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2022 Alberta Thoroughbred Industry Award Winners Celebrated at 49th Annual Night of Champions
By Lindsay Ward
The Paddock Room at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino was sold out on the evening of May 5th as over 130 Alberta Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and backstretch workers celebrated the achievements of the Alberta Thoroughbred industry in 2022.
Master of Ceremonies Ken Gee began the awards program with greetings and a positive outlook from Horse Racing Alberta Chief Executive Officer, Kent Verlik, “In 2022, Alberta horse racing moved forward from the pandemic and began the recovery process with reasons for optimism on many fronts. An exciting accomplishment was the long term funding agreement signed by Horse Racing Alberta and the Alberta Government that provides stability to the industry until March 31, 2031.”
DANCE SHOES dominated the awards presentations winning in all four of the categories she was nominated for – Century Downs Racetrack and Casino Trophy for Champion Sprinter, Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd. Trophy for Champion Older Mare, the Ted Connor Memorial Trophy for Champion Alberta bred and the Horse Racing Alberta Trophy for Horse of the Year.
As a four year old last season, the Alberta bred Mank filly earned $163,618 to finish with an impressive record of six wins from eight starts at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. Four of those wins included the RedTail Landing Handicap, the Shirley Vargo Handicap, the Alberta Fall Classic Distaff Handicap and the R.K. Smith Handicap. Owner Mohamad Khan thanked, “the CTHS of Alberta, HBPA of Alberta, Century Mile (Racetrack and Casino) and all the other good people who have made this a most memorable evening for me, my family, friends and horse people.” Mohamad also thanked breeder James McFadyen, jockeys Alex Marti and Dane Nelson and had special words for his trainer Jim Brown, “Jim has transformed this filly and she genuinely enjoys racing. Thanks Jim.”
The C.T.H.S. Trophy for Leading Breeder was awarded to Pierre Esquirol who bred horses that earned a total of $262,108 and 17 wins last season.
Craig Smith presented the Ken Cohoe Lifetime Achievement Award to longtime Alberta horseman Rod Cone, “It is my honour tonight to present this award to someone who I think everyone in the industry would agree is a long due recipient.” The award is presented to members of the industry who have dedicated a substantial amount of time and effort to preserving or improving the thoroughbred racing industry here in Alberta. As Craig stated, “In this case and many others, this is in fact a lifetime.”
Rod’s training career began in 1988 and he has earned 987 wins at every major racetrack in Canada and other US tracks. Notable horses trained by Rod include Switch N Win, Racaholic, Latshaw, Northern Prospector, Cozzy Grey, Go Eighty Eight, Quiet Approach, Notoriously, Double Bear, Afleets Dancer, Tempered Sapphire and Bird Of Pay who Rod says, “may have been the best horse I’ve ever trained.”
Special recognition and appreciation goes to the Night of Champions sponsors: Horse Racing Alberta, Bar None Ranches Ltd., Century Mile Racetrack and Casino, Century Downs Racetrack and Casino,
CTHS (Alberta Division), HBPA of Alberta, Roy McLellan, Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd., Paddockhurst Stables and Rocky Mountain Turf Club.
All of the 2022 Alberta Thoroughbred award winners are shown below.
2022 Alberta Thoroughbred Award Winners
Apprentice Jockey of the Year Award
Sponsored by the H.B.P.A.
N’RICO PRESCOD
Leading Jockey
The Lou Davies Memorial Trophy
ENRIQUE GONZALEZ
Leading Trainer
The H.B.P.A. Trophy
TIM RYCROFT
Leading Owner
The Jockey Club of Canada Trophy
CRYSTAL CATES AND GONZALO ANDERSON
Leading Breeder
The C.T.H.S. Trophy
PIERRE ESQUIROL
Ken Cohoe Lifetime Achievement Award
ROD CONE
Champion Claimer
The H.B.P.A. Trophy
BON PRIX
Champion Sprinter
The Century Downs Racetrack and Casino Trophy
DANCE SHOES*
Champion Two Year Old Filly
The Dwight McLellan Memorial Trophy
BIG HUG*
Champion Two Year Old Colt
The Rocky Mountain Turf Club Trophy
CUBAN COBRA
Champion Three Year Old Filly
The Dave Kapchinsky Memorial Trophy
Sponsored by Paddockhurst Stables Inc.
ONEOFTHEMGIRLS*
Champion Three Year Old Colt
Sponsored by Bar None Ranches Ltd.
ASYOUBELIEVE
Champion Older Mare
The Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd. Trophy
DANCE SHOES*
Champion Older Horse
The Century Mile Racetrack and Casino Trophy
AT ATTENTION
Champion Alberta Bred
The Ted Connor Memorial Trophy
DANCE SHOES*
Horse of the Year
The Horse Racing Alberta Trophy
DANCE SHOES*
*Alberta bred
Your best bet is an Alberta bred!
For further details and information, please view the CTHS Alberta web site at www.cthsalta.com or call the office at 403-229-3609.
The C.T.H.S. Trophy for 2022
Leading Breeder - Pierre Esquirol (shown holding trophy) with presenters Julie Brewster & Jennifer Buck
