Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Announces Finalists

The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Standardbred and Thoroughbred Nomination Committees have determined the categories and finalists to appear on the ballot presented to the Election Committees, from which the Class of 2025 will be selected.

The Board of the CHRHF determined that the Class of 2025 will be comprised of six inductees per breed and provided the option for a Nomination Committee to use only five categories and induct two individuals in one category to meet the total of six inductees per breed.  A 20-person Election Committee for each breed will determine, from the list of finalists, the individuals to be inducted in each of the categories, with the results to be announced on Wednesday, April 23rd.

The individuals named to the CHRHF Class of 2025 will be formally inducted in a ceremony on Wednesday, August 6th.

The six categories selected by the Thoroughbred Nominating Committee for the 2025 Thoroughbred ballot are Builder, Female Horse, Jockey, Male Horse, Trainer and Veteran - Person or Horse.  Categories and finalist names in each are presented below in alphabetical order.

A Thoroughbred Builder ballot comprised of John Burness, Ivan Dalos, and Phil Kives are offered for voter consideration.

John Burness has been involved in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry for over 50 years and continues to operate his Ontario-based Colebrook Farms which currently standing four stallions.  The 350-acre facility provides complete cycle of breeding services extending to foaling out mares, weaning, breaking, boarding and state of the art on-site training facilities.  His operation extends from Canada to the US, purchasing and claiming horses.  He is a co-owner of Grade 1 winner, Johnny Bear.  John is considered one of the top influencers in the Canadian Thoroughbred industry.  He has constantly worked for the betterment of the industry and has been a Director of the CTHS Ontario for many years, rising to the position of 2nd VP of that organization from 2018-2022.

For almost 50 years, Ivan Dalos has been part of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry establishing himself as one of Canada's most successful owner-breeders.  After claiming his first racehorse in 1978, with a dream to become a breeder of champions, his Tall Oaks Farm was born. Learning everything he could about pedigrees and nicking, what was originally a handful of broodmares has grown to a band of several dozen mares, 5 stallions and close to 150 horses, all exclusively Tall Oaks Farm homebreds.   Among his farm's success stories are CHRHF Inductees, Victory Gallop and Channel Maker.  In 2021, Ivan was awarded the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit for his many contributions to racing and breeding.

The late Phillip Kives, based in Manitoba, known worldwide as the owner of K-Tel and the inventor of the infomercial, became involved in Thoroughbred racing in 1977 with the launch of K-4 Stables (later changed to K-5 to recognize the addition of his son to the Kives family).  His passion for racing continued for four decades until his passing in 2016.  Kives owned and bred horses were winners of multiple stakes races at Winnipeg's Assiniboia Downs as well as in Kentucky, Florida, New York, Ontario and Alberta.  As owner, Kives won every single stakes race at Assiniboia, not just once but multiple times each, including two Manitoba Derbies (best 3-year-olds), eight Gold Cups (race for top older horses), three Winnipeg Futurities (best 2-year-olds) and five Matrons (top filly/mare).

Thoroughbred Female Horse Finalists include Careless Jewel, Hard Not To Like and Marketing Mix.

Sired by Tapit, Careless Jewel reeled off five wins in her sophomore season for Alberta-based owners, Donver Stables and CHRHF conditioner, Josie Carroll.  Her highlights that year included a 7 1/4 length victory in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks and an 11- length win in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.  Careless Jewel completed her win streak in the Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park. She earned $1,013,346 with a race record of 5-0-1 from 7 starts.

Bred in Ontario by Garland Williamson, well-travelled Hard Not to Like won at five of the eight tracks she visited during 22 starts over five years.  She earned more than $1.2 million while accumulating eight victories.  Her wins included the 2014 Jenny Wiley Stakes (Gr 1) at Keeneland, the 2015 Diana Stakes (Gr 1) at Saratoga, and the Gamely Stakes (Gr 1) at Santa Anita the same year for three Grade 1 turf scores at three different tracks.  The striking grey filly by Hard Spun and out of Tactical Cat mare, Like a Gem, (herself a multiple graded stakes winner), was indeed bred for success.

Marketing Mix, an Ontario bred Medaglia D'Oro filly bred by Sean Fitzhenry's, was a $150,000 Keeneland yearling purchase in 2009. Her 21 race career for Glen Hill Farm of Ocala, FL, under the tutelage of trainer Tom Proctor, banked $2 million in earnings with 10 wins including stakes victories in the 2012 editions of the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1), Nassau (G2), Dance Smartly (G2) and the 2013 Gamely Stakes (G1) as well as 2nd place finishes in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the 2013 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1).

