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

6 December 2008 - 10:20 am

HE,S A TRUE CANADIAN LEGEND

HE,S EARNED THE CANADIAN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR HANDS DOWN!

BRENT MEYERS
HANOVER ONTARIO

6 December 2008 - 10:00 am

go beach

6 December 2008 - 9:45 am

this is one awesome machine he did it all on every track and in every weather condition. he made people cheer for harness racing again

6 December 2008 - 9:36 am

The whole team are great ambassadors for Canada and we should all be proud of them. SBSW has my vote.

6 December 2008 - 9:35 am

somebeachsomewhere-the best standard pacer ever,superbly managed by brent mcgrath and driven in all his starts by paul macdonnell who will be acknowledged after his career is over as one of the best ever. this horse should win the lou marsh award and any other award for which he is eligible in canada or elsewhere.

6 December 2008 - 9:21 am

A truly Canadian first !!!!!!!!!! Roger Gonsalves Ajax,Ontario.Go SBSW !!!!!

6 December 2008 - 8:33 am

A truly amazing horse. He gave us such a thrill each and every time he raced. Hope his brilliance is recognized...

6 December 2008 - 8:32 am

He brought tears to my eyes each and every time I watched him race. He is just a magnificant animal and his "magnificance" NEEDS to be recognized!!!

6 December 2008 - 7:55 am

Somebeachsomewhere became a true international star and attracted the attention of many who do not normally follow the sport of harness racing. He was the best through two full seasons and won many of the major events of the sport. A worthy candidate for athlete of the year!

6 December 2008 - 5:46 am

The best!! If you don't believe me ask his compeditors!!! Allan Casselman

6 December 2008 - 4:18 am

What a pleasure to watch such a great athlete perform.
I've watched Niatros and Cam Fella and now Beach race and they are my trio af the race.

6 December 2008 - 2:31 am

As awsome an athlete as I've ever seen....Gretzy, Jordan, Brady...all elite in their given fields. None more dominate than "The Beach" !!

6 December 2008 - 1:34 am

SBSW is a truly special athlete and deserves to be honoured as such.

Chris Smith
Moncton, NB

6 December 2008 - 12:39 am

chills

6 December 2008 - 12:11 am

He's fast and Canadian!

I don't know much about horseracing, but I've seen somebeachsomewhere race and that horse is very good!

6 December 2008 - 12:11 am

Best wishes on the Beach becoming Canada's Athlete of the Year!

Jerry McDonald
Ingersoll, ON

5 December 2008 - 11:26 pm

I've been around horses for a long time. I know what I am talking about so I want to sign my name here. Good luck to you.

5 December 2008 - 11:25 pm

NO DOUBT Beach is an awsome powerhouse,BEACH/Groom/trainer/Driver all deserving, watch the awards banquet year.This is the publicity this sport needs. Thanks

5 December 2008 - 10:58 pm

A most deserving candidate. He stands out well above any Canadian athlete this year in terms of achievement both in Canada and internationally as well. Perhaps the greatest harness racing horse ever. Certainly one who ranks with the best in the glorious history of our sport.

5 December 2008 - 10:39 pm

Jacques Dallaire, Quebec City

The "Beach" deserves it. Surely one of the great horses of all time!

Proud to support him and Paul Macdonell as well.

5 December 2008 - 10:14 pm

He has earned the right to be compared with the best of all time Bret Hanover, Albatross, Niatross, Cam Fella etc. Track dominance does not guarantee success in the breeding shed but but I've got him at 4-5 to dominate with his first crop!

What a treat to have been able to watch him race, thanks Beach.

jeff Kowalsky
Simcoe ON

5 December 2008 - 10:11 pm

My vote goes to SBSW.
Never got to see him race live, but still amazing to watch on TV
Kim Scott
Spruce Grove Alberta

5 December 2008 - 9:48 pm

By far the greatest horse to come along in 25 years! This is no contest, the beach is the hands down winner for Athlete of the Year! Multiple world records, one life time loss in one of the greatest two horse duals ever. Stuff legends are made of...

5 December 2008 - 8:42 pm

Somebeachsomewhere is truly the best horse in the world and should be Athlete of the Year for 2008
Colin Brenton, Truro, N. S.

5 December 2008 - 8:32 pm

Easily Canada's best athlete this year. May be the greatest horse of all time! Just wish we could watch him race at 4, I'm sure he'd love it too!

5 December 2008 - 7:57 pm

Somebeachsomewhere the best canadian standardbred of all time, one of the top five standardbreds of all time, and the most deserving athlete for the 2008 Lou Marsh Trophy Canada's athlete of the year.

5 December 2008 - 7:41 pm

No question in my mind!!!!!!!!!! Dale Mac Donald Fox Creek Alberta

5 December 2008 - 7:16 pm

Dominated all year long!!! Looked better and better as the year went on!! Best races of late. Goodluck in Matron.

5 December 2008 - 7:10 pm

steve kamps
woodstock,ont.

5 December 2008 - 7:09 pm

Somebeachsomewhere is a true Canadian athlete who I am proud to support for the nomination of the Lou Marsh Award.

5 December 2008 - 7:05 pm

Who better embodies the values and spirit of this award than Somebeachsomewhere? Go "Beach"!

5 December 2008 - 7:03 pm

Somebeachsomewhere’s performance record does all the talking for why he should be awarded Canada’s 2008 Athlete of the Year. But above and beyond that, every time he stepped onto a racetrack, he seemed to understand what was expected of him and how much joy he brought to the crowds who came out to watch him and he took it all in stride. He showed us, race after race, what true greatness in sports is all about - and he made it look so easy! His awesome presence, speed and personality, combined with first class team of owners, trainer, and driver put new life into the sport of harness racing at a time when it is desperately needed and gave the whole Canadian sports scene a reason to square our shoulders and look anyone in the eye - just mention “The Beach” and everyone know exactly who you are talking about - He is our very own Canadian hero.

Dawne Scantlebury
Clyde River, PEI

5 December 2008 - 6:37 pm

It has been a great year watching beach on his journey in to history. To bad it ends this year, would love to watch him next year.

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