A consistent performance against the best pacers at Northside Downs in 2009 gave P H Mike Horse of the Year honours at the annual Cape Breton Island Horse Owners Association Awards Banquet Saturday evening
in North Sydney.
Owned, trained and driven by Myles Heffernan, P H Mike won seven times from fifteen starts in 2009, with purse earnings surpassing $5,000. Heffernan acquired the pacer early last season after claiming him at Truro Raceway, and that move proved to be a winning one on several fronts.
The awards night also recognized two veteran horseman by inducting both into the Cape Breton Horsemen's Hall of Fame. Charlie Aucoin, who still races horses in North Sydney, and has been involved in racing for many decades, was inducted, along with 90-year-old Luke Rogers, who is still a regular race fan in North Sydney and has been involved with racing at the Northside oval for over fifty years.
Individual horses and drivers received awards in a variety of categories.
Neil N Lady won the Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year for owner Kevin MacNeil, while Accelerated Putnam was tops in the freshman colt category for owners Ron Seymour, Jr. and Fabian Morgan. John and Linda Shepherd Ratchford's Nu Xample took home Three-Year-Old Colt of the Year honours while Allamerican Token was the best three-year-old filly for Paul MacLean.
Greg Bailey captured the Wilson Collins Award as top percentage driver, while drivers Joe Campbell, Kevin Bailey and Dave Ratchford were recognized with the Frank Daniels Drivers Awards. The Richie Ellsworth Memorial Trainers Awards were captured by Kevin Bailey, Greg Bailey and Dave Ratchford.
Windy Bay J J was named Iron Pacer of the Year for co-owners Windy Bay Farm and John Kehoe, while Mirage took home Mare of The Year honours for owner/trainer Irwin Claener. Mirage recorded five wins in 2009 from 21 starts.
Greg Peck, trainer of 2009 Hambletonian winner Muscle Hill, was guest speaker, and was greeted with a standing ovation for his accomplishments in 2009. Peck remembered how he got his start in the business, training horses in North Sydney.
"It all started right here; this is the place where dreams began for me," said Peck who won USHWA's Trainer of the Year award in 2009.
The 2010 racing season at Northside Downs is set to get underway on Saturday, May 8.
(Northside Downs)