The ballot for Jockeys is comprised of Richard Dos Ramos, Emile Ramsammy and Perry Winters.

Richard Dos Ramos was the senior member of the Woodbine Jockeys' Room in terms of years of service when he retired in 2013. The classy veteran began his riding career in the spring of 1981 at Greenwood.  He claimed the rider's title at both the Woodbine and Greenwood Autumn meets that same year, as well as being named top apprentice jockey for the first of two consecutive years.  It was during the following decade that two of his finest riding accomplishments came for HOF owner, Steve Stavro, and his HOF trainer, Phil England.  In 1992, he steered Benburb to a huge upset win over A.P. Indy in the Molson Export Million, as well as a stunning upset on Benburb in the Prince of Wales, beating 2022 CHRHF Veteran finalist, Alydeed.  In 1999, he guided longshot Thornfield to victory in the $1.5 million Canadian International (G1). In 2002, Dos Ramos was honoured with the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award before winning the Canadian Oaks with Ginger Gold.  Career statistics include 18,645 races with 2,159 wins, 2,242 seconds, 2,206 thirds and nearly $61 million in purse earnings.

Emile Ramsammy, considered a true gentleman and champion, began his career as a jockey in Trinidad in 1980.  He achieved 500 wins and was named Caribbean Barbadian Champion jockey in 1986 and 1989, winning the Barbadian Gold Cup in 1985, 1987 and 1988.  In 1990, Ramsammy started riding in Canada.  He was awarded the Sovereign Award as Outstanding Jockey in 1996 and 1997 and received the Avelino Gomez Award 2011.  His resume includes Queen's Plate victories with Victor Cooley in 1996 and Edenwold in 2006 and he achieved stakes success with Wake at Noon, One for Rose and many others. Career statistics include 18,805 starts (2,283 - 2284-2250) and earnings of $89,102,028.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, jockey Perry Winters rode for 33 years, amassing career earnings of $22 million.  His win total of 2,984 races ranks him second among Alberta born jockeys, only exceeded by CHRHF Member, Gary Belanger.  Seven times Alberta's leading jockey, Winters' best year was 1991 when he won 241 races with his mounts earning $1,249,568.  Winters' stats also include well over 100 stakes wins, including the Canadian Derby in 1983 with Cozy Grey.  Winters started his Thoroughbred career in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1980. By 1984, he was riding with the "big boys" in Edmonton and Calgary on the province's 'A' circuit. He had his first 100-win season in 1986 - a feat he would repeat the next 10 years in a row.

The 2025 Thoroughbred Male Horse ballot includes Fatal Bullet, Ghostzapper and Rahy's Attorney.

Fatal Bullet, bred by Adena Springs, owned by Danny Dion's Bear Stables and trained by Hall of Fame trainer, Reade Baker, was one of Canada's fastest sprinters in recent decades.  He was voted Canada's Horse of the Year in 2008 on the strength of being named Canada's Outstanding Sprinter that year. He captured 12 career races including five stakes and earned $1,377,256.  Winning his first career start as a juvenile in 2007, his three-year-old year included three early-season wins at Woodbine, track-record performances at Woodbine in the Bold Venture Stakes, Presque Isle in the Tom Ridge Stakes and at Turfway Park, earning a trip to the Grade 1 Breeder's Cup Sprint - where he placed second behind heavily favoured Midnight Lute.

Ghostzapper won at the highest level in 2004 in the Breeders' Cup Classic.  In addition to being recognized as the Eclipse Award winning Older Horse, he was also the Horse of the Year for 2004 and honoured as the world's top-rated horse.  His pedigree carries Canada's best paternal influences through his sire Awesome Again, his grand-sire Deputy Minister, his great grand-sire Vice Regent as well as great-great grand-sire Northern Dancer, all CHRHF Members.  As a sire himself, Ghostzapper's offspring include Canadian bred Judy the Beauty and Shaman Ghost, both CHRHF Members, as well as Queen's Plate winning daughters Holy Helena and Moira.

Rahy's Attorney was an underdog that just wouldn't quit.  The result of a $3,000 mating by a small Canadian breeder, Rahy's Attorney defied all expectations and became one of the country's most enduring fan favourites, all while earning $2,120,208 USD.  In 2008, he landed a shocker of a victory in the G1 $1 million Woodbine Mile over Kip Deville, a Breeders' Cup Champion and the continent's best miler.  That win contributed to Rahy's Attorney being named Canada's champion grass horse of 2008.  In 2009, he set a course record for 1 1/8 miles clocking in at 1:44.73 in the G2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine.  He also won the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes and was a three-time winner of the Bunty Lawless Stakes.  In 41 starts, he won 14 races, with 10 seconds and four thirds.

