Canada's Athlete Of The Year?

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Published: December 2, 2008 10:34 am EST

Standardbred Canada has launched a campaign for sports writers to vote for harness racing phenom Somebeachsomewhere as the 2008 Lou Marsh Trophy recipient for Canada's athlete of the year.

Below is the open letter penned by Trot Magazine editor and Standardbred Canada's Manager of Industry Communications Darryl Kaplan to the country's sports journalists.

Not only is Somebeachsomewhere one of the greatest pacers to ever look through a bridle, his dominance transcends horse racing and places him among Canada's elite athletes.

SC invites everyone to add their name to the petition by entering their name, city and province in the comments box at the bottom of the page and then hitting the Post Comment button, making this page the online petition to be signed by racing fans from coast-to-coast.

Standardbred Canada Bids to Have Somebeachsomewhere named Lou Marsh Recipient

Horse to follow in the footsteps of 1973 U.S. Athlete of the Year - Secretariat

The following is an open letter to the Committee considering nominees for Canada's Athlete of the Year.

Dear distinguished members of the Lou Marsh Trophy Committee:

In 2008, only one Canadian athlete set three world records, posted a 93.3% win average and earned $2.5 million (more than any other horse in history) in competition.

Only one Canadian athlete was considered by many international observers to have posted the most spectacular season ever accomplished in his respective field.

Only one Canadian athlete forever changed the landscape of his sport.

That athlete is Somebeachsomewhere.

Does a horse qualify to be named Athlete of the Year? If you doubt it, simply look to 1973 – when Sports Illustrated bravely named Secretariat the United States Athlete of the Year.

Secretariat raced 12 times that season but was beaten in three of those starts. His nine wins did include the prestigious Triple Crown, though he faced only five rivals in the Preakness and four in the Belmont. Over his career, Secretariat was 16 for 21.

Somebeachsomewhere, sired in Ontario and owned and based in Truro, Nova Scotia, won 14 of his 15 races in 2008, 13 of which were stakes events. Over his career, he's 20 for 21 and is among the richest horses ever to take to a racetrack.

After an undefeated two-year-old campaign in 2007, this highly charismatic performer brought thousands of spectators out to watch him every time he raced.

In the $1.5 million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ont., he demolished the best nine pacers in the world as an adoring crowd stood on their feet to cheer him past the wire.

At the $493,000 Confederation Cup over Flamboro Downs in Dundas, Ont., he competed in two heats held just hours apart, winning in 1:51 3/5 and then 1:49 2/5 -- the fastest time a three-year-old has ever paced over a half-mile track.

At the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, he greeted fans in horse racing's heartland with a heart-stopping 1:46 4/5 mile, a world record for the fastest time a three-year-old has ever paced. The mark remarkably tied the world record paced by any horse of any age.

He won the Messenger Stakes in New York and the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final in Toronto through torrential rainstorms. He faced arguably the best group of horses ever assembled as even his rivals paced what would have previously been World Record times.

He won harness racing's three-year-old championship race -- the Breeders Crown -- with ease. Despite the grueling campaign, he is still scheduled to race twice more in December at Dover Downs in Delaware.

Somebeachsomewhere battled from May to December over deep and muddy surfaces and through horrendous conditions. He turned bettors and casual race-goers into true fanatics, and he spawned online fan clubs exceeding a thousand members.

His only loss, a neck defeat in the Meadowlands Pace, arguably became the best mile in history after he was forced to travel wide for much of the race, including a three-wide battle during the backstretch portion of the event.

Somebeachsomewhere has become a harness racing superstar – and there is no doubt that his sport is of sufficient stature to warrant consideration.

Harness racing in Canada values its participants like few other sports in the country. With an annual purse account of more than $240 million, Canadian standardbred racing ranks well above the CFL and the Canadian franchises in the NBA and Major League Baseball in terms of compensation. In all likelihood, only Canada's NHL interests will offer its athletes a higher total pay structure in 2008.

Wagering on Canadian standardbred racing, the only fair measure of attendance since tracks phased out admissions, will likely reach just shy of $500 million in 2008 – a gross revenue number matched by few in the sports world.

It wouldn't be the first time harness racing came to the forefront of Canadian athleticism. In 1971, driver Herve Filion was the recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy.

