Standardbred Canada announced the winners of the 2022 O’Brien Awards, honouring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season, at the Black-Tie Gala on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. It was the 34th edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Bulldog Hanover stole the show, winning the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year title, taking the Older Pacing Horse division, and he was also honoured as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Cam Fella Award. Some of the other big winners on the night included Millar Farms, winner of the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly category with homebred Silver Label and taking home a second consecutive O’Brien in the Armstrong Breeder of the Year category. Richard Moreau continues to add O’Brien Awards to his trophy case, picking up his tenth consecutive title as Canada’s Trainer of the Year. Owner Brad Grant had two O’Brien winners — Bulldog Hanover, and Atlanta in the Older Trotting Mare category.
Bulldog Hanover captivated the hearts of harness racing fans across North America, becoming the fastest Standardbred the sport has ever seen when he stopped the clock in 1:45.4 in the William R. Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands. It was a memorable season for the Jack Darling-trained son of Shadow Play that saw him win 14 races in 16 starts for $1,858,210 in earnings. Some of Bulldog Hanover’s other notable victories came in the Dan Patch Stakes and the Hoosier Pacing Derby at Hoosier Park, the Dayton Pacing Derby, the Canadian Pacing Derby, the Breeders Crown and the TVG Open. Bulldog Hanover was recognized for his exploits on the racetrack as well as his ability to be an outstanding ambassador for harness racing with the Cam Fella Award.
In the Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt division, Stockade Seelster was awarded the O’Brien trophy. The son of State Treasurer had a stellar year for trainer Dr. Ian Moore, finishing with eight wins in 11 tries and bankrolling $917,470. He was perfect in the provincial program (five-for-five), capped off with a win in the OSS Super Final. His biggest payday came from his win in the $900,000 Metro Pace.
So Much More picked up a second O’Brien trophy for her connections in the Older Pacing Mare division. Trained by Don Beatson, the daughter of Big Jim continued her dominance in Canada’s upper fillies and mares ranks in 2022, where she made 34 starts, winning 16 times and earning $427,707. She had 29 top-three finishes overall, which included a third-place finish in the Breeders Crown final. In 2022, she also surpassed the $1 million mark for career earnings and achieved her 50th lifetime win.
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All Rights Reserved | Seelster Farm
Site designed by patchwork design
in conjunction with Lambeth Desktop
Photos: Ann Straatman, Dave Landry and others