The McIntoshs bred O’Brien finalist Thinking Out Loud, Dapper Dude, a winner of $490,000, Dress The Part, a winner of $131,000 and In Commando, a winner of $127,000.

Warrawee Farm is looking for their second consecutive Breeder of the Year trophy. In 2012 horses bred by Warrawee included O’Brien finalist Mister Herbie, Warrawee Needy, a winner of $294,000, Mystician, a winner of $252,000 and Warrawee Koine, a winner of $109,000.

One of the 24 horse nominees will be recognized as Canada’s Horse of the Year. The winners will be announced at the O’Brien Awards banquet on Saturday, January 26, 2013, at the Delta Meadowvale Hotel in Mississauga, Ont.