Even in thoroughbred racing, Canada has never produced a horse quite like Somebeachsomewhere. Even the great Northern Dancer, a legend in the racing history of our country, was ranked just 43rd in Bloodhorse Magazine's list of the all-time best thoroughbreds.

Some standardbred historians place Somebeachsomewhere on the top of the all-time list, quite an accomplishment considering that long before leagues like the NBA, NHL and NFL existed, harness racing was, in the early 1900s, North America's number one spectator sport.

On Tuesday, December 2, Standardbred Canada will post an online petition at www.standardbredcanada.ca to garner support in naming Somebeachsomewhere the recipient of the 2008 Lou Marsh Award. In under a day, it will have upward of 1,000 signatures.

It is with great pride that we can call Somebeachsomewhere Canada's own. And we are very hopeful he will be named Canada's next Lou Marsh Trophy recipient as he is, without a doubt, Canada's top athlete of 2008.

With sincerest regards,

Darryl Kaplan

Manager of Industry Communications, Standardbred Canada

Editor of Trot Magazine

905-858-3077, ext.241

[email protected]

Somebeachsomewhere Sets 1:46.4 World Record

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Comments

7 December 2008 - 11:32 am

The Beach is simply the best!!! They will make a movie about him and his connections one day. I can't wait!! The award is already his!!!
Fan from Mississauga, Ontario

7 December 2008 - 10:56 am

Somebeachsomwhere in my opinion has earned the right for athlete of the year.

7 December 2008 - 10:33 am

Bret Hanover's accomplishments were incredible, Niatross's were even more unbelievable, Somebeachsomewhere's athletic presence and performances are the highest level I've ever witnessed in the history of pacing. He's the Wayne Gretzky of our sport.

7 December 2008 - 10:09 am

Vote should be unanimous. The Beach has made Canada proud.

John Vetre Meriden, CT USA

7 December 2008 - 9:37 am

The Beach deserves Athlete of the Year after what he has done. Good luck in your next race and getting the award.

7 December 2008 - 9:20 am

This Horse is Truely a Great Race horse with a Tone of heart more heart then alot of horses I have seen i think he will make a Great Stallion and he is Truely The Best in the Business Today he Set the bar for Other horses To try and Beat his mark he Should get this Award Hands down For There is no horse in Canada or the US that is better then him

Chris Long

Owen Sound Ontario Canada

7 December 2008 - 8:48 am

Paul Robinson,
Dartmouth, N.S.
"a most deserving nomination for an athlete of impeccable accomplishments"

7 December 2008 - 8:38 am

SBSW....WORLD CHAMPION.....what a great horse no doubt athlete of the year...he's got our vote.....Robert Ecclestone Fergus, ON

7 December 2008 - 8:09 am

Somebeachsomewhere WAS Canada's athlete of the year in 2008.

7 December 2008 - 7:42 am

Would love to see him set a world record in the 7/8's dashes. 1:19 for 6F effortlessly is truly amazing.

7 December 2008 - 7:19 am

A once in a life time standredbred equine star from Canada!!!

7 December 2008 - 1:38 am

the greatest athlete from canada this year..my brother lives in seattle and they love beach in seattle....

6 December 2008 - 11:46 pm

THE GREATEST HORSE TO EVER LOOK THROUGH
A BRIDAL, AND A GREAT JOB MANAGING THIS HORSE
BY BRENT!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!! CAN'T
WAIT TO BREED TO HIM.

SINCERELY,

STAN PRAKAS
DELRAY BCH, FLA

6 December 2008 - 10:44 pm

Charlottetown, PE

Every generation or so, it seems a great horse transcends the sport, Somebeachsomewhere has proven to be that horse for our generation. Certainly worthy of recognition as Canada's top athlete of 2008.

6 December 2008 - 10:18 pm

way to go superhorse.....the very best since fresh yankee what an upbeat story for harness racing

6 December 2008 - 9:14 pm

Without a doubt the greatest standardbred of the last 30 years, and he's Canadian Bred, Owned, Trained, and Driven.

6 December 2008 - 9:03 pm

tons the best is somebeachsomewhere!!!!!!!!!

6 December 2008 - 7:44 pm

Wow! This is the first year I ever watched harness racing and Somebeachsomewhere had me wanting to watch more. This horse is a true athlete and with a running form any athelete would love to have, so I say GO BEACH!! You have my vote all the way. Truly an amazing Horse.

