Alberta names 2023 award winners

The Alberta Standardbred Horse Association announced nominations and winners for the 2023 ASHA Awards for performances during the 2022 harness racing season.

Below are the top performers in each category with their accumulated points to the right. Categories with points listed are final and ranked; those listed in bullet points are still nominations.

Two-year-old Alberta Sired Filly

1. Promise Kept (Custard The Dragon)             125
2. Cora Cora Cora (Captive Audience)               87
3. G TS Skyla (Mystician)                                    75
4. Caviar N Crackers (Captive Audience)           64

Two-year-old Open Filly

1. Cora Cora Cora                                              75
2. Dear John Im Gone (Vertical Horizon)         75
3. Promise Kept                                                 75

Two-year-old Alberta Sired Colt or Gelding

1. Virtual Horizon                                              112
2. The Dickens (Custard The Dragon)             100
3. Tin Can Timmy (Bjs Bequia)                         100

Two-year-old Open Colt or Gelding

1. Virtual Horizon                                           75
2. Handsome Dan (State Treasurer)              50
3. Ponder No Longer (Smart Shark)              50
4. Shots Fired (Custard The Dragon)            50
5. The Dickens                                                50
6. Tin Can Timmy                                           50

Three-year-old Alberta Sired Filly

1. Divine Art (Outrageous Art)                    150
2. Jamaica Move (Vertical Horizon)             50

   

Three-year-old Open Filly

1. Divine Art                                                  112
2. Wrangler Jewel (Wrangler Betonme)       50
3. Chaste Forever (Mystery Chase)              37

Three-year-old Alberta Sired Colt or Gelding

1. Ernesto Delacruz (Vertical Horizon)      100
2. Vegas Gambler (Mystery Chase)             62
3. Lets Tie One On (Vertical Horizon)         50

   

Three-year-old Open Colt or Gelding

1. Ernesto Delacruz                                     125
2. Vegas Gambler                                         62

Champion Aged Mare

1. If Only Id Known (Shadow Play)
2. Senga Nightmare (Vertical Horizon)
3. Stash The Cookies (Sunfire Blue Chip)

Champion Aged Horse or Gelding

• Icy Blue Scooter (Blue Burner)
• Samba Beat (Santanna Blue Chip)
• Shark Week (Vertical Horizon)

Champion Claimer Fillies & Mares

• Lovethatsixpack (Sixdaysontheroad)
• Pure Addition (Riverboat King)
• True Crime (Mystery Chase)

Champion Claimer Colts & Geldings

• Blue Who (Blue Burner)
• HF Thegreatpumpkin (Pang Shui)
• Kootenay Lager (Vertical Horizon)
• Naked Burner (Blue Burner)

Fastest Girl

• Stash The Cookies                            1:51.2

Fastest Boy

• Shark Week                                        1:51.1

Rising Star

• Logan Gillies
• Brinsley Brooking-Lutz

Caretake of the Year (TBA)

Horseperson of the Year (TBA)

Breeders Award of Recognition (TBA)

Horse of the Year (TBA)

Owner of the Year

• Jean Francois Gagne – Peter Van Seggelen
• Rod Hennessy – Lorne Duffield
• R. Jones – D. Bertrand – J. Hind
• Pick 6 Stables
• R. Starkewski – C. Byckal

Breeder of the Year (6 or under mares)

• Bryan Brook
• Kathleen & Clifford Coonfer
• Jean Francois Gagne – Peter Van Seggelen
• Allan Neurauter – James Rhodes

Breeder of the Year

• Meridian Farms – W & D Andrew
• Outlaw Stable
• James Rhodes

Trainer Under 150 Starts

• Jean Francois Gagne
• Logan Gillis
• Christopher Lancaster
• Glenn Lutz

Trainer of the Year

• Brandon Campbell
• Kelly Hoerdt
• David Kelly
• Nathan Sobey
• Rod Starewski

Driver Under 150 Starts

• Gilles Bouvier
• Chris Brown
• Tyson Jacoby

Driver of the Year

• Brandon Campbell
• Dave Kelly
• Nathan Sobey
• Mike Hennessy

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for having an exceptional year. Best of luck to all going forward.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink