Leduc, Alberta – 2023 Alberta Thoroughbred Industry Award Winners Celebrated 50th Night of Champions
The Lancaster Ballroom at the Royal Hotel in Leduc was packed on the evening of May 3rd as over 150 Alberta Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers, fans and backstretch people gathered to celebrate the achievements of the industry last season.
Master of Ceremonies Ken Gee started off the awards program with greetings from Horse Racing Alberta CEO, Kent Verlik, who emphasized positive news for the industry.
Complete list of winners from the 50th Anniversary of the Night of Champions celebrating the achievements of the Alberta Thoroughbred industry in 2023.
Job opening at the CTHS Alberta for a General Manager position. Deadline is May 30th, 2024. The position is based in NE Calgary and reports to the President of the CTHS Alberta Division.
Opening Weekend/ Kentucky Derby Experience!
Limited tickets available! Join us in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Kentucky Derby.
Don't miss the excitement taking place on Saturday, May 4th in the suites at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. V.I.P. access tickets are $55.00 plus GST each and include access to the suites, program, appetizers. Premium access tickets are $70.00 plus GST and include tables against the glass, betting voucher and one drink ticket per person.
Limited tickets available.
Please call the CTHS Alberta office at 403-229-3609 or email cthsweb@cthsalta.com to book your tickets.
The CTHS Alberta is pleased to announce that Mr. Curtis Stock will be the recipient of the 2023 Ken Cohoe Lifetime Achievement Award at the Night of Champions. The Ken Cohoe Lifetime Achievement Award is to reward lifelong personal involvement and contribution for the love of the Thoroughbred.
Save the date!! RSVP deadline is now Friday, April 26th.
Come out and celebrate all the accomplishments of the Alberta racing industry in the past season. It's the 50th Annual Night of Champions on Friday, May 3rd and we're celebrating with a "Shake, Rattle and Roll; Fabulous 50s Party!"
Please RSVP by Friday, April 26th to 403-229-3609 or email cthsweb@cthsalta.com.
The Royal Hotel - Edmonton Airport has a special room rate of $119.00 per night for Night of Champions attendees!
#ABBredsrock #NightOfChampions #PeoplesChoice
People’s Choice Award: Decade Five 2014 – 2023
Thundering Trails: Alberta’s Decade of Speedy Thoroughbreds
The third decade opened with Taylor’s Swift’s release of ‘1989’, which went on to be one of the best-selling albums of the decade, Malaysian airline flight 370 mysteriously disappeared and racing fans voted California Chrome’s win in the 140th Kentucky Derby the top racing moment of 2014.
SMART FIX ran the first race of her career at Northlands, Jimmy Fallon took over the Tonight show and a 37 year drought was ended when American Pharaoh won the Triple Crown in 2015. The CTHS Alberta sale graduate SMART FIX went on to race for seven seasons and earned the title of 2019 Champion Alberta bred and Horse of the Year.
Speeding Through the Decade: Alberta’s Thunderous Thoroughbred Triumphs (2004 – 2013)
The next decade unfolded with the launch of Facebook, the imprisonment of Martha Stewart and Smarty Jones earning a $5 Million bonus for his victory in the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby.Hurricane Katrina had just devastated the US Gulf Coast and Zenyatta was a $60,000 yearling purchase at the 2005 September Keeneland Yearling Sale when CTHS Alberta yearling sale graduate, TEAGUES FIGHT began his racing career at Stampede Park.
People’s Choice Award: Decade Three 1994 - 2003
Legendary Hooves: Alberta’s Golden Decade of Thoroughbred Racing (1994 – 2003)
The first year of this decade was memorable. Tonya Harding created a figure skating drama that became one of the greatest scandals in sports history, Wayne Gretzky tied Gordie Howe’s NHL record of 801 goals and Go for Gin won the 120th Kentucky Derby but never another race.
The first year of this decade was of special note for Thoroughbreds in North America. Hollywood Park was the site of the very first Breeders’ Cup, John Henry was the first Thoroughbred to win $6 million and the 110th Kentucky Derby was won by Swale.
The movie Back to the Future was released in 1985, Coca-Cola changed its secret formula and then quickly brought the 99 year old recipe back a few months later and ROAD TO PONDER was on the track at Woodbine for the beginning of a four year racing career. Mainly racing out of Alberta, this chestnut horse had lifetime earnings of $268,881.