Horse Racing Hall of Fame Announces 2021 Ballot
Admin • March 30, 2021
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2021 ballot has some strong ties to Alberta!
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2021 Finalists and Alberta Connections
On the Thoroughbred Builder ballot, Edmonton born Charles E. Fipke is nominated after involvement in the Canadian Thoroughbred industry for almost forty years. He is one of the most successful Canadians campaigning in major races in the U.S and has bred and owned many highly successful racehorses including the three Sovereign Award winners, Not Bourbon, Impossible Time and Perfect Soul. In addition, he has bred and owned Grade 1 winners Perfect Shirl, Forever Unbridled, Bee Jersey, Lemons Forever, Seeking the Soul, Jersey Town, Tale of Ekati and Lady Speightspeare.
On the Thoroughbred Male Horse ballot, both Fatal Bullet and Heart to Heart are nominated. Fatal Bullet is owned by Albertan Danny Dion and his Bear Stables. Fatal Bullet was one of Canada’s fastest sprinters and was voted Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2008. The Red Bullet son placed second in the 2008 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and earned a record of the second fastest time in the history of the race. The multiple graded stakes winning gelding earned $1.377 Million in his race career with wins in five stakes.
The English Channel stallion, Heart to Heart, was bred by Albertan Darrell Bauder of Cochrane and his Red Hawk Ranch. The multiple grades stakes winner is owned by Lethbridge resident, Terry Hamilton. Heart to Heart was a $25,000 CTHS sale purchase and went on to be named a Sovereign Award champion as a three year old. His career spanned seven seasons with wins in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes and the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes earn over $2 Million as a seven year old. Heart to Heart is now retired to stud at Crestwood Farm in Kentucky where his first reported foal was born this January.
The stallion Formal Gold has been nominated to the Thoroughbred Veteran Category. Formal Gold moved from California and stood at stud in western Canada at Esquirol Farms in Ryley, Alberta for a number of years until his passing in 2018. The multiple grades stakes winner is one of the fastest Canadian bred racehorses by speed figures and received an Equibase rating of 136, which is one of the highest in history. At stud, he sired progeny with earnings of nearly 16 Million including 19 stakes winners and was named to the leading sires list numerous times.
A total of 18 people and horses comprised of nine Standardbred and nine Thoroughbred candidates have been selected to appear on the voting ballot. A 20-person Election Committee for each breed will determine the one individual to be inducted in each category, with the results to be announced on Tuesday, April 13th.
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n Memory of Golden Made (1998 - 2025)
Today, we say goodbye to Golden Made, whose beauty, kindness and spirit made her a favourite for everyone on the farm.
Golden Made earned over $372,000 on the track with 11 wins from ages 2 to 5, but her greatest gift to us was in the breeding shed: 12 foals, 12 to race, 12 to win. She was perfect.
Highfield Stock Farm was fortunate to purchase Golden Made at the Keeneland January Sale in 2007, and she has been a cherished part of our broodmare band ever since.
2024 Alberta Thoroughbred Industry Award Winners Celebrated at the 51st Night of Champions
The achievements of Alberta’s Thoroughbred industry were proudly recognized on Saturday, May 3, as the new racing season kicked off at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. More than 130 owners, breeders, trainers, and passionate fans gathered in the Triple Crown Suites for the annual Night of Champions celebration. Against the backdrop of a thrilling day of live racing — and the excitement of the Kentucky Derby — Alberta’s top Thoroughbreds and their connections were honored for their success during the 2024 season. With champions crowned and the starting gates open, the 2025 season began in true Alberta racing style.
The Princess of the Track is now Queen of the Hill.
Absolutely marvelous, Big Hug was named Alberta’s Horse Of the Year Saturday at the annual Night of Champions Awards dinner at Century Mile.
Also named Alberta’s 2024 Champion Older Mare and Champion Alberta-bred, Big Hug won six of her eight starts in Alberta last year capturing the Founders Distaff, CTHS Sales stake, the Fall Classic Distaff and the R.K. ‘Red’ Smith Handicap for owner/trainer Rick Hedge and Lori and Martin Neyka’s Empire Equestrian.
Purchased by Hedge for just $3,400 at the Alberta Yearling Sale, the now-five-year-old mare won $175,500 last year and $354,000 in her career.
Big Hug was sired by Mr. Big and is out of the mare Temeeku, who broke her maiden for no tag at Del Mar, California.
“Best horse I’ve ever trained,” said Hedge, 76, who has trained many outstanding thoroughbreds in his career and many more as a jockey.
The Western Canadian Derby Series is back and bigger than ever for 2025!
🏇 $100,000 Derby Bonus for any 3-year-old who sweeps the Manitoba Derby (Aug 4), Canadian Derby (Aug 23), and BC Derby (Sept 13) – now all back in the lineup!
💰 Plus, a $25,000 Owner-Trainer Bonus is up for grabs based on points earned across all three races
#horseracingalberta #albertaracing #ridersup #FeelTheRush #bestinthewest
Equineline and T.I.P. today announced the launch of a new report centered on Thoroughbreds in their second careers.
Dual-Breed Dream: Thoroughbred Jockey Omar Moreno Finds New Passion In Standardbreds
While Moreno will continue to be active in Thoroughbred racing, his wintertime passion for harness racing has given him a deeper appreciation for all horses
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications21 hours ago
The public comment period for the proposed countermeasures, with feedback from business, stakeholders, and Canadians regarding their impacts has been extended to April 2nd.
Once again, we strongly encourage all industry stakeholders to submit their input through this comment submission form and request an exemption to the Canadian tariffs for purebred breeding and racing horses at https://forms-formulaires.alpha.canada.ca/en/id/cm7upmkx9008rx268zhy9l6pj.
Please make sure you make a note of the following HS Tariff Items in your exemption request:
HS Tariff Item 0101.21.00 Pure-bred breeding animals
HS Tariff Item 0101.29.00.20 – Other For Racing
From the racetrack to the show ring! Code, the first foal out of Crimson Deed by Omega Code, retired sound after his racing career and found a new purpose with a dedicated young rider from High River. Given the time and patience OTTBs need to transition, Carol built a strong bond with him before training for his second career. Now, they’re gearing up for their next big challenge—a show at Spruce Meadows from March 13-16. A true testament to the versatility and heart of Alberta-breds!
Alberta’s breeding industry is thriving, with qualifying stallion owners sharing in an impressive $85,000 in breeding awards for the 2024 season! The Horse Racing Alberta Breed Improvement Program Stallion Bonus rewarded 34 stallions at a rate of 3.25%, building on the momentum of 2023’s $75,000 at 3.26%—a testament to the growing success of Alberta-sired runners.
Cape Canaveral topped the Stallion Bonus leaderboard with an impressive $13,969 payout, followed by Fed Biz ($8,217), It’s No Joke ($6,486), Saturdaynitelites ($5,509), and Imperialism ($5,120), solidifying their impact on Alberta’s breeding scene. With Alberta-sired winners making their mark on the track, the future of the province’s breeding program has never looked brighter!