The Canadian Horse of the Year is a thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually since 1951 by the Jockey Club of Canada. It is the most prestigious honour in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.
Part of the Sovereign Awards program since 1975, it is similar to the Eclipse Award for American Horse of the Year honours given in the United States.
The original eligibility rules stipulated that the winner be a Canadian-bred horse that did its "best running" in Canada. In 1964, the rule was altered for Northern Dancer, who was a Canadian-bred but whose most notable wins came in the United States when he won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Eventually the requirement that the horse be a Canadian-bred was also dropped. The current rules simply require that the horse have raced at least three times in Canada during the given year (two times for two-year-olds).
Records Most wins: 2 - L'Enjoleur (1974, 1975) 2 - Overskate (1978, 1979) 2 - Chief Bearhart (1997, 1998)
Most wins by a trainer: 6 - Gordon J. McCann (1951, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1968)
Most wins by an owner: 8 - Sam-Son Farm (1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004)
Honourees Year Horse Age Trainer Owner1951Bull Page4Gordon J. McCannE. P. Taylor1952Canadiana2Gordon J. McCannE. P. Taylor1953King Maple2John HornsbyMrs. Gordon McMacken1954Queen's Own3Gordon J. McCannE. P. Taylor1955Ace Marine3Yonnie StarrLarkin Maloney1956Canadian Champ3John PasseroWilliam R. Beasley1957Hartney6Patrick MacMurchyCol. Kenric R. Marshall1958Nearctic4Gordon J. McCannWindfields Farm1959Wonder Where3Yonnie StarrLarkin Maloney & Conn Smythe1960Victoria Park3Horatio LuroWindfields Farm1961Hidden Treasure4John PasseroWilliam R. Beasley1962Crafty Lace3J. D. MooneyJeremy M. Jacobs1963Canebora3Gordon J. McCannWindfields Farm1964Northern Dancer3Horatio LuroWindfields Farm1965George Royal4Donald RichardsonE. C. Hammond & R. W. Hall1966Victorian Era4Lou Cavalaris Jr.Windfields Farm1967He's A Smoothie4Warren BeasleyWilliam R. Beasley1968Viceregal2Gordon J. McCannWindfields Farm1969Jumpin Joseph3Warren BeasleyWarren Beasley1970Fanfreluche3Yonnie StarrJean-Louis Levesque1971Lauries Dancer3James C. BentleyHelen G. Stollery1972La Prevoyante2Yonnie StarrJean-Louis Levesque1973Kennedy Road5Charlie WhittinghamHelen G. Stollery1974L'Enjoleur2Yonnie StarrJean-Louis Levesque1975L'Enjoleur3Yonnie StarrJean-Louis Levesque1976Norcliffe3Roger AttfieldNorcliffe Stable1977L'Alezane2Yonnie StarrJean-Louis Levesque1978Overskate3Gil RowntreeStafford Farms1979Overskate4Gil RowntreeStafford Farms1980Glorious Song4Gerry BelangerFrank Stronach & Nelson Bunker Hunt1981Deputy Minister2Bill MarkoKinghaven Farms & Centurion Farm1982Frost King4Bill MarkoBill Marko & Ted Smith1983Travelling Victor4Robert G. AndersonRussell & Lois Bennett1984Dauphin Fabuleux2James E. DaySam-Son Farm1985Imperial Choice3James E. DaySam-Son Farm1986Ruling Angel3James E. DaySam-Son Farm1987Afleet3Phil EnglandRichard R. Kennedy & Taylor Made Farms1988Play the King5Mark FrostadKinghaven Farms1989With Approval3Roger AttfieldKinghaven Farms1990Izvestia3Roger AttfieldKinghaven Farms1991Dance Smartly3James E. DaySam-Son Farm1992Benburb3Phil EnglandKnob Hill Stable1993Peteski3Roger AttfieldEarle I. Mack1994Alywow3Phil EnglandKinghaven Farms1995Peaks and Valleys3James E. DayPin Oak Stable1996Mt. Sassafras4Barbara J. MinshallMinshall Farms1997Chief Bearhart4Mark FrostadSam-Son Farm1998Chief Bearhart5Mark FrostadSam-Son Farm1999Thornfield4Phil EnglandKnob Hill Stable2000Quiet Resolve5Mark FrostadSam-Son Farm2001Win City3Robert P. TillerFrank Di Giulio Jr.2002Wake At Noon5Abraham R. KatryanBruno Schickedanz2003Wando3Michael KeoghGus Schickendanz2004Soaring Free5Mark FrostadSam-Son Farm2005A Bit O'Gold4Catherine Day PhillipsThe Two Bit Racing Stable2006Arravale3Macdonald BensonRobert Costigan2007Sealy Hill3Mark CasseMelnyk Racing Stables2008Fatal Bullet3Reade BakerBear Stables Ltd.2009Champs Elysees6Robert J. FrankelPrince Khalid Abdullah2010Biofuel3Reade BakerBrereton C. Jones2011Never Retreat6Chris BlockTeam Block2012Uncaptured2Mark CasseJohn C. Oxley2013Up With The Birds3Mark FrostadSam-Son Farm2014Lexie Lou3Mark CasseGary Barber2015Catch A Glimpse2Mark CasseGary Barber, Windways Farm, James Michael2016 Caren3Michael De PauloRobert Marzilli2017Pink Lloyd5Robert P. TillerEntourage Stable2018Wonder Gadot3Mark CasseGary Barber2019Starship Jubilee6Kevin AttardBlue Heaven Farm2020Mighty Heart3Josie CarrollLawrence Cordes2021Mighty Heart4Josie CarrollLawrence Cordes2022Moira3Kevin AttardMadaket Stables, SF Racing & X-Men Racing 2023Fev Rover (IRE)4Mark E. CasseTracy Farmer2024Patches O'Houlihan4Robert TillerFrank Di Giulio Jr.2025MansettiAl Ulwelling, Bill Ulwelling
References
Sovereign Awards at The Jockey Club of Canada