Raymond Nikiforuk, Sr. Passes Away

Admin • February 1, 2024

Raymond Paul Nikirforuk Sr.

April 21, 1950 - January 26, 2024 (age 73)

The CTHS Alberta is saddened to share the news of the passing of long time Alberta horseman, Raymond Nikiforuk Sr., on January 26, 2024 at the age of 73. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends. Ray had been a CTHS member since 1990 and was an accomplished breeder, owner and trainer in the Alberta Thoroughbred industry. He was a multiple stakes winning owner with a record that included 415 starts with 24 wins and $300,000 in earnings.


As an owner, Ray raced numerous Alberta breds including Smile Lee, LTl Radioactive, Chickadee Creek, Carr Fourty Four, With No Knickers, Ferns Jaakita, Rainbow Creek, Dunvegan Ablaze, L’Tl Brassy and Affair Lady.


His top two horses were homebred mares that Ray also trained; Smile Lee and L’Tl Radioactive. His best earner was the Alberta bred Zuppardo’s Future runner, Smile Lee who raced at Northlands, Evergreen Park and RMTC for nine seasons and finished as a ten year old in 2017 with $78,832 in earnings and a record of 53 starts and 12 wins. Her wins included repeat victories in the B Cup Filly and Mare Stakes, the Dating Game Stakes and the Alberta Bred Fillies & Mare Stakes at RMTC in 2014 and 2015.


Ray also bred and trained his second best horse, L’Tl Radioactive. The Ian’s Affair mare raced for four seasons at Stampede Park and Northlands Park between 1999 and 2002, retiring with $56,950 in earnings and a record of 39 starts and 7 wins. Ray bred and owned many other Alberta bred runners over the past few decades; his most recent runner was a homebred Alberta bred named Solana who ran in 2023 at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino and Grande Prairie.


Ray was also directly involved in the breeding of Thoroughbreds with his Dunvegan Stud located in Fairview in the Peace River valley of northern Alberta. Dunvegan Stud has stood the Street Cry (IRE) stallion, True Sense, since 2020, after their stallion, Brunswick was retired.


Please follow this link to the Peace Valley Funeral Home to read the full obituary for Raymond. A Celebration of Raymond’s Life will take place at a later date. 



Peace Valley Funeral Home OBITUARY FOR RAYMOND PAUL NIKIFORUK, SR.


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