Brereton C. Jones’ homebred
BIOFUEL
(Stormin Fever), who had to share a Sovereign Award as co-champion two-year-old
filly in 2009, took center stage all by herself when honored as Canada’s Horse
of the Year at Friday night’s awards ceremony at Woodbine.
Biofuel was a perfect four-for-four over Woodbine’s Polytrack in 2010,
capturing the Star Shoot S., La Lorgnette S., Belle Mahone S. and the Selene S.
(Can-G3). The Read Baker trainee’s only two losses came in Grade 1 company in
New York, where she finished second in the Coaching Club American Oaks and third
in the Mother Goose.
A commanding choice for the Canadian three-year-old filly title, Biofuel
garnered 144 votes in that category, 94 more than Free Fee Lady’s (Victory
Gallop) tally of 50.
The margin was closer for Horse of the Year, with Biofuel prevailing over
MISS
KELLER (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]), the year’s champion turf female, by a score of
95-58.
GRAND ADVENTURE, the champion turf male for 2010, attracted 26 votes for
Horse of the Year.
The Kentucky-bred Biofuel sports a career mark of 11-6-1-1, $758,492. She
remains in training for a four-year-old campaign, and just returned to the
worktab with a three-furlong move in :37 3/5 at Palm Meadows last Monday.
Miss Keller handily beat a pair of her stablemates from the Roger Attfield
barn for the champion turf female crown, amassing 134 votes compared to the 44
for Mekong Melody (Ire) (Cape Cross [Ire]) and the 32 for Perfect Shirl (Perfect
Soul [Ire]). Miss Keller won or placed in five of six starts last year, with the
lone blemish being a ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Otherwise, she recorded wins in the Canadian S. (Can-G2) and the De La Rose S.
and placings in the E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1) and the Nassau S. (Can-G2),
Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Ballston Spa (G2).
Attfield, who won his eighth Sovereign Award as outstanding trainer, was
responsible for two more champions of 2010.
SAND
COVE (Bold Executive) took home the champion older male award, on the
strength of victories in the Seagram Cup (Can-G3), Sir Barton S., Overskate S.
and Steady Growth S.
IMPOSSIBLE TIME (Not Impossible [Ire]) posted scores in the Classy ‘n Smart
S., Victoriana S. and Ballade S., propelling her to champion older female
honors.
Sam-Son Farms collected its 10th outstanding owner award (including those
earned by its founder, the late Ernie Samuel), and its best colorbearer of 2010
was Grand Adventure. The Mark Frostad charge’s wins in the King Edward S.
(Can-G2) and Connaught S. (Can-G3), and runner-up efforts in the Nearctic S.
(Can-G1), Nijinsky S. (Can-G2) and Shakertown S. (G3), were enough to secure the
trophy for champion turf male.
The Nick Gonzalez-trained
BIG
RED MIKE (Tenpins) parlayed his Queen’s Plate S. heroics into the Sovereign
Award for champion three-year-old male. His best results came over the summer,
including a win in the Plate Trial S. and a third in the Prince of Wales S.
Champion male sprinter went to
HOLLYWOOD HIT (Cactus Ridge), who landed the Vigil S. (Can-G3) in
track-record time at Woodbine, along with the Jacques Cartier S. and King Corrie
S., and finished second in both the Bold Venture S. and the Phoenix S. (G3).
INDIAN APPLE IS (Indian Charlie) ranked as the champion female sprinter
following coups in the Ontario Fashion S. and Sweet Briar Too S. and a runner-up
performance in the Seaway S. (Can-G3).
The two juvenile champions,
MADMAN DIARIES (Bring the Heat) and
DELIGHTFUL MARY (Limehouse), each held their own at the Breeders’ Cup.
Madman Diaries, a track record-setting maiden winner at Woodbine, later added
the Victoria and Sapling S. (G3) to his resume, and concluded his 2010 campaign
with a close fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2). Delightful Mary
didn’t win a stakes last season, but her third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
Fillies (G1) likely clinched her divisional Sovereign. The Mark Casse filly
returned to action with a perfunctory score in the March 14 O.B.S. Championship
for fillies, and she’s expected to contest next Saturday’s Ashland S. (G1).
Eurico Rosa da Silva, the regular rider for both Biofuel and Big Red Mike,
earned his first Sovereign Award as outstanding jockey, while Omar Moreno
repeated as the outstanding apprentice.
Adena Springs, which won four straight outstanding breeder awards before
missing out in 2009, regained the title.
DESTROY (Housebuster), the dam of Grade 2 winner Smokey Fire (Smoke Glacken)
and stakes scorers Utterly Cool (Smoke Glacken) and Ghost Fleet (Arch), was
rated as the outstanding broodmare.
The media awards went to Tod Marks (outstanding photograph), CBC Television
Network Sports (outstanding film/video/broadcast), Beverley Smith (outstanding
newspaper story) and Perry Lefko (outstanding feature story).