The New Brunswick Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association Awards Banquet took place on Saturday, March 25 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch on Bayside Dr. in Saint John.
Nine-year-old Blissfull Hall ridgling Fall Bliss took home the Horse of the Year hardware after a stellar 2016 campaign in which he won 11 of his 21 starts and added a second-place finish and five thirds. Owned, trained and driven by Dr. Mitch Downey, Fall Bliss banked over $15,000 in purses and pushed his career bankroll to over 193,000. Overall, Fall Bliss made 124 career starts and has recorded 33 wins, 15 seconds and 15 thirds.
Dr. Downey also took home the hardware for both trainer and driver of the year. On the driving side of things, Downey faced the gate 34 times and found the winner’s circle on 14 of those occasions. He also finished second six times and third on five occasions. He drove his mounts to over $14,000 in purses and settled with a dominant UDR of .558. In terms of training, Downey’s stable sent out 35 starters, won 14 races, and recorded eight second-place finishes and five thirds. The stable banked over $15,000 in purses during the 2016 campaign and had a UTR of .574.
The Standardbred Canada Owner of the Year Award went to Roy Dickinson.
There were also some lucky winners during the banquet, as Val Phelan was the cash draw winner of $250, while the $1,000 grand prize was won by Kim Hurley.
A day after the banquet, Dawn Bremner, who was named the recipient of the Ambassador to Horse Racing Award, passed away at her home in Jemseg, N.B. after a brief battle with cancer. For more on Bremner’s passing, click here.
The full list of award winners appears below.
Standardbred Canada Owner of the Year
• Roy Dickinson
Horseman of the Year
• Jeff Lewis
Ambassador to Horse Racing
• Dawn Bremner
Rookie of the Year
• Colin Decourcey
Trainer of the Year
• Dr. Mitchell Downey
Driver of the Year
• Dr. Mitchell Downey
Two-Year-Old Filly
• Kinda Like Her
Two-Year-Old Colt
• Colin N Down
Three-Year-Old Filly
• Ami Right Or Wrong
Three-Year-Old Colt
• Jackson K Down
Aged Mare
• Gwinning Gwen
Aged Horse
• Fall Bliss
Old Time Robbie
• Magical Alex
Claimer of the Year
• Ideal Ticket
Most Improved Horse
• Upstairswithron
Horse of the Year
• Fall Bliss