2016 Sovereign Award Finalists Announced

Three-time Sovereign award winner and 2014 Queen's Plate heroine Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}) and GI Pegasus World Cup entrant Breaking Lucky (Lookin at Lucky) are among the finalists for the 2016 Sovereign Awards, The Jockey Club of Canada announced Tuesday.

Finalists for the Horse of the Year category will be announced on the evening of the Sovereign Awards ceremony Thursday, Apr. 13 and the finalists in the Media Award Categories will be announced Feb. 28.

The aforementioned Lexie Lou, who sold for $1-million at the Keeneland November sale after capturing the GII Nassau S., GII Dance Smartly S. and Victoriana S. at Woodbine in 2016, headlines the Female Turf Horse Category. Breaking Lucky, runner-up in the GI Clark H. at Churchill, tops the Older Male category off a win in the GIII Seagram Cup and two graded placings at Woodbine last term.

Newly-minted Canadian Hall of Famer Mark Casse, who looks to collect his seventh Sovereign Award as Outstanding Trainer, conditions three of the four 2-Year-Old Filly finalists, topped by GI Natalma S. winner Victory to Victory (Exchange Rate). Casse also trains two of the four finalists in the 2-Year-Old Male category in MSW King and His Court (Court Vision) and the late undefeated Golden Hawk (Tapit).

GSW “TDN Rising Star” Gamble's Ghost (Ghostzapper) and Woodbine Oaks winner Neshama (Sligo Bay {Ire}) are among the finalists in the sophomore fillies category. Fellow GSW “TDN Rising Star” Conquest Enforcer (Into Mischief) is among the finalists for both the 3-Year-Old Male and Turf Male divisions.

To be eligible for a Sovereign Award, horses 3-years-old and up must have raced in Canada at least three times and 2-year-olds must have raced in Canada twice. In the owner, trainer, breeder, jockey and apprentice jockey categories, the individual must have a minimum of 10 starts in Canada. The Outstanding Broodmare Award is a lifetime achievement award, but the mare must have a Canadian-bred stakes horse in the current year and a different Canadian-bred stakes horse the year prior.

The 42nd annual Sovereign Awards ceremony will be held at the Palais Royale in Toronto. Tickets are $250 each or tables of 10 can be purchased for $2,400. There is an early bird discount of $200 a ticket or $2,000 a table if purchased before Mar. 15. To purchase tickets call 416-675-7756 or e-mail [email protected].

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly:

Conquest Vivi (Court Vision)

Ghostly Presence (Ghostzapper)

Let It Ride Mom (Into Mischief)

Victory to Victory (Exchange Rate)

Champion 2-Year-Old Male:

Channel Maker (English Channel)

Golden Hawk (Tapit)

King and His Court (Court Vision)

Tiz a Slam (Tiznow)

Champion 3-Year-Old Female:

Caren (Society's Chairman)

Gamble's Ghost (Ghostzapper)

Neshama (Sligo Bay {Ire})

Snuggles (Rosberg)

Champion 3-Year-Old Male:

Amis Gizmo (Giant Gizmo)

Conquest Enforcer (Into Mischief)

Ready Intaglio (Indygo Shiner)

Sir Dudley Digges (Gio Ponti)

Champion Older Female:

Goodyearforroses (Ire) (Azamour {Ire})

Hot Kiss (Philanthropist)

Ice Festival (Awesome Again)

Midnight Miley (Midnight Lute)

Champion Older Male:

Are You Kidding Me (Run Away and Hide)

Breaking Lucky (Lookin at Lucky)

Killin Me Smalls (Marcavelly)

Melmich (Wilko)

Champion Female Turf Horse:

Caren (Society's Chairman)

Goodyearforroses (Ire) (Azamour {Ire})

Internal Bourbon (Not Bourbon)

Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire})

Champion Male Turf Horse:

Calgary Cat (Cowtown Cat)

Conquest Enforcer (Into Mischief)

Dimension (GB) (Medicean {GB})

Glenville Gardens (Street Cry {Ire})

Champion Female Sprinter:

Cactus Kris (Cactus Ridge)

Midnight Miley (Midnight Lute)

River Maid (Where's the Ring)

Southern Ring (Speightstown)

Champion Male Sprinter:

Calgary Cat (Cowtown Cat)

Conquest Enforcer (Into Mischief)

Noholdingback Bear (Put It Back)

Passion for Action (Speightstown)

Outstanding Broodmare:

Cruising Kris (Kris S.)

Galloping Ami (Victory Gallop)

Keen Victory (Victory Gallop)

Song of the Lark (Seeking the Gold)

Outstanding Breeder:

Adena Springs

Eugene Melnyk

Sam-Son Farm

Tall Oaks Farm

Outstanding Owner:

Gary Barber

Conquest Stables LLC

Ivan Dalos

Sam-Son Farm

Outstanding Trainer:

Roger Attfield

Mark Casse

Michael De Paulo

Greg Tracy

Outstanding Apprentice Jockey:

Jose Mariano Asencio

Aimee Auger

Daniel Gopie

Kayla Pizarro

Outstanding Jockey:

Luis Contreras

Eurico Da Silva

Rafael Hernandez

Patrick Husbands