Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

2005 O'Brien Finalists Announced

December 21, 2005

Standardbred Canada announced the finalists for the 2005 O'Brien Awards, which honor Canada's best in harness racing during 2005. The awards are named in honor of the late Joe O'Brien a member of Harness Racing’s Living Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The winners will be announced on January 28, 2006.

Peaceful Way, the richest Ontario-bred trotter of all time, with nearly $2 million won, is Canada’s Trotting Mare of the Year, and thus garnered her third-consecutive O’Brien Award. The daughter of Angus Hall won nine of 10 races and $660,804 for owners Goin My Way Stable of Pennsylvania, Mkatz Alibfeld Sgoldband of Toronto, trainer David Tingley of Guelph, Ont., and her breeder, Angie Stiller of Arva, Ont.

Admiral’s Express is a finalist for Older Pacing honors. The “Grey Gladiator” is the sport’s leading sub-1:50 winner of all-time and the world’s fastest grey Standardbred, with a mark of 1:48.2. He has won $409,882 for trainer Mike Hales and owners Gary and Laurel Gust and Cheryl and Ed Sayfie, all of Michigan. Ponder has banked $804,702 and scored 22 of 27 in the money finishes in 2005, is the other finalist in this category.

Mark MacDonald, a 27-year-old native of Prince Edward Island and Paul MacDonell, 42, of Guelph, Ont. are the finalists in the Driver of the Year category.

In the Trainer of the Year category, Casie Coleman, 25, of Dundas, Ont. and Bob McIntosh, 53, of Windsor, Ont., a seven-time winner in the category, are the two finalists. Coleman is just the second female to have been nominated for the award. The native of British Columbia trained the winners of 190 races and $2.46 million. Bob McIntosh, who is enjoying another productive year, winning 141 races and $3.86 million. Gilles Barrieau, 41, and Mark Steacy, 44, of Lansdowne, Ont are up for the Horsemanship Award.

Little Miss K a winer of $530,089, was nominated in the 2-year-old pacing filly division, as was the multiple stakeswinner Style, who hit the board in 10 of 13 starts this year, including six-consecutive victories, and won $530,089. Alastor Hanover and Jereme’s Jet square off for juvenile pacing colt honors. Alastor Hanover hit the board in 14 of 15 starts and won $374,268. Jereme’s Jet won six of seven races and earned $1,039,376.

Cabrini Hanover and Lady Dillinger earned nominations as Canada's 3-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year. Cabrini Hanover, an O’Brien Award winner at age two, won eight races and $917,440. Lady Dillinger won nine races and $509,760 year.

American Ideal and Rocknroll Hanover compete for the O'Brien trophy in the 3-year-old pacing colt division. American Ideal won 10 of 22 races and $747,579. Rocknroll Hanover looks for his second consecutive O’Brien trophy after having won $2.2 million.

Burning Point and Loyal Opposition are the two pacing mare finalists. Burning Point won eight races and $687,142. Loyal Opposition won 14 races and $673,525.

The Breeders Crown winner Passionate Glide, who banked $638,947, is up against Pure Ivory, a winner of over $403,307 in the two-year-old trotting filly category.

Majestic Son and Was It A Dream are the finalists in the 2-year old trotting colt category. Majestic Son recorded 10 top-three finishes in 13 races and won $443,529 while Was It A Dream won seven of 13 races and $441,018 this year.

Blur and Whatthehecklavec compete among 3-year-old trotting fillies. Blur won $867,453, while Whatthehecklavec, won 10 of 17 races and $224,552. Classic Photo and Strong Yankee compete for top 3-year-old trotting colt. Classic Photo finished on the board in all 16 starts this year and won nearly $1.4 million. Strong Yankee, a winner of nearly $1.2 million, made 8 trips to the winner’s circle.

JM Vangogh and Muscles Marinara will battle in the Trotting Horse category. JM Vangogh was a top-three finisher in 20 of 30 races and won $336,420. Muscles Marinara, won $410,699 in 2005.

Royal Bait and Town Pro were nominated as Canada's Broodmare of the Year, in what will be the final year for this award. Royal Bait is the dam of the acclaimed O'Brien Award winner Peaceful Way, and Town Pro is the dam of both the 2-year-old pacing filly Darlins Delight, a winner of $560,404, and the pacing horse The Ladies Pan, a winner of over $129,135.

Glengate Farms and Angie Stiller are the two finalists in the inaugural year of the Armstrong Breeder of the Year category. Glengate Farms bred such horses as Style, Spokesman, Noble Jake, World Class Image, and Brancaleone, and Angie Stiller bred horses such as the O’Brien Award winner Peaceful Way, and Stonebridge Galaxy.