O’Brien Award finalists announced

MISSISSAUGA, ONT, December 20, 2024 — Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce the finalists for the 36th O’Brien Awards, honouring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season.

There are two finalists in each category, which includes 12 divisional horse categories and five people categories. One of the divisional champions will also be recognized as the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the O’Brien Awards Gala on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, which will take place at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale.

This year marks the 36th edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee.

Chantilly and Wickedpace are finalists in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly category.

Canada’s fastest two-year filly this past season, Chantilly finished her freshman campaign with an impressive nine wins from nine starts for conditioner Nick Gallucci. The daughter of Big Jim bankrolled $761,000, collecting the Shes A Great Lady and Eternal Camnation stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park along with six Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) victories. In her final start of the season, Chantilly dominated her competition in the OSS Super Final, winning by 6-1/2 lengths while stopping the clock in 1:50.2 to equal her lifetime mark.

The McWicked filly Wickedpace had an impressive two-year-old campaign. In five starts in the Ontario Sires Stakes, the Paul Cameron trainee posted two wins and three seconds, all coming to Chantilly. Also a second-place finisher in the Battle of the Belles, Wickedpace concluded the season with three wins and $284,372 in earnings from nine starts.

The finalists for the Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt category are Crack Shot and Stonebridge Wizard.

A regally-bred son of Bettors Delight, Crack Shot raced almost exclusively in the Ontario Sires Stakes program. He earned $238,825 from eight starts, posting five victories. Winning two OSS Grassroots early in the year, the Gregg McNair trainee caught fire near the end of the season, winning the Grassroots Final before moving up to the Gold ranks. Success followed, with a second-place finish in his Gold debut before capturing the OSS Super Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Stonebridge Wizard enjoyed a successful freshman campaign, picking up two Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events for trainer Jared Bako. Collecting $284,100 from nine starts, the gelded son of Dancin Lou won five of those appearances, including a hard-fought triumph in the Battle of Waterloo at Grand River Raceway where he earned his 1:51.2 lifetime mark.

Its A Love Thing and Odds On Platinum are the finalists in the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly division.

An O’Brien Award finalist as a two-year-old, Its A Love Thing looks to collect the award this year after falling short last year. As a sophomore, Its A Love Thing was a model of consistency, winning half of her 14 starts while missing the board only twice. She scored notable victories in the Fan Hanover Stakes and the Jerry Silverman Memorial. The daughter of Bettors Delight amassed $843,884 throughout her campaign for trainer David Menary.

Odds On Platinum posted another fruitful campaign for conditioner Dr. Ian Moore. The well-travelled sophomore by Bettors Delight collected $751,389 in 19 starts, counting the Courageous Lady at Northfield Park, James M. Lynch Memorial at Pocono Downs, and OSS Super Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park among her seven seasonal victories.

Legendary Hanover and Nijinsky headline the Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt division.

Capturing the O’Brien Award as a two-year-old, the Anthony Beaton-trained Legendary Hanover returned for another successful campaign at three. The son of Huntsville collected $1,075,535 from 14 starts with nine wins and 12 top-three finishes. Impressive wins included victories in the Meadowlands Pace and Cane Pace, both at The Meadowlands, as well as the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs.

After only winning once as a freshman in 2023, Nijinsky stamped himself as a major player in the glamour boy division in 2024. Another Anthony Beaton trainee, the Bettors Delight son captured the $1 million North America Cup in June en route to bankrolling $1,665,887 this season. From 17 starts, Nijinsky collected 11 wins, including the Somebeachsomewhere, Simcoe Stakes and Monument Circle. A dominant force in his Ontario Sires Stakes division this season, Nijinsky was a perfect four-for-four, capped with a win in the OSS Super Final.

Sylvia Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh are finalists in the Older Pacing Mare division.

Reigning Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year, Sylvia Hanover will hope to add more hardware to her already full cabinet. The daughter of Always B Miki dominated her opposition in the Clara Barton Distaff Pace at Plainridge Park and Allerage Mares Pace at The Red Mile. Although only winning three times from 17 starts, the Shawn & Mark Steacy trainee posted 12 top-three finishes and accrued $492,700 in purses throughout her season to eclipse the $2 million mark in lifetime earnings.

