The Raceway at Western Fair District has announced its 2024 top performers, who will be honoured at the track's annual Awards Night on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Pacing mare Ladies From Hell has been named top Older Pacing Mare. The daughter of Classic Card Shark enjoyed a brilliant 10-year-old season with 11 wins and more than $60,000 in earnings for owners Michael and Shae Sumner of London, Ont.
Sauble Lila, with 13 wins at The Raceway, and It Takes Two, with 10 wins, were named as Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly and Older Pacing Horse of the Year, respectively.
Cassidy Schneider will take home her third consecutive Trainer of the Year title on the strength of a 47-win season in which her stable earned just shy of $300,000. Her father, Colonel Schneider Jr., was the leading owner for the second straight year with 34 winners for earnings of $196,000.
Garrett Rooney captured his first driving title in London, steering home 156 winners with purse earnings of more than $906,000.
The annual Awards Night celebration will once again take place at the Top Of The Fair restaurant. Tickets will go on sale soon and horsepeople can stay tuned to the track’s website and social media media channels for full details as they are announced.
Nominations are now being accepted for Caretaker of the Year. To nominate someone for the award, email submissions with reasons why the nominee should be awarded to Greg Blanchard at [email protected], Shannon 'Sugar' Doyle at [email protected] or Amy O'Toole at [email protected]. Text messages or online messages will not be accepted. To be eligible, a person must race primarily at The Raceway and have worked in a caretaker capacity for a minimum of three years. A voting committee will select the winner, based on nominations, which will be announced the night of the award ceremony along with other selected categories, including overall Horse of the Year.
The horse awards are based on the highest earnings with a minimum of six starts at The Raceway during the calendar year while the claiming awards are based on the number of claiming wins at The Raceway during the same period. The complete list of this year’s winners, including categories that will be announced the night of the event, are listed below:
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt – Chip Happened
Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly – Summer Crush
Aged Trotting Horse – The Great Reset
Aged Trotting Mare – Lass Shot
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt – Hazee Coast
Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly – Sauble Lila
Aged Pacing Horse – It Takes Two
Aged Pacing Mare – Ladies From Hell
Claiming Trotter – Champagne Bettina
Claiming Pacer – Favaro Seelster
Rookie Performer – Wayne Stone
Leading Driver – Garrett Rooney
Leading Trainer – Cassidy Schneider
Leading Owner – Colonel Schneider Jr.
Caretaker – TBA
Horsewoman – TBA
Horse of the Year – TBA
(With files from Western Fair District; Photo of Garrett Rooney winning at The Raceway)