6 December 2008 - 7:24 pm

The best two years of harness racing EVER!!! SBSW is to harness racing what Tiger Woods is to golf, racing won't be the same.Good luck to both Brent and Paul.

6 December 2008 - 6:54 pm

Somebeachsomewhere is a once in a lifetime horse after 35yrs. in horse raceing he can still give us a chill up our spine with his stride and power . He deserves all the awards that are available to him for all the thrills he has given everybody . if he was a human they would praising him everywhere .And when was the last time anybody saw a througbred that preformed like him .But don,t forget to praise his groom and trainer because the beach didn.t do it on his own. thank you

6 December 2008 - 6:42 pm

Christine Poley-MacTavish,
Moose Jaw, SK

6 December 2008 - 6:17 pm

Truly,an athletic phenom!He has my vote,as well as my admiration!I am totally in awe of this tremendous animal.

6 December 2008 - 6:08 pm

What Canadian athlete, has accomplished more in their field this year, than the Beach? The award is for athlete of the year, it doesn't specify, that the atlete has to be a person. C'mon people, there is no more fitting recipient this year, than the Beach. ALL HAIL THE GREATEST PACER OF ALL TIME. Give him the award!!!!!!

6 December 2008 - 5:12 pm

I thought that CamFella was the best horse I have ever seen...until now.

GO BEACH GO!

6 December 2008 - 4:54 pm

I dare someone to name another athlete to compare to SBSW record in 2008. It is the only logical choice. Not in hockey, baseball, football, etc. This should be such an easy decision. Now if we could get him to comeback in 2009. Good Luck SBSW.

6 December 2008 - 3:44 pm

Somebeachsomewhere is truly an amazing horse, he raced part of this year with a sore foot and won all but one race. The horse has heart and is a great competitor. I have never seen a horse pour on so much in the home stretch as he does, and does it every race. Somebeach and his owners deserve this award of athlete of the year.

Mike Hall

6 December 2008 - 3:29 pm

Nancy MacNevin, Straffordville, Ontario

G. Norman MacNevin, Straffordville, Ontario

6 December 2008 - 3:15 pm

An amazing animal, a true athlete! Job well done Brent and company! What a thrill it has been watching him race these last two years. Unforgettable.

6 December 2008 - 3:04 pm

I think this is great! It is what most of us would strive for, but very few will experience. Enjoy the ride, all the best!

6 December 2008 - 1:25 pm

A once in a lifetime horse. Completely worthy of recognition as Canada's athlete of the year.

6 December 2008 - 1:24 pm

The Beach is one of the greatest equine atheletes of all time and should definitly be considered along with our great human athletes for Canada's athlete of the year!

6 December 2008 - 1:20 pm

What an animal. Over the past few years I've watched some of the best.All and all The Beach is the best i've ever seen. Vote the beach "Canada's Athlete of the Year"

6 December 2008 - 1:15 pm

i think somebeachsomewhere is the best horse of all time.rick mac eachern fort mc murray a.b.

6 December 2008 - 12:56 pm

I saw Niatross and Cam fella both race and they were both great race horses,I did not get the chance to see Somebeach race live, but watched him on tv or online any chance there was and he is by far tops. Athlete of the year hands down

6 December 2008 - 12:30 pm

Somebeachsomewhere has allowed me to 'catch the wave' of Harness Racing.I have followed his amazing story since last year and for a neophyte like me, its been not only interesting but tremendous he's Canadian.I say the Beach is a shoe in for athlete of the year!!!

6 December 2008 - 12:16 pm

What a great horse,he'll go down in history as the best standardbred of all time.
His owners,driver and support staff have done a great job.
Jack Mac Lellan,North Bay,Ont.

6 December 2008 - 12:01 pm

He's fast and Canadian!

I vote for Somebeachsomewhere. I don't know much about horseracing, but that horse is very good!

6 December 2008 - 11:10 am

Every Owner, Trainer, Driver and Groom's dream come true. The fastest 4 legs I ever rubbed was 1:51 and I thought that was fast. Just how many gears does he have? SBSW you definately have my vote!! SUPERSTAR!!!!

Cathy Brown
Haliburton, Ontario

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