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

5 December 2008 - 9:59 am

What a year ! WAY TO GO ! congrats to all involved with the super star of harness racing.

5 December 2008 - 9:52 am

I agree with SBSW for Canadian athlète of the year 2008

5 December 2008 - 9:51 am

SomeBeach is what this industry needs. Athlete of the Year, I agree.

Jeff Chapman
Ottawa, Ont

5 December 2008 - 9:50 am

Somebeachsomewhere is some horse from Canada. Athlete of the year for sure.

Jacques Lambert
St-Malo, MB

5 December 2008 - 9:33 am

The Best!!
Judy LaRush
Milton, Ontario

5 December 2008 - 9:28 am

The "BEACH" has my vote, and I also think Paul Mac also deserves driver of the year with all the winning steers. Awesome two Canadian Champs!!!!!!

Zak Mansour
Burlington, Ont

5 December 2008 - 9:26 am

SBSW for athlete of the year........ AND Brent MacGrath for coach/manager of the year !!!!

5 December 2008 - 8:59 am

Jim Wardrop,
Ingersoll, Ont. formally Milford Station, Nova Scotia

Greatest Horse ever!

5 December 2008 - 8:55 am

I have enjoyed watching him race more than any other sporting event! He deserves this award! Good luck!

5 December 2008 - 8:35 am

He is the Greatest ever.
Vince Cushing
Fergus, Ontario

5 December 2008 - 8:22 am

sydney ns

5 December 2008 - 8:15 am

He deserves to be athlete of the year has helped to put harness racing back on the map.

5 December 2008 - 8:08 am

This horse gave everyone in the Maritimes something to be excited & pleased about, considering the economic hard times.

5 December 2008 - 7:57 am

Come on.This guy is the real deal.Truly deserving and the best Colt to represent Canada period.Wayne Gretzky-Bobby Orr-Gordie Howe-Oh yea the MARITIME MONSTER he,s pretty good too.You get the picture.Go man go.

5 December 2008 - 7:54 am

What can you say but wow! What an athlete, makes it look like a day at the beach!

Andrea Rennison, Amherst, NS

5 December 2008 - 7:44 am

Somebeachsomewhere has brought life back into the harness racing industry. We adore him. Not only his accomplishments, but his personality makes him outstanding. Love you Buddy.

5 December 2008 - 7:24 am

Somebeachsomewhere is a awesome horse only to dream of owning a horse like him.you go beach.you deserve everything you got.

5 December 2008 - 6:48 am

i love the beach. he has the best peersonality of any horse i know ! and we loved having him here at baycairn!

5 December 2008 - 6:18 am

I have seen some of the best, Cardigan bay, Fresh Yankee , Niatross and Albatross, but never have I seen such a sensational one as the Beach. No question he is the Greatest to Date no one touches the talent of this animal ,a real athlete to which none can compare.

5 December 2008 - 5:48 am

congratulations to all connections [ horse nova scotia and CAPE BRETON ] you guys and gals seem to know what your doing

5 December 2008 - 5:09 am

Melissa Schmidt
RR#1 Hagersville
Ontario, Canada
N0A 1HO

5 December 2008 - 2:33 am

here is a bold statment compairing somebeachsomewhere to cam fella wow what two great horses

5 December 2008 - 1:35 am

Arguably the greatest and most charismatic harness horse that ever lived. He rivals Secretariat on the Thoroughbred side and Niatross on the Standardbred side as horses that simply transcended their sport and became larger than life individuals.

I'm being selfish but I just wish he was racing next year as a four year old!

I think he'd pace a mile in 1.45!!

5 December 2008 - 12:40 am

I don't think the fastest man in the world could beat this horse in a race.

SomeBeachSomeWhere is SomeHorseThisYear.

Canadian Athlete of The YEAR.

5 December 2008 - 12:15 am

I never thought On The Road Again could be surpassed as my favorite horse of all time but Somebeach is Something else. Just wish we could see him as a 4 year old.

Ron Annala
Calgary, Alberta

4 December 2008 - 11:37 pm

He has got to be one of the best known Canadian athletes by now this year, all votes possible for the beach. He is a machine and has been all year!!!

Walter Slopianka
Cloverdale B.C. (Fraser Downs)

4 December 2008 - 11:31 pm

The outstanding accomplishments of SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE on the racetrack have been a welcome 'breath of fresh air' during all the current political turmoil taking place in this country. He is a most deserving candidate for the Lou Marsh award as Canada'a Athlete of the Year.

4 December 2008 - 11:11 pm

Awesome Beach!
You have brought a huge interest to the sport and captured all the hearts of the racing world. Go Beach Go! You deserve the honour. What an athlete.

4 December 2008 - 10:38 pm

Pat Dillon
St John`s NL

would be nice to see he deservses it by all means.

4 December 2008 - 10:09 pm

A great way to support Canada and place our mark (or hoofprint) on the competative sports world!

4 December 2008 - 10:05 pm

I've enjoyed watching every one of Beach's races, and his one and only loss was one of the greatest efforts in the history of harness racing!

Murray Slough
Calgary, Alberta

4 December 2008 - 9:25 pm

ABSOLUTELY the Canadian athlete of the year. Who else even came close?The vote should be unanimous. Go Beach Go!

4 December 2008 - 8:56 pm

carlo izzi

peterborough

ontario

4 December 2008 - 8:55 pm

I watched Niatross race & time trial. That brought tears to my eyes, and i am not sure he was the calibre of this horse. I suppose we will never know the answer to that. At any rate the BEACH is one gifted performer and athlete that has raised this sport to a new standard of excellence. I hope there will be another. Doug, Grand Bend, Ontario.

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