Sovereign Awards: Pink Lloyd named Horse of the Year

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Pink Lloyd, who won eight consecutive stakes starts last season at Woodbine, earned three Sovereign Awards and was named 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year at the 43rd annual Sovereign Awards ceremony at Palais Royale in Toronto on Thursday.

Pink Lloyd was named Canadian Horse of the Year over Ami’s Mesa and Holy Helena, and was also named champion male sprinter and champion older male.

“Pink Lloyd has given me the biggest thrill of my life,” trainer Robert Tiller said.

Pink Lloyd started his 2017 campaign with a win in the Jacques Cartier Stakes and never missed a beat from there. His streak included two graded stakes victories, the Grade 3 Vigil and Grade 2 Kennedy Road. He will look to win Saturday’s $100,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes for the second consecutive year for Tiller and owner Entourage Stable. He is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the Jacques Cartier, Woodbine’s opening day feature.

“His story is something that a fiction novel might be written about,” said Frank Di Giulio Jr., a partner in Entourage Stable. “A horse that didn’t make his first start until he was 4, then ended up winning eight stakes in a row at 5 when most horses are retired, and then ended up winning three Sovereign Awards and being named Horse of the Year. It’s really sort of ridiculous when you think about it. We really appreciate the fact that we were part of him and it does mean a lot to us. We’ve had a lot of fun with him and hopefully he’ll carry on. His racing career was a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait.”

Ami’s Mesa won a pair of Sovereign Awards, including champion older female and champion female sprinter. Her dam, Victorious Ami, was named outstanding broodmare.

Queen’s Plate winner Holy Helena was named champion 3-year-old filly, while Breeders’ Stakes winner Channel Maker was named champion 3-year-old male.

A trio of Sovereign Award streaks continued, as Mark Casse won outstanding trainer for the seventh consecutive year, and Eurico Da Silva and Adena Springs won for outstanding jockey and outstanding breeder for the third consecutive year.

Chiefswood Stable won its first Sovereign Award as outstanding owner, while Rey Williams won the Sovereign Award as outstanding apprentice jockey.

In the juvenile divisions, Grade 2 Demoiselle winner Wonder Gadot was named champion 2-year-old filly, while Display Stakes winner Admiralty Pier earned champion 2-year-old male.

Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf winner Johnny Bear was named champion turf male and Starship Jubilee, who won multiple graded stakes on turf last season at Woodbine, was named champion turf female.

Awards were handed out in three media categories, to Dave Landry for outstanding photograph, Perry Lefko for outstanding writing, and Horse Racing Alberta for outstanding digital audio/visual and broadcast.

Sovereign Awards were also handed out to groom Alfredo Ramos and handicapper Michael Eisen, and a special Sovereign Award was given to Sam Lima.

Sovereign Award winners

2-year-old filly: Wonder Gadot

2-year-old male: Admiralty Pier

3-year-old filly: Holy Helena

3-year-old male: Channel Maker

Older female: Ami’s Mesa

Older male: Pink Lloyd

Female sprinter: Ami’s Mesa

Male sprinter: Pink Lloyd

Turf female: Starship Jubilee

Turf male: Johnny Bear

Owner: Chiefswood Stable

Breeder: Adena Springs

Trainer: Mark Casse

Jockey: Eurico Da Silva

Apprentice jockey: Rey Williams

Broodmare: Victorious Ami

Photograph: Dave Landry

Writing: Perry Lefko

Digital audio/visual and broadcast: Horse Racing Alberta

Groom: Alfredo Ramos

Handicapper: Michael Eisen

Special Sovereign Award: Sam Lima