Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce that Ken Middleton and Jason Portuondo will co-host the 2020 Virtual O’Brien Awards Gala on Sunday, January 31.

Middleton has been an integral part of the O’Brien Awards as a co-host for 18 consecutive years. When he’s not calling the races as Woodbine Mohawk Park’s regular track announcer, he can be found in the barn, training and caring for his horses.

Jason Portuondo is back to join Middleton for the fifth consecutive year. A member of Woodbine’s broadcast team, he’s been very busy this year as the host of Weekly editions of Racing Night Live, a two-hour broadcast featuring Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing, produced through a partnership between Woodbine Entertainment, TSN, and Dome Productions.

The O’Brien Award coordinators checked in with Ken and Jason to see how they’ve been managing during the pandemic these past ten months.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF THIS YEAR?
Jason - I’m really miserable without live sports...
Ken - I’ve learned that I’m a more patient person than I once was. I take more deep breaths and try not to worry about things that are out of my control.

WHAT ONE ACTIVITY DO YOU MISS THE MOST THAT YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO DUE TO COVID?
Jason - Playing soccer…both indoor and outdoor.
Ken - The thing I miss the most is attending sporting events. Hockey, football, basketball – they’re dearly missed!

FAVOURITE NETFLIX or CRAVE SERIES / MOVIE YOU’VE WATCHED THIS YEAR
Jason – I’m so busy handicapping… don’t really have time to watch shows…guess I’d say Michael Jordan’s The Last Dance.
Ken – Animal Kingdom.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE COMFORT FOOD DURING THE PANDEMIC?
Jason – Chips…pre-COVID-19, during COVID-19, and yes post-COVID-19 too.
Ken - Spaghetti and meatballs.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT YOU HAD TAKEOUT OR DELIVERY FROM THIS YEAR
Jason - Pepper On The Side.
Ken – Swiss Chalet.

FAVOURITE APP ON YOUR PHONE
Jason - WhatsApp.
Ken - Spotify.

NAME A SONG THAT GUARANTEES THAT YOU WILL GET UP DANCING
Jason – You name it, regardless of era, genre, or artist I’m there…let’s go!!!
Ken – Blurred Lines.

FAVOURITE RACING MOMENT OF 2020
Jason – Seeing the emotion from Yannick Gingras after he captured his first North America Cup.
Ken - Winning the Harvest Series final at Mohawk Park with my homebred, Shes A Sassy Beach.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS ABOUT THE O’BRIEN AWARDS BEING LIVE THIS YEAR?
Jason – Feeding off the crowd, and seeing how good people can look outside the paddock!
Ken - I’ll miss the chance to catch up with friends from within the industry.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY THIS YEAR?
Jason – Going for a walk or bike ride with the family.
Ken - Training down my yearlings.

WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL?
Jason - Kansas City…too many offensive weapons and the most dynamic QB in the league!!!
Ken - New Orleans Saints.

NAME THE FIRST PLACE OUTSIDE OF ONTARIO YOU WILL VISIT ONCE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED.
Jason – Any island in the month of February when it’s -35 and snowing here.
Ken - Buffalo, N.Y.

WHAT NEW HOBBY OR ACTIVITY DID YOU PICK UP OR LEARN DURING COVID?
Jason - Puzzling.
Ken – Making signs and other projects with different types of wood.

DID YOU HOP ON THE COVID TIK TOK BANDWAGON?
Jason - No no no... there are some good ones out there though.
Ken - I didn’t, but people sent me some funny ones through social media.

ONCE THE PANDEMIC IS OVER WHO WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON YOU VISIT THAT YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO SEE?
Jason - My family in Calgary…my nephews in particular.
Ken – Ricky Moreau.

WHAT IS ONE GOOD THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU IN 2020?
Jason – Not getting heckled in person by the fans who follow my picks.
Ken - One of the best things was my ability to keep working. Whether it was working with the horses in the morning or coming to the track at night, I feel very fortunate to be able to continue working for financial reasons and for peace of mind!

The O’Brien Awards Virtual Gala will be video streamed on standardbredcanada.ca, starting at 7:00 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, January 31, 2021.