The 2025 Thoroughbred Trainer Category features Michael (Mike) Doyle, Dale Saunders and Laurie Silvera.

Mike Doyle has trained dozens of Stakes winners which contributed to the success of owners like Bo-Teek Farms, Eaton Hall Farms, Windhaven Farms, Stronach Stables, Dura Racing, Scott Abbott Racing Stable, and many exceptional local and international connections.  Outstanding winners include Champions Wavering Girl and Bessarabian, as well as Black Type winners Wild Gale (3rd in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes), Canadian Silver, Ada Prospect, Tee Game, and Blondeinamotel.  Doyle's training talent attracted the world class Stronach Stables which led to him being hired as their Racing Manager.  Mike Doyle's training statistics include 19,039 starts (1,172-1,260-1,209) and career earnings of $43,934,360.

Alberta based Dale Saunders began his career as a Thoroughbred trainer in the mid-1960's, racking up 2,177 wins in 12,915 starts and purse earning of over $17.5 million.  Named the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit winner by the Jockey's Club of Canada in 2022, Saunders has been Alberta's leading trainer a total of eight times and was named that province's Horseperson of the Year in 2012.  Some of his victories came from many of the top Thoroughbreds in Alberta racing history, including Dark Hours, Shady Remark, Highland Leader, Fair March and Mandalero, to name a few.

The late Laurie Silvera began racing on the Ontario circuit after migrating to Canada from Jamaica, and continued training until his passing at age 89.  He would eventually carve out a niche as a perennial leader at the Greenwood spring meet, topping the standings three years in a row.  He also established himself as having a keen eye around a sales ring, purchasing yearlings that would prove to have a high earnings to purchase ratio.  His skill at developing two-year-olds was admired in the industry.  Career stats include over 1000 wins in Canada with his charges earning almost $26 million.  Among his stakes winners were Free At Last, November Snow, Ariana D, Solo Guy, Parisinthespring, Tusayan, Demaloot Demashoot and Hawk in Flight.  Apart from training, Silvera contributed to the racing community by serving as an HBPA director in the 1990's.

In the Thoroughbred Veteran Category, voters will select from Bessarabian, Andy Smithers and Storm Bird.

US-bred and Canadian-based Bessarabian was purchased at a Two-Year-Old in Training Sale in Florida for $122, 000 (US) by Tom Webb for Eaton Hall Farm.  As a 2-year-old, she was the best filly in Canada easily beating local competition before going on to capture the Gardenia Stakes (G1), earning herself a trip to run in the first Breeders' Cup for Juvenile Fillies. Her first-year stats include five wins in ten starts.  At three, she won seven of twelve starts including five stakes and placed in two others - one of those runner-up finishes was the prestigious Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).  In 1986, Bessarabian won six of fifteen starts including another five stakes and she was third in the Grade 2 Arlington Matron Handicap in Chicago.  She capped her brilliant racing career under the tutelage of trainer Mike Doyle by being named Champion Older Mare.  In 37 career starts, Bessarabian had 18 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds, earning $1,032,640.

After returning from duty in WW II, "Andy" Smithers started in the racing business under the tutelage of his father and soon branched out on his own at tracks all across Western Canada, including British Columbia, which became his home base.  Mr. Smithers moved his operation to Woodbine in the early 1960's. His name first appeared on the Ontario circuit leading-trainer list in 1963, a trend that would continue throughout the decade highlighted by a Canadian and career-best win total of 158 in 1967.  Smithers trained horses for many influential owners and breeders including Ernie Leiberman, John Smallman, Ryland H. New, Calvin Sturrock, and D. G. (Bud) Willmot, among others.  Stake-winning horses included Coup Landing, Briartic, Laughing Bill, Galindo, Deep Star, Gauchesco, and Norland.

Foaled in 1978 at E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm, Northern Dancer-sired Storm Bird was sold at the 1979 Keeneland July sale for $1 million.  Trained in Ireland by Vincent O'Brien, Storm Bird's two-year-old race season was unblemished over five starts, resulting in him being named the Champion Two-year Old Colt in England and Ireland.   Due to injury and illness, Storm Bird's sophomore year was abbreviated before being retired to stallion service in Kentucky, siring 63 stakes winners, including notables Balanchine, Storm Cat and Summer Squall.  In the 1999 Kentucky Derby, Storm Bird was responsible for the top three finishers - Charismatic, by Summer Squall; Menifee, by a Storm Cat son; and Cat Thief, by Storm Cat.  Storm Bird's daughters produced over 100 stakes winners, including 2004 Belmont Stakes winner, Birdstone.