2005 Horsemen Awards
Top Performers Honoured At Canada's Fastest Half-Mile Track
February 21, 2006
The top horses and top horse people of the year were honoured this evening (Tuesday) at flamboro downs 2005 Awards Night.
A total of sixteen awards in ten separate categories were presented at the banquet held in flamboro downs’ spectacular Top O’ The Turn Dining Room.
President Awards - CASIE COLEMAN Dundas, ON
Ambassador Awards - JAMIE KAY Hamilton, ON
In recognition of exemplary efforts in the promotion of flamboro downs and the sport of harness racing.
Milestone Awards - SCOTT COULTER Brantford, ON
Scott had 311 winning drives in 2005 including the 1,000th win of his career on December 19th.
Milestone Awards - MARK MACDONALD Cambridge, ON
On December 15th, the PEI native broke the national single season record with win number 644. Mark finished the year with a record 692 victories and won the O’Brien Award as Canada’s top driver. Two of his American Ideal drives in 2005 were spectacular record-breakers and personal favourites: the electrifying 1:50.3 mark set at flamboro downs in Confederation Cup XXIX and the scorching 1:47.4 world-record at Kentucky’s Red Mile.
Groom Awards - ED MELVIN Millgrove, ON
Selected by the horse people stabled at flamboro downs in recognition of the hard and important work done by those who “work in the trenches” every day. Ed has worked for trainer, Casie Coleman, for two years. He loves working and traveling with top-flight horses. His favourite horse is Confederation Cup XXIX winner and world record-holder, American Ideal.
Groom Awards - NATASHA RIVEST Brantford, ON
Selected by the horse people stabled at flamboro downs in recognition of the hard and important work done by those who “work in the trenches” every day. Natasha was born into a racing family and plans to make it her life’s work, setting her future sights on a training career. Working for trainer, Phil Coleman, Nat’s favourite horse is the peanut butter granola bar-loving, Are You Pan Enough. The 19 year-old also has two riding horses.
Owner of the Year - BRENDA RANKIN Dundas, ON
Awarded to the owner with the most entries at flamboro downs in 2005. The mother of four daughters and grandmother of two girls, Brenda is a long-time supporter of flamboro downs who started 178 horses at Canada’s fastest half-mile track in 2005.
Top Conditioned Horse - FORREST RHYTHM
Owned by Larry and John Todd of Oakwood, Ontario, and trained by Rebecca Rose, the 5 year-old son of Armbro Operative finished in the top two in 16 of 32 starts in 2005, earning $58,000.
Top Claiming Horse - SA REBEL
Claimed in mid-March by Kelly Sheppard for owner Loren Forest of Dundas, Ontario, the 6 year-old son of Water Tower worked his way up from the bottom claimer level to win 7 times in that category, earning more than $48,000. SA Rebel completed an 8-race winning streak on his way to an incredible 17 wins in 27 starts in 2005 – 16 of those victories here at flamboro downs. He was 9th in wins in North America and his 63% was the continent’s #1 winning percentage.
Top Trainer - CASIE COLEMAN Dundas, ON
In 2005, the 25 year-old BC native reached the flamboro downs Winner’s Circle 89 times – winning at an incredible rate of 39%. She trained 3 year-old pacing phenom, American Ideal, to an electrifying, record-setting 1:50.3 win in Confederation Cup XXIX and a world record 1:47.4 at the Red Mile in Kentucky. Casie finished 4th in Canada in wins and purse earnings in 2005, then capped off her big year with an O’Brien Award as the Top Trainer in Canada.
Top Driver - JODY JAMIESON Dundas, ON
The former World Driving Champion won 21% of his drives, making it to the Winner’s Circle 431 times in 2005 – the most wins ever in a single year at Canada’s fastest half-mile track. With the help of a red-hot month of December, he captured his third straight flamboro downs driving title. Jody, who recently drove his 3,000th career win, was 2nd in Canada in wins, 5th in money earnings.
Special Recognition Awards - AMERICAN IDEAL
Given to horses stabled or trained by regular participants at flamboro downs acknowledging outstanding performance and/or flamboro downs records broken in 2005. A spectacular, breath-taking burst of speed, the likes of which is seldom seen on any racetrack, was witnessed on August 21st. Despite starting in ninth post position, it looked as if American Ideal had been fired from a cannon as he shot into the lead on his way to a blistering 1:50.3 monster mile in Confederation Cup XXIX. It was not only a record for flamboro downs’ signature event, it was also an all-age Canadian record for a half-mile track and just one-fifth of a second off the world record for three-year-olds on a half miler. Stabled with O’Brien Award winning trainer, Casie Coleman of Dundas, Ontario, American Ideal went on to win 10 races in 2005 and set a 3 year-old world record in a stunning 1:47.4 at Lexington.
Special Recognition Awards - ILLUSIONIST
Given to horses stabled or trained by regular participants at flamboro downs acknowledging outstanding performance and/or flamboro downs records broken in 2005. Stabled at flamboro downs and trained here by Phil Coleman, the hard-working mare raced only 4 times on Canada’s fastest half-mile track in 2005. She won them all including a track record 1:52.3 mark for aged mares on August 11th.
Special Recognition Awards - BUSTA BALLS
Given to horses stabled or trained by regular participants at flamboro downs acknowledging outstanding performance and/or flamboro downs records broken in 2005. Racing all year at the Grassroots level and winning a Grassroots Final in mid-October, the 3 year-old trotting filly saved the best for last, winning an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final here at flamboro downs with a career best 1:59.4 mile.
Special Recognition Awards - LADY DILLINGER
Given to horses stabled or trained by regular participants at flamboro downs acknowledging outstanding performance and/or flamboro downs records broken in 2005. The O’Brien Award Winner joined the exclusive millionaire’s club with her final race of 2005, concluding a brilliant year of 3 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Finals, an OSS Super Final and a win in the Canadian Breeders. Owned and trained here by Gaetan Hebert of Waterdown, the daughter of DM Dillinger broke the flamboro downs record for 3 year-old pacing fillies with a 1:53.1 mile, August 14th.
Special Recognition Awards - WILD MAGIC
Given to horses stabled or trained by regular participants at flamboro downs acknowledging outstanding performance and/or flamboro downs records broken in 2005. Trainer, Jim Whelan, took this unheralded Swedish trotting mare off the race tracks of Ireland and Wales and transported her across the ocean to his stable in Troy, Ontario. He quickly turned her into a winner, moving her up in categories, culminating with Wild Magic’s taking of the 2005 Jack ’n Jill Series in a flamboro downs record-breaking time for aged trotting mares of 1:57.1.
flamboro downs would like to thank Millar Photos for supplying the pictures of all the award winners.