A daughter of Roll With Joe, Twin B Joe Fresh was the dominant force in the older mares division this season. With 11 wins from 13 starts, the Chris Ryder trainee collected $1,231,252 with notable wins in the Breeders Crown, Dayton Distaff Derby and FanDuel Open Mare Pace as well as the Roses Are Red Stakes and Milton Stakes to sweep the ‘Canadian Older Mares’ double.

Abuckabett Hanover and Taurasi are the Older Pacing Horse finalists.

Trained by Andrew Harris, Abuckabett Hanover found his footing in the open division as a six-year-old and had the best year of his career in 2024. Totalling $1,144,111 in seasonal earnings, the son of Betting Line posted major stakes victories in the William R. Haughton Memorial and FanDuel Open Pace at The Meadowlands along with two Preferreds at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

A gelded son of Racing Hill campaigned by three trainers, Taurasi was the dominant force in the Preferred ranks this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Racing almost exclusively on the WEG circuit, Taurasi won the Preferred Pace in nine consecutive appearances — winning 11 in total — to boost his bankroll of $304,963.

The Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly division is headlined by finalists Lasting Dream and Monalishi.

The well-bred Luc Blais trainee Lasting Dream impressed many in her rookie season. The daughter of Cantab Hall won the Pure Ivory final at Woodbine Mohawk Park and followed up that performance with solid runner-up finishes in the Peaceful Way and Mohawk Million. Although only winning two of nine appearances, Lasting Dream was a model of consistency as she picked up a cheque in all nine starts and finished the season with $393,615 in earnings.

Monalishi posted an impressive freshman campaign for trainer Blake MacIntosh, making the Ontario Sires Stakes program her own personal playground. From five starts, the daughter of Green Manalishi S scored four wins and a lone second by a neck. Her most impressive and lucrative score came in the Peaceful Way final at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Monalishi finished her season with $562,811 from 10 starts, hitting the board in eight of those.

Maryland and You Got It Kemp are the finalists for the Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt division.

Rookie trotting sensation Maryland had as successful a freshman campaign as one could hope. A son of Chapter Seven, Maryland dominated the division with six wins and amassed $1,675,697 in purses from nine starts. The Marcus Melander trainee collected the William Wellwood Memorial and Mohawk Million in Canada, as well as the Breeders Crown and Peter Haughton Memorial south of the border.

A gelded son of Muscle Mass, You Got It Kemp dominated his Ontario Sires Stakes division in 2024. From only six starts, the Dan Lagace-trained trotter went to the winner’s circle five of those times and all of those victories came at the OSS Gold level. The campaign was capped off by an impressive score in the OSS Super Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park to finish his freshman season with $378,167 in purses.

The Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly division features familiar finalists Drawn Impression and Willys Home Run.

In a rematch of last year’s Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly division, Drawn Impression hopes to flip the script this year. Although lightly raced, the Muscle Hill filly still picked up stake scores in the Casual Breeze and Simcoe Stakes while earning a new lifetime mark in her Breeders Crown elimination. A model of consistency, the Luc Blais trainee earned $373,615 in her limited starts and only missed the board twice.

Last year’s winner as Canada’s Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year, Willys Home Run had another successful campaign picking up $431,311 from her 13 starts. The daughter of Archangel collected more Ontario Sires Stakes hardware, winning two Golds and repeating as the OSS Super Final champion for trainer Kyle Fellows.

The finalists in the Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt division are Highland Kismet and Paquet.

Not raced at two, Highland Kismet began to turn heads as soon as he hit the track as a three-year-old. Winning the Goodtimes Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park in just his fifth career start, the Mark Etsell trainee finished the season with stakes wins in the Simcoe and Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile while also posting a second-place finish in the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands.  A gelded son of Father Patrick, Highland Kismet finished his season with $727,850 in earnings and eight wins from 17 starts.

Much like his fellow nominee, Paquet was also unraced at two and only went behind the gate eight times this season for trainer Carl Jamieson. The son of Muscle Mass was undefeated in the provincial program going a perfect three-for-three, including an impressive multi-length score in the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final. Paquet finished his season with four wins, only one off-the-board finish and a bankroll of $344,432.

Call Me Goo and M Ms Dream are the finalists for the Older Trotting Mare division.

