Da Silva named Avelino Gomez Award winner

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The popular Eurico Da Silva has been named the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Avelino Gomez Memorial Award.

The coveted award is given to a Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or regular rider in Canada for more than five years who has made significant contributions to the sport. It is named in the memory of the Gomez, one of the most accomplished riders in Canadian history, who died from injuries suffered in a three-horse spill in the 1980 Canadian Oaks.

Da Silva, a 46-year-old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, topped the Woodbine standings in 2010 and from 2015-19. In 2018, he established a record for the most wins in a single Woodbine meet with 237 tallies.

A seven-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s outstanding jockey, Da Silva won the Queen’s Plate twice, with Eye of the Leopard in 2009 and Big Red Mike in 2010. He also recorded victories in most of Woodbine’s other top races, including in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, the Grade 1 Canadian International, and the Woodbine Oaks. He was the rider of perennial Canadian champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd before retiring at the end of 2019 to become a Certified Mind Coach.

Da Silva won 2,286 races in North America, where his mounts earned over $100 million.

Traditionally given out on Woodbine Oaks Day, the presentation of the award has been pushed back to Sept. 19 this year at Woodbine to allow for more fans to be in attendance than what’s currently allowed.

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Da Silva’s excellent memoir, “Riding for Freedom,” was published late last year and is available on Amazon.

Spanish Ballerina back on turf

The speedy mare Spanish Ballerina will revert to her speciality in Thursday’s featured second-level allowance at Woodbine.

Spanish Ballerina won both of her starts going five-eighths on the inner turf last year, and will negotiate that trip again on Thursday after placing in both of her six-furlong starts at the meet on Tapeta. After ending up second in a second-level allowance June 26, she faded to third after leading until midstretch in the restricted Ballade Stakes July 17.

Emma-Jayne Wilson will ride Spanish Ballerina again for Ruvee Stables and trainer Frank Huarte.

Betwixting should be closing effectively under Patrick Husbands. She beat $40,000 claimers traveling five furlongs on the inner turf going 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta in her two races at this stand.

Stakes winner Sav is looking to get back on track following back-to-back flat fourth-place finishes, in a handicap at Gulfstream and in the four-horse Ballade.

◗ Thursday’s supporting feature is the $50,000 Midsummer Handicap, a one-mile starter for fillies and mares on the inner turf. Bella Nina should be favored while shooting for her third win in a row, with Daisuke Fukumoto riding for trainer Ralph Biamonte.