Standardbred Canada announced the winners of the 2025 O’Brien Awards, honouring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season, at the Black-Tie Gala on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the J-AAR Expo Centre at Western Fair District in London, Ont.
The event marked the 37th edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman from Prince Edward Island and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
The evening’s highest honours went to Dr. Ian Moore, while James MacDonald achieved a historic milestone with his fifth consecutive driving title.
Dr. Ian Moore enjoyed an extraordinary season that culminated in a remarkable sweep of top honours at the O’Brien Awards, earning the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship as well as Trainer of the Year, while his top performer of the year, Beau Jangles, took the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year honours and Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt divisional honours. The recognition reflects not only Moore’s elite horsemanship and training excellence, but also his consistent ability to bring out the very best in the horses under his care. Based in Cambridge, Ont., the Hall of Famer’s two stable stars, Beau Jangles and Prince Hal Hanover, each contributed more than a million dollars to his $3.7 million season.
Beau Jangles delivered an unforgettable freshman season for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC, Kiwi Stables LLC and Bolton Stables. Under Moore’s steady guidance, the Cattlewash colt was invincible in 2025, winning all 12 of his races while earning $1,688,750, making him the richest earner on Canadian soil. His victories included the $227,100 Battle of Waterloo at Grand River Raceway, and a complete sweep of the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Series legs in his division. Having never left Canada throughout the year, his biggest wins were at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where he captured the $1 million Metro Pace in 1:49.1, matching a stakes and track record, before capping his rookie campaign with a 1:48.3 victory in the $959,000 Breeders Crown, setting a stakes, track and Canadian record in the process.
James MacDonald made history, becoming the first driver to win five consecutive O’Brien Awards in the Keith Waples Driver of the Year category. The Prince Edward Island native, who now resides in Guelph, Ont., enjoyed another outstanding year in 2025, which included 369 wins, $9.2 million in purse money and a second World Driving Championship title. MacDonald was the regular driver for two O’Brien Award winners, Chantilly and Strobe Lite. His biggest stakes win of the season was the Hambletonian Oaks with Conversano.
A Clean Deal was voted Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year following an outstanding rookie campaign, winning six of seven starts and earning $454,464 for owners Yolanda Fellows, Blair Corbeil, Windermere Stable LLC and James Ross. Trained by Kyle Fellows, the daughter of Cattlewash was victorious in four OSS Gold legs. She set her lifetime mark (1:50) in one of those victories at Mohawk on Aug. 14 before closing out the year with a win in the $300,000 OSS Super Final, further underscoring her dominance in the provincial program.
Chantilly, picked up her second consecutive O’Brien Award, this time in the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly category following a strong sophomore season for owner/breeder Millar Farms. Trained by Nick Gallucci, the Big Jim filly won six of 11 starts, including victories in the SBOA Stakes, a Fan Hanover elimination and three OSS Gold legs, highlighted by a career-best clocking of 1:49.4 on May 24. She concluded her provincial campaign with a score in the $300,000 OSS Super Final, a win that vaulted her seasonal earnings to $540,682.
Crack Shot was voted Canada’s Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year. The Bettors Delight colt enjoyed most of his success in the OSS program, delivering stakes victories again in 2025 for owner/trainer Gregg McNair and co-owners Dale Hunter, Frank Brundle and George Kerr. A winner of six of 16 starts and $505,267 in earnings, his season was highlighted by triumphs in the SBOA Stakes, Simcoe Stakes, two OSS Gold legs, all of which were at Mohawk, and was capped off with a scintillating score in the $300,000 OSS Super Final, where he posted a lifetime-best of 1:48.2.
Sylvia Hanover won divisional honours in the Older Pacing Mare category, following a 2025 season in which she regained her elite status for owner Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. and trainer Shawn Steacy. The daughter of Always B Miki won six races including a world record performance in the $136,986 Clara Barton Distaff Pace at Plainridge Park, where she stopped the clock in 1:47.2. She also notched signature victories at The Meadowlands in the $159,589 Perfect Sting and the $193,056 Lady Liberty, and ended her five-year-old season with almost $640,000 in earnings.