A daughter of Googoo Gaagaa, Call Me Goo became a serious player in the open mare ranks this season as a four-year-old. The Jason Skinner trainee won Canada’s richest race for older trotting mares, the Armbro Flight at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and added the Allerage Mare Trot and Breeders Crown to her mantle after a late-season sale and shift to trainer Ake Svanstedt. Call Me Goo won seven of her 14 starts and collected $729,869.

M Ms Dream enjoyed another successful campaign for the Ron Burke stable in 2024, collecting $533,276 in 18 starts with seven wins. The five-year-old daughter of Swan For All won multiple legs of the Miss Versatility Series and was second in the Armbro Flight. Her most lucrative victory of the year came at The Meadowlands in the Dr. John R. Steele Memorial.

Amigo Volo and Logan Park are this year’s finalists in the Older Trotting Horse division.

A divisional champion stateside as a three-year-old in 2020, Amigo Volo enjoyed another successful campaign in 2024. The seven year-old gelded son of Father Patrick collected 11 seasonal wins — 10 in the Preferred class at Woodbine Mohawk Park for trainer Meg Crone — and amassed total earnings of $316,706.

The O’Brien Award winner in this division a year ago, Logan Park had a career year in 2024. The six-year-old, who hails from the Kyle & Rob Fellows stable, made history this year as he became the first Canadian-sired trotter to post a sub-1:50 victory with his 1:49.2 Allerage Open Trot tally at The Red Mile. Other major victories for the son of Archangel included the Dayton Trotting Derby, the Earl Rowe Memorial, and the FanDuel Trot. Logan Park posted 12 wins from 17 starts and collected $940,240 in purses.

Guy Gagnon and Carl Jamieson return as this year’s finalists for the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship.

Guy Gagnon, a winner of this award in 2018, dominated the 2024 season at Rideau Carleton Raceway. The Gatineau, Que. resident was once again top driver on the Rideau Carleton circuit, Gagnon surpassed the $1 million mark as a driver for the third year in a row while also amassing his largest win total as a trainer in 2024. Stable stars I Ama Rocket, The Light Speed, and All Wrapped Up dominated the Preferred class ranks in the nation’s capital. This season marks the second time in Gagnon’s training career that he topped the $600,000 mark in purses for the season, and he sports the highest UTRS of his career (0.436) in a season with more than 250 starts.

Carl Jamieson enjoyed a resurgence in 2024, with the Puslinch, Ont. resident posting his best season as a conditioner in nearly a decade. The Jamieson barn was led by O’Brien Award finalist Paquet, from unraced at two to the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final winner at three. Jamieson also enjoyed success with two-year-old pacing colt Fifth And Five, a $32,000 yearling purchase who banked $173,175 this past season with wins in the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold series and a Battle of Waterloo elimination. Jamieson also developed two-year-old pacing colt Power Code, a $40,000 yearling purchase who was three-for-three with two New Jersey Sire Stakes victories before a private sale to stateside owners.

Todd Ratchford and Brady Sweet are the finalists for the Future Star Award.

In just his second year as a full-time driver, 28-year-old Todd Ratchford of Caledonia, Ont. had a breakout season in 2024, surpassing the $1 million mark in seasonal earnings. Ratchford’s most notable achievements came courtesy three-year-old trotting filly Winning Alliance. As the regular pilot for the Matt Bax trainee, Ratchford scored his biggest win of the season at Vernon Downs in a New York Sire Stakes event, while also pairing with Winning Alliance for multiple Grand Circuit appearances.

The term ‘breakout season’ also applies to 22-year-old Brady Sweet. Hailing from Springfield West, P.E.I., the young horseman nearly tripled his annual purse total this season as a driver in less than double the starts from the prior year while becoming a regular reinsman on the P.E.I. circuit, listed to drive by many of the established stables. Sweet picked up multiple stakes victories with three-year-old pacing filly Thinkingofeddie, a horse he also trains, en route to his best season as a conditioner.

The Trainer Of The Year finalists are Nick Gallucci and David Menary.

