And the Winners Are...
British Columbia's racing and breeding community came together at Vancouver's Italian Cultural Centre on Wednesday evening to celebrate the very best of the 2023 season
2023 Hastings Thoroughbred Awards
2023 Hastings Thoroughbred Awards
British Columbia’s racing and breeding community were out in force this week to celebrate the very best of the 2023 Hastings’ racing season, writes Nigel Reid.
The event was again a near sell-out, with around 200 horsemen and women gathering at Vancouver’s popular Italian Cultural Centre.
As well as the horses, there were awards for leading owners, breeders, trainers, riders and backstretch staff, as well as the induction to the B.C. Thoroughbred Hall of Fame of Ron and Rae Fawcett of Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds, owner Terry Sangara and racing writer, Randy Goulding.
The evening was hosted in typically smooth style by Hastings’ track announcer Dan Juckic and paddock analyst Mike Heads, with the New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society once again on hand to raise money through the sale of 50-50 tickets, the auction of a limited-edition racing print of the legends John Henry and Bill Shoemaker, as well as a porcelain bowl depicting racing scenes.
There were no surprises in the Horse of the Year category, with the magnificent racemare INFINITE PATIENCE once again taking both BC-bred and Open Horse-of-the-Year crowns, as well as both BC-bred and Open divisions of the Older Filly/Mare category. Fans of the remarkable mare may also be delighted to hear that, according to her breeder and part-owner Bill DeCoursey, she is back in training at Hastings ahead of a 2024 campaign,.
Appropriately, there were standing ovations for the recipients of two special awards on the night. Trainer Patricia Jarvis received the prestigious Richard Yates Backstretch Award, while the HBPA Diamond Award, which is reserved for particularly deserving candidates in recognition of their invaluable commitment to the sport of horse racing in British Columbia and beyond, was presented to Darlene Smith.
The New Stride 50-50 prize capped quite an evening for Eugene Chan, whose table of fellow owners were still busy celebrating after their filly LIZZIE RAYNE was crowned two-year-old filly of the year when he realized he had the winning ticket!
We’ll have lots of pictures and a full report from the big night in the next newsletter but, in the meantime, many congratulations to all the award recipients on Wednesday and much gratitude to those who organized what was a successful and enjoyable evening for all.
Open Horse of the Year: INFINITE PATIENCE
Owner: William DeCoursey and R. N. H. Stable
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: William DeCoursey
B.C.-Bred Horse of the Year: INFINITE PATIENCE
Owner: William DeCoursey and R. N. H. Stable
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: William DeCoursey
Champion Older Male, Open Division: AT ATTENTION
Owner: Dr. Bryan C. and Carol Anderson
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson
Champion Older Male, B.C. Bred Division:
AT ATTENTION (Shanghai Bobby — Unattended by Quality Road)
Owner: Dr. Bryan C. and Carol Anderson
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Bryan Anderson & Carol Anderson
Champion Older Filly/Mare, B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
INFINITE PATIENCE (Sungold — Montero by Louis Quatorze)
Owner: William DeCoursey and R. N. H. Stable
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: William DeCoursey
Champion Sprinter:
WE B THREE (Teide — Lost Humor by Langfuhr)
Owner: Willow Creek Farms
Trainer: Steve Henson
Breeder: Ole A Nielsen
Champion Three-Year-Old Male, Open Division:
SUNBIRD (Orb — Marketway by After market)
Owner: Pauline Felicella and Estate of Nick Felicella
Trainer: Terry Jordan
Breeder: Glen Todd
Champion Three-Year-Old Male, B.C. Bred Division:
LEGACY SQUARE (Lent — Architecture by Dixie Chatter)
Owner: Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and James Redekop
Trainer: Edgar Mendoza
Breeder: Christine Ammann
Champion Three-Year-Old Filly B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
AIR FORCE (Counterforce — Everythings a Blur by Joey Franco)
Owner: Dennis Dale, Morris Peter and Ed Welsh
Trainer: Keith Pedersen
Breeder: Paul Caravetta
Champion Two-Year-Old Male, B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
AUGUST RAIN (Sungold — Bitatude by Super Saver)
Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd.
Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Breeder: Peter Redekop BC LTD
Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, B.C. Bred & Open Divisions:
LIZZIE’S RAYNE (Lent — Queen’s Emblem by Mass Market)
Owner: Renfrew Racing, B and B Racing, Breen Racing, Eugene Chan and Dave Milburn
Trainer: Dave Milburn
Breeder: Suzanne I. Anderson
Upper Level Claimer of the Year (over $15,000):
BOLD ARCH (Archarcharch — Daylight Cat by Discreet Cat)
Owner: John and Kim Morrison and Robin Sadler
Trainer: John D. Morrison
Breeder: J. Barry Doud
Lower Level Claimer of the Year (under $15,000):
BELLAROO (Successful Appeal — Wild Image by Ready’s Image)
Owner: Jordan Froelich
Trainer: Dino K. Condilenios
Breeder: John T. L. Jones III
Equine Insurance Trophy for the Breeder of the Sadie Diamond Futurity winner
Winner: LIZZIE’S RAYNE, by Lent — Queen’s Emblem (Mass Market)
Breeder: Suzanne I. Anderson
Marsh and McLennan Trophy for the Breeder of the Jack Diamond Futurity Winner
Winner: Wealthy Texan, by Texas Wildcatter — Infinite Wealth (Stephanotis)
Breeder: Mel Snow & Fran Snow
Champion Juvenile Sire: SUNGOLD (A.P. Indy — Queen’s Word by Kingmambo)
Champion Sire: BAKKEN (Distorted Humor — General Jeanne by Honour and Glory)
Broodmare of the Year: QUEEN’S EMBLEM (Mass Market — Queen’s League by Winning Hit)
Leading Breeder: Ole A. Nielsen
Leading Jockey: Amadeo Perez
Leading Apprentice Jockey: Fraser Aebly
Leading Trainer: Barbara Anderson-Heads
Leading Owners: Rob Maybin and Sheena Maybin, Willow Creek Farms
Richard Yates Backstretch Award: Patricia Jarvis
Diamond Award of Excellence: Darlene Smith
Hall of Fame Inductees: Randy Goulding,
Terry Sangara, Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds
