On Saturday, February 3, at the O’Brien Awards Gala, Standarbred Canada announced that the O’Brien Award for Horse of the Year is now named the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year Award.
“In light of his extraordinary success as a racehorse and stallion, and most importantly, the tremendous impact that Somebeachsomewhere has had on the Canadian harness racing industry, it was decided that we needed to do something to properly honour Beach,“ said Dan Gall, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada.
“We made the offer to the Schooner Stable and they graciously accepted this,” continued Gall, “This is a way that each year when we honour our champions, we’ll be reminded of the great impact that Beach had on the industry.”
Members of the Schooner Stable –- Reg & Louise Petitpas, along with trainer Brent MacGrath and driver Paul MacDonell were on hand at the O’Briens to make the inaugural presentation of the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year Award to Jerry and Theresa Silva, owners of the exceptional trotting mare, Hannelore Hanover. Hannelore Hanover won 10 of 17 races last season, won over $1.1 million in purse money and scored victories against male rivals in an elimination and final of the Breeders Crown Open Trot, the Allerage, and the Maple Leaf Trot. She also swept the Armbro Flight. She was also recognized with an O’Brien as Canada’s Older Trotting Mare of the Year.
Following a short battle with cancer, Somebeachsomewhere was humanely euthanized at Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Center in Ringoes, New Jersey at roughly 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 14.
The syndicate announced that Somebeachsomewhere will be laid to rest at Hanover Shoe Farms in Hanover, Pennsylvania after an autopsy is complete. Somebeachsomewhere had stood stud at Hanover since his on-track career concluded at the end of the 2008 racing campaign.
Driven by Paul MacDonell and campaigned by Brent MacGrath for the Nova Scotia-based Schooner Stable, world champion Somebeachsomewhere won 20 of his 21 races during his legendary career and earned $3,328,755 in purses. His major victories as a freshman included the Battle of Waterloo, Metro Pace, Champlain Stakes and Nassagaweya. At three, his highlights included the Burlington (which was later renamed the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes), Pepsi North America Cup, Confederation Cup, Simcoe, Bluegrass, Tattersalls, Messenger, Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final and Breeders Crown.
The two-time Canadian Horse of the Year was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame nine months after he retired -– at the time holding eight world records.
During his stud career, Somebeachsomewhere’s offspring earned more than $87 million and he was the first sire in harness racing history to top $20 million in progeny earnings in a single season. Among his offspring are 13 millionaires, including Captaintreacherous ($3.2 million), Pure Country ($2.4 million), Downbytheseaside ($2.3 million), Huntsville ($1.8 million) and Check Six ($1.6 million).
VERY well deserved honor. We
VERY well deserved honor. We all miss Somebeachsomewhere so much, this is a great tribute to a greater horse!