Landry named Gomez honoree

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Robert Landry, one of the top riders here through his 22-year career, will be this year's recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, the Woodbine Entertainment Group announced Friday.

The Gomez Memorial Award is presented annually in honor of Avelino Gomez, who was born in Cuba and had long been one of Canada's most famous jockeys when he died as the result of a spill in Woodbine's 1980 Canadian Oaks.

The award honors a jockey who was born or raised in Canada or has ridden regularly in the country for at least five years and has made significant contributions to the sport. The presentation will take place here June 8, the day of the Labatt Woodbine Oaks.

Landry, who was born in Toronto on Sept. 18, 1962, won back-to-back Sovereign Awards as Canada's outstanding jockey in 1993 and 1994. He recently passed the 1,700 mark in career winners and his mounts have earned approximately $47 million.

Previous Gomez Award honorees include Ron Turcotte, the late John Longden, Sandy Hawley, the late Don MacBeth, the late Chris Rogers, and Jeff Fell.