Voted Canada’s Older Pacing Horse of the Year, Ervin Hanover peaked at exactly the right time for owner Pollack Racing LLC and trainer David Menary. The son of Captaintreacherous won 10 of 17 starts during his five-year-old campaign in 2025, highlighted by victories in the $347,222 Dayton Pacing Derby at Dayton Raceway and the $347,222 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto Downs. His richest and most historic win was at Mohawk in the $822,000 Breeders Crown, where he paced the fastest mile in Canadian history in 1:46.2 – a Canadian, track and stakes record. That victory vaulted his seasonal earnings to $1,167,568.
Storybook Love’s promising rookie season earned her an O’Brien Award in the Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly category for owners Al Libfeld and Brad Grant. Trained by Matt Bax, the Chapter Seven filly won four of 12 starts while earning $687,226, competing between New York and Ontario. After a runner-up finish in the $352,113 Big Apple at Vernon Downs, she returned to Mohawk to sweep her Breeders Crown races, culminating in an impressive 1:52.2 victory in the $959,000 final.
Strobe Lite excelled in his freshman season for owner/trainer Ben Baillargeon and co-owners Claude Hamel, Nunzio Vena and Glengate Farms, and was honoured with the O’Brien trophy in the Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt category. The Alarm Detector gelding won three of 11 starts and earned $379,921 on the year. His most notable victories included an OSS Gold leg, a division of the Champlain Stakes -- where he took a season’s mark of 1:53.3 -- and the $300,000 OSS Super Final.
Stormont Beautiful won the O’Brien in the Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly division. The filly was a model of consistency for owner/breeder Stormont Meadows and trainer Kevin Benn. The daughter of Resolve won four of 16 starts with earnings totalling $500,154. She captured an OSS Gold leg in a lifetime-best 1:52.2 on Sept. 30 and scored runner-up finishes in the $300,000 OSS Super Final, the $375,000 Elegantimage Stakes and the $910,365 Breeders Crown, all at Mohawk.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year, Emoticon Legacy, delivered an exceptional season in 2025 for owner/breeder Determination and trainer Luc Blais. The royally bred son of Walner out of the great Emoticon Hanover captured seven of 10 starts while earning $1,313,575. His victories included a track record 1:50.2 performance in the $227,000 Goodtimes Stakes at Mohawk. He also added a pair of sub-1:50 miles to his resume, including a record-setting 1:49.4 score in the $615,000 Canadian Trotting Classic, becoming the first sophomore trotter in Canada to break the 1:50 barrier. The talented colt followed that effort with a career-best 1:49.2 in the $694,444 Kentucky Futurity at The Red Mile.
Emoji Hanover was voted Older Trotting Mare of the Year following a productive season for owner/breeder Determination and trainer Luc Blais. From 13 starts, the Greenshoe mare won four races and finished second twice en route to earning $118,475 on the year. She reeled off three straight wins in late summer, matched her career mark of 1:52.3 on Oct. 7 at Mohawk and finished fourth in the Breeders Crown to round out her four-year-old season.
Logan Park, picked up his third straight O'Brien Award in the Older Trotting Horse category. Owned by Outofthepark Stable, Reg Higgs and Arpad Szabo, and trained by Kyle Fellows, the Archangel gelding captured eight of 19 starts, bankrolling $287,917 during his seven-year-old season in 2025. He won three straight Preferred events at Mohawk before travelling overseas to compete in Sweden's Elitloppet. Upon his return to Canadian soil, he then racked up five more victories in Preferred events.
