Sixthirtyjoe tops in Alberta

CALGARY, Alberta - Sixthirtyjoe was a unanimous selection as Alberta's horse of the year, top Alberta-bred, and top older male at the Night of Champions awards dinner at Stampede Park on Saturday.

Bred, owned, and trained by Deanne Davies, Sixthirtyjoe won five stakes last year and earned $146,015. The gelding just missed a fourth award, losing the champion sprinter title to arch rival Tyko Tycoon.

A 4-year-old gelding, Sixthirtyjoe won the six-furlong Stampede Park Sprint Championship and the 6 1/2-furlong Journal, while Tyko Tycoon countered late in the season with victories in the 6 1/2-furlong Sun Sprint Championship and 6 1/2-furlong Red Diamond Express.

Sixthirtyjoe's other stakes scores came in the one-mile Teeworth Plate, one-mile Spangled Jimmy, and 1 1/16-mile Klondike.

On an evening of few surprises, other unanimous selections included Taiaslew (2-year-old colt), Raylene (2-year-old filly), Lord Shogun (3-year-old colt), Sweet Monarch (3-year-old filly), and King Me (claimer).

Lord Shogun won the Alberta and Manitoba Derbies, both Grade 3 races, and was among the three finalists for the Sovereign Award in his division.

A Ray of Magic was crowned top older mare, Red Smith was honored as leading trainer, Quincy Welch captured the riding crown, and John Shewchuk was named as leading breeder for the 2002 campaign.