Sovereign winners to be named

TORONTO - Who will be Canada's horse of the year?

That question, along with many others, will be answered Friday evening when a crowd of approximately 300 gathers at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto for the 27th annual Sovereign Awards.

The leading Horse of the Year candidates are Numerous Times, a 4-year-old colt who won Woodbine's Grade 1 Atto Mile, and Win City, a 3-year-old gelding who won six stakes at Woodbine.

Numerous Times is the probable winner of the turf horse award, while Win City should take down 3-year-old male honors.

The voting for the Sovereign Awards is conducted by the Jockey Club of Canada, which also plans the annual ceremony.

A total of 51 voters from across Canada filled out ballots listing their first three choices in 16 categories, with points awarded on a 4-2-1 basis.

To be eligible for consideration, horses must have started at least three times in Canada this year by the Nov. 18 cutoff date.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, chartered accountants, tabulated the results and the finalists were announced Dec. 3.

Other prominent Sovereign Awards finalists include Exciting Story, a 4-year-old colt who won Belmont's Grade 1 Met Mile and is named in both the sprinter and older male categories; Dancethruthedawn, a 3-year-old filly who won the Labatt Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate; and Quiet Resolve, a 6-year-old gelding who was Canada's horse of the year and turf champion in 2000.

Awards also will be presented in four media categories.