In the Future Star Award category, Damian MacLellan, an up-and-coming driver from Inverness, N.S., took home the O’Brien bronze. Last season, he drove 83 winners and horses to earnings of more than $603,000. MacLellan demonstrated his commitment to his trade, making himself available to drive at racetracks in Ontario from Dresden Raceway to Kawartha Downs and everywhere in between.
Tara Hills Stud Ltd. took home the Armstrong Breeder of the Year Award again after winning previously in 2023. In 2025, horses bred by Tara Hills Stud Ltd. of Port Perry, Ont. won 81 races and bankrolled $2.92 million in earnings. Top performers from the renowned nursery included the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year, Beau Jangles, Tarapasta, Sun Of A Show, TH Check Me Out and TH Colby.
The Cam Fella Award, Media Excellence Awards and Outstanding Groom Award were presented at the O’Brien Awards Gala, and leading owners from racetracks across Canada were also recognized.
Marvin Katz of Toronto, Ont., was the 2025 recipient of the Cam Fella Award for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the sport through his work with the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, which has raised more than $2.4 million for charities in Breeders Crown host communities. Founded by Katz in 2019, the Charity Challenge marked its seventh year in 2025 and has become a cornerstone initiative of the Breeders Crown weekend. Designed to connect championship racing with meaningful community impact, the program raised $450,000 for local charities last year when the Breeders Crown was hosted at Mohawk.
John Rallis won his second consecutive Media Excellence Award in the Outstanding Written Work category for his story, "A Grandfather's Prophecy; A Young Driver's Ascent." The piece was a TROT Magazine feature in the August 2025 issue and profiles the career of Brett Beckwith as he exceeds the expectations set for him.
Horse Racing Alberta and Shine Light Entertainment, previous winners in the Outstanding Broadcast category in 2022, were winners again for their feature, "The Crackers Hot Shot Standardbred Racing Video." This six-minute feature that was posted on the Horse Racing Alberta website on Oct. 25, 2025, was produced by Jeff Robillard of Horse Racing Alberta and Mike Little of Shine Light Entertainment. The video illustrates the remarkable life and career of pacing mare Crackers Hot Shot, from near-death survival to on-track dominance, to broodmare excellence.
Claus Andersen picked up his third Media Excellence trophy in the Outstanding Photography category. A winner in 2011 and 2009, Andersen’s winning photo for 2025 features The Last Martini and Miki And Minnie in a dead heat for win in the final of the Breeders Crown for three-year-old pacing fillies on Oct. 25, 2025 at Mohawk. The photo was featured the next day in the Oct. 26 online issue of Harness Racing Update.
The Outstanding Groom Award was presented to Nancy Gredig, from St. Thomas, Ont., who has dedicated 40 years to the Standardbred industry. Working with trainer John Pentland at Dorchester Downs, the veteran caretaker cares for horses such as Sorcha Seelster, Swift Talker, Dirty Diana, Talbot Kristen and Mist Amber. Known for her kindness, compassion and team-player attitude, Gredig pays meticulous attention to every detail concerning her horses and is a major contributor to the stable’s success.
The full list of the 2025 O'Brien Award winners follows in addition to the 2025 leading owners at each racetrack that were also recognized at the O’Brien Awards.