Nick Gallucci of Stouffville, Ont. enjoyed another successful season in 2024 with stable stars such as Chantilly, Silver Label, and Allstar Maniac. Chantilly, a finalist in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly, was perfect in nine starts with wins in the Shes A Great Lady and her Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final. Gallucci has won more than 26 percent of his races this year and seeks his first O’Brien Award as a trainer.

A resident of Cambridge, Ont., David Menary is in the midst of one of the best years of his career. Menary is on pace to eclipse his previous career-best for earnings, thanks to stable stars the likes of Its A Love Thing, Pass Line, and Lil Sweet. Counting victories in the Fan Hanover and Jerry Silverman Memorial by Its A Love Thing, an Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final from Lil Sweet and multiple Preferreds from late-season powerhouse Ervin Hanover, Menary is also looking to win his first O’Brien Award as a trainer.

Two previous Driver of the Year winners, James MacDonald and Louis-Philippe Roy, are again finalists for the Keith Waples Driver of the Year Award.

After taking home this honour in 2021, 2022 and 2023, James MacDonald is looking to become the first driver to win the award for four consecutive years since Hall of Famer Doug Brown (1993-1996). MacDonald also made history when he became the first Canadian-based driver to achieve more than $12 million in purses in a single season. The native of P.E.I. and resident of Guelph, Ont. has been the regular pilot for five O’Brien Award finalists: Chantilly, Its A Love Thing, Legendary Hanover, Willys Home Run and Monalishi. Some of his seasonal accomplishments are winning the Meadowlands Pace, two Breeders Crowns, the Cane Pace, Peaceful Way, Delmonica Hanover and Shes A Great Lady.

Louis-Philippe Roy will be looking to capture the fourth O’Brien Award of his career and third Driver of the Year title after winning in 2018 and 2019. In 2024, Roy set a career-high in earnings, with just under $8.3 million. The Quebec native, currently based in Campbellville, Ont., has won a multitude of Grand Circuit events this season as the regular pilot of North America Cup winner Nijinsky. Roy also added notable wins in the Somebeachsomewhere, Camluck Classic, multiple Simcoes, and the USS Indianapolis. Roy is the regular driver for 2024 O’Brien Award finalists Nijinsky, Drawn Impression, and Lasting Dream.

Determination and Millar Farms are the finalists for the Armstrong Breeder Of The Year Award.

Horses bred by Determination of Montreal, Que. found the winner’s circle 30 times in 2024 while bankrolling $1,277,012. The top performers included O’Brien Award finalists Drawn Impression and Lasting Dream.

In 2024, horses bred by Millar Farms won 77 races and accrued $1,889,456 in earnings. Top performers from the Stouffville, Ont. nursery included O’Brien Award finalist Chantilly and 2022 O’Brien Award winner Silver Label.

The full list of award finalists follows.

2024 O’BRIEN AWARD FINALISTS

PACERS

Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly

CHANTILLY
Owners: Millar Farms, Stouffville, ON
Breeder: Millar Farms, Stouffville, ON

WICKEDPACE
Owners: Paul & Jayme Cameron, Guelph, ON
Arnolds Horse Shack, Mississauga, ON
Breeder: Winbak Farm, Chesapeake City, MD

Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt

CRACK SHOT
Owners: Gregg McNair, Guelph, ON
Dale Hunter, London, ON
Frank Brundle, East Garafraxa, ON
George Kerr, Gowanstown, ON
Breeder: James Avritt, KY

STONEBRIDGE WIZARD
Owner: David Kryway, Amherstburg, ON
Breeder: Angie Stiller, London, ON

Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly

ITS A LOVE THING
Owners: Eric Good, Davidsonville, MD
Thomas Biederman, Lexington, KY
Josh Green, Midway, KY
Breeders: Marvin Katz & Lynn Katz, Toronto, ON
Al Libfeld, Pickering, ON

ODDS ON PLATINUM
Owners: Let It Ride Stables Inc, Boca Raton, FL
Odds On Racing, Boca Raton, FL
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc, Hanover, PA

Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt

LEGENDARY HANOVER
Owners: Eric Good, Davidsonville, MD
West Wins Stable, Wellington, FL
Mark Dumain, Pine Bush, NY
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA

NIJINSKY
Owners: West Wins Stable, Wellington, FL
John Fielding, Scarborough, ON
Mark Dumain, Pine Bush, NY
Breeder: Jeffrey Snyder, New York, NY

