Catch a Glimpse named 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Catch a Glimpse was named the 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year at the 41st annual Sovereign Awards ceremony on Friday night at Woodbine.

Catch a Glimpse was voted Horse of the Year over Academic, Interpol, and Shaman Ghost. The four finalists were revealed right before the award was announced.

Catch a Glimpse earned three awards on the night, also picking up champion 2-year-old filly and champion turf female honors. She recorded three wins on the grass in 2015, including victories in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine in September and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in October.

“This filly just proved that she was unbelievable,” said Jeff Begg of Windways Farm, which owns Catch a Glimpse in partnership with Gary Barber and Michael James Ambler. “She’s started this year off the same way. We’re here to really pay tribute to the horse. She did everything for us. We just went along for the ride and were lucky to do so.”

Catch a Glimpse’s trainer, Mark Casse, earned his fifth consecutive Sovereign Award as outstanding trainer and his eighth award in the category overall after leading all Woodbine trainers in wins, stakes wins, and purse earnings in 2015.

Queen’s Plate winner Shaman Ghost captured champion 3-year-old male honors over fellow Canadian Triple Crown race winners Breaking Lucky and Danish Dynaformer, while Woodbine Oaks winner Academic was voted champion 3-year-old filly. Interpol was named champion turf male after recording wins in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes and the Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes last season.

Miss Mischief was the other big winner on the night, being named champion female sprinter and champion older female. Miss Mischief made three starts at Woodbine in 2015, finishing second in the Grade 3 Hendrie Stakes and third in the Trillium Stakes before winning the Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes in November.

Champion older male honors went to Are You Kidding Me after he recorded wins in graded stakes on both Polytrack and turf in 2015. He won three Grade 2 stakes overall: the Eclipse Stakes and Autumn Stakes on Polytrack and the Nijinsky Stakes on turf.

Stacked Deck was the champion male sprinter after recording wins in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes and the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes.

Riker was named champion 2-year-old male after recording three stakes wins at Woodbine in 2015, highlighted by his victory in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes.

Eurico Da Silva picked up his second Sovereign Award as outstanding jockey in the last three years after leading the Woodbine jockey colony in wins and purse earnings. Erika Smilovsky was named outstanding apprentice jockey.

Adena Springs earned its 10th Sovereign Award as outstanding breeder, while Sam-Son Farm recorded its sixth Sovereign Award as outstanding owner. Rare Opportunity, the dam of Grade 2 King Edward Stakes winner Tower of Texas, was voted outstanding broodmare.

Sovereign Award winners
Outstanding photograph – Chris Young
Outstanding writing – Curtis Stock
Outstanding audio and visual/broadcast – Talkin’ Horses
Champion 2-year-old filly – Catch a Glimpse
Champion 2-year-old male – Riker
Champion 3-year-old filly – Academic
Champion 3-year-old male – Shaman Ghost
Champion older female – Miss Mischief
Champion older male – Are You Kidding Me
Champion turf female – Catch a Glimpse
Champion turf male – Interpol
Champion female sprinter – Miss Mischief
Champion male sprinter – Stacked Deck
Canadian Horse of the Year – Catch a Glimpse
E.P. Taylor Award of Merit – R.J. and Lois Bennett
Outstanding apprentice jockey – Erika Smilovsky
Outstanding jockey – Eurico Da Silva
Outstanding trainer – Mark Casse
Outstanding owner – Sam-Son Farm
Outstanding breeder – Adena Springs
Outstanding broodmare – Rare Opportunity