HORSE CATEGORIES
PACERS
Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly
A Clean Deal
Owners: Yolanda Fellows, Rockwood, ON, Blair Corbeil, Leduc, AB, Windermere Stable LLC, New York, NY, James Ross, Wingham, ON
Breeder: Winbak Farm, Chesapeake City, MD
Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt
Beau Jangles
Owners: Graham Grace Stables LLC, Clifton, VA, Kiwi Stables LLC, La Plata, MD, Bolton Stables, Clermont, FL
Breeder: Tara Hills Stud Ltd., Port Perry, ON
Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly
Chantilly
Owner/Breeder: Millar Farms, Stouffville, ON
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt
Crack Shot
Owners: Gregg McNair, Guelph, ON, Dale Hunter, London, ON, Frank Brundle, East Garafraxa, ON, George Kerr, Gowanstown, ON
Breeder: James Avritt, Lebanon, KY
Older Pacing Mare
Sylvia Hanover
Owner: Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc., Hudson, QC
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA
Older Pacing Horse
Ervin Hanover
Owner: Pollack Racing LLC, Venetia, PA
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA
TROTTERS
Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly
Storybook Love
Owners: Al Libfeld, Pickering, ON, Brad Grant, Milton, ON
Breeders: Alan Troyer, Lagrange, IN, Larry Troyer, Lagrange, IN
Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt
Strobe Lite
Owners: Ben Baillargeon, Guelph, ON, Claude Hamel, Orford, QC, Nunzio Vena, Bolton, ON, Glengate Farms, Erin, ON
Breeder: Glengate Farms, Erin, ON
Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly
Stormont Beautiful
Owner/Breeder: Stormont Meadows, Long Sault, ON
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt
Emoticon Legacy
Owner/Breeder: Determination, Montreal, QC
Older Trotting Mare
Emoji Hanover
Owner: Determination, Montreal, QC
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA
Older Trotting Horse
Logan Park
Owners: Outofthepark Stable, Rockwood, ON, Reg Higgs, Blenheim, ON, Arpad Szabo, Bradford, ON
Breeders: Reg Higgs, Denfield ON, Donna Higgs, Denfield, ON
SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE HORSE OF THE YEAR
Beau Jangles
Owners: Graham Grace Stables LLC, Clifton, VA, Kiwi Stables LLC, La Plata, MD, Bolton Stables, Clermont, FL
Breeder: Tara Hills Stud Ltd., Port Perry, ON
PEOPLE CATEGORIES
Future Star Award
Damien MacLellan, Inverness, NS
O'Brien Award of Horsemanship
Dr. Ian Moore, Cambridge, ON
Armstrong Breeder of the Year
Tara Hills Stud Ltd., Port Perry, ON
Keith Waples Driver of the Year
James MacDonald, Guelph, ON
Trainer of the Year
Dr. Ian Moore, Cambridge, ON
Cam Fella Award
Marvin Katz, Toronto, ON
Outstanding Groom Award
Nancy Gredig, St. Thomas, ON
MEDIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Outstanding Written Work
John Rallis
"A Grandfather's Prophecy; A Young Driver's Ascent."
Outstanding Broadcast
Horse Racing Alberta & Shine Light Entertainment
"The Crackers Hot Shot Standardbred Racing Video"
Outstanding Photography
Claus Andersen
"The Last Martini and Miki And Minnie"
LEADING OWNERS
Century Downs: Don Howlett
Century Mile: Don Howlett
Charlottetown Driving Park: Jennifer Doyle
Clinton Raceway: Shen Guo
Dresden Raceway: Don Rankin Jr.
Flamboro Downs: Francis Guillemette
Fraser Downs: Trevor Williams & Harness The Energy Inc.
Georgian Downs: Ashleigh & Ed Hensley
Grand River Raceway: Hutt Racing Stable
Hanover Raceway: Triple S Equine
Hiawatha Horse Park: Dennis Duford
Hippodrome 3R: Alain Carrier
Inverness Raceway: Route Nineteen Racing
Kawartha Downs: Guy Chretien
Leamington Raceway: Carl Davidson
Northside Downs: Randy Getto, Wayne Hardy & Susan MacSween
Rideau Carleton Raceway: John MacMillan
Summerside Raceway: Douglas R. Polley & Douglas E. Polley
The Loop: Darryl & Sherri Mason
The Raceway at Western Fair District: Colonel Schneider Jr.
The Track On 2: Brinsley Brooking Lutz & Harvey Jaeger
Truro Raceway: Carrie Saunders
Woodbine Mohawk Park: Pollack Racing LLC
Woodstock Raceway/Connell Park: Dr. Mitchell Downey
(Standardbred Canada Press Release)