Older Pacing Mare

SYLVIA HANOVER
Owner: Hudson Standrdbrd Stb Inc., Hudson, QC
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA

TWIN B JOE FRESH
Owners: Chris Ryder, Allentown, NJ
Dexter Dunn, Millstone, NJ
Peter Trebotica, Bordentown, NJ
Barry Spak, Thornton, PA
Breeder: Brittany Farms LLC, Versailles, KY

Older Pacing Horse

ABUCKABETT HANOVER
Owners: William Pollock, Freehold, NJ
Bruce Areman, Freehold, NJ
Andrew Harris, Allentown, NJ
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc, Hanover, PA

TAURASI
Owners: Brad Grant, Milton, ON
Alagna Racing LLC, Jackson, NJ
Breeders: M T Pockets Stables, Pompano Beach, FL
Victoria Howard, Delray Beach, FL

TROTTERS

Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly

LASTING DREAM
Owner: Determination, Montreal, QC
Breeder: Determination, Montreal, QC

MONALISHI
Owners: Tim Klemencic, Trenton, ON
Blake MacIntosh, St. George, ON
Breeder: Shmuel Farhi, London, ON

Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt

MARYLAND
Owners: Courant Inc, Delray Beach, FL
PCW Racing LLC, Delray Beach, FL
Holly Lane Stud East Ltd., Vero Beach, FL
Sstewartrthorn Stable, Paris, KY
Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc., Hanover, PA

YOU GOT IT KEMP
Owners: Brady & Brooke & Dan Lagace, Cambridge, ON
Suojalampi Stable Inc, Delray Beach, FL
Breeders: Kemppi Stables Oy Inc., Delray Beach, FL
Suojalampi Stable Inc., Delray Beach, FL

Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly

DRAWN IMPRESSION
Owner: Determination, Montreal, QC
Breeder: Determination, Montreal, QC

WILLYS HOME RUN
Owners: Dr. Sara Gatchell, Strathroy, ON
Jake Higgs, Strathroy, ON
Reg Higgs, Ilderton, ON
Yolanda Fellows, Rockwood, ON
Breeder: Reg Higgs, Strathroy, ON

Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt

HIGHLAND KISMET
Owner: Highland Thoroughbred Frm, Inglewood, ON
Breeder: Highland Thoroughbred Frm, Inglewood, ON

PAQUET
Owners: Carl Jamieson, Puslinch, ON
Estate of Brian Paquet, Quebec, QC
1140545 Ontario Ltd, Guelph, ON
Douglas Good, Chatham, ON
Breeder: Seelster Farms Inc, Lucan, ON

Older Trotting Mare

CALL ME GOO
Owners: Graham Grace Stables LLC, Clifton, VA
Ake Svanstedt Inc., Wrightstown, NJ
Breeder: William Roberts, Brandywine, MD

M MS DREAM
Owners: Eleven Star Stables, Monroe, IN
Frank Baldachino, Harvey Cedars, NJ
Hillside Stables, Dundee, OH
Breeder: Mervin Miller, Topeka, IN

Older Trotting Horse

AMIGO VOLO
Owners: Pinske Stables, Plato, MN
David J. Miller, Lake Mary, FL
Breeders: Kentuckiana Farms LLC, Lexington, KY
Jorgen Jahre, Sandefjord, Norway

LOGAN PARK
Owners: Outofthepark Stable, Rockwood, ON
Reg Higgs, Ilderton, ON
Arpad Szabo, Bradford, ON
Breeders: Reg Higgs, Denfield, ON
Donna Higgs, Denfield, ON

PEOPLE AWARDS

O’Brien Award of Horsemanship

Guy Gagnon, Gatineau, QC
Carl Jamieson, Puslinch, ON

Armstrong Breeder of the Year

Determination, Montreal, QC
Millar Farms, Stouffville, ON

Keith Waples Driver of the Year

James MacDonald, Guelph, ON
Louis-Philippe Roy, Campbellville, ON

Trainer of the Year

Nick Gallucci, Stouffville, ON
David Menary, Cambridge, ON

Future Star Award

Todd Ratchford, Caledonia, ON
Brady Sweet, Springfield West, PEI

From Standardbred Canada