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

4 December 2008 - 8:31 pm

Missing all the race talk!

Melissa Steep
Hamilton, Ontario

4 December 2008 - 8:15 pm

What a horse! Finally Canadians have a horse to call their own and be proud of.

4 December 2008 - 8:14 pm

as a fan of all the sports and once a horse owner what this horse have done for the harness racing as not yet 2 be seen in any other sports the beach is one of a kind wayne gretzky is said 2 be the best in the hockey world. SBSW HAS DRAWN BIGGER CROWDS than other person or animal in any competion this will never be seen again the way this horse have raced in all kinds of weather my hats is off 2 brent and his partners the way he trained this crowd pleaser my way of thinking without a dout 100 perc athletic of the year 2 more 4 the big feller congratulations 2 schooner stables in getting one a kind. fraser deering shearstown nl .

4 December 2008 - 8:14 pm

Great Horse......... Great connections........ The Beach is an outstanding athelete and deserves this recognition, not to mention horse of the year honours... Great job Brent and Paul.... It was a pleasure watching him race and win... Stu

4 December 2008 - 8:10 pm

The best horse to have come around in years. Perfect choice for athlete of year.

4 December 2008 - 8:09 pm

Maybe if we can swing this, might there be a chance to start a "Beach" for Prime Minister campaign?

4 December 2008 - 8:09 pm

Only choice there is for athlete of the year.Gives me chills watching this amazing
animal.

4 December 2008 - 8:04 pm

Go Beach!

4 December 2008 - 7:55 pm

the "Beach" is a superstar.............

B.Yury
Vancouver,BC

4 December 2008 - 7:49 pm

what a year the down east horseman have had and rightly so,the beach will leave his mark on racing for many years, he,s got my vote

4 December 2008 - 7:44 pm

I have seen Albatross, Niatross, Cam Fella & he could beat them all.
The Beach is the best horse ever.

4 December 2008 - 7:17 pm

Seen the Beach race at Flamboro what an amazing horse!Ill never see one like that again!

Mike Taylor
Barrie,Ont

4 December 2008 - 7:14 pm

I looked forward to watching Beach race each and every time he competed. I can't say that about any other athlete.

Alana Main
Cloverdale, BC

4 December 2008 - 7:09 pm

I looked forward to watching him compete every time! I can't say that about any other athlete, lol.

Alana Main
Cloverdale, British Columbia

4 December 2008 - 7:05 pm

Everybody should have a BEACH party!! Vote Beach!

Jeff Cummings,
Stratford, PE

4 December 2008 - 7:04 pm

yes, i would like to see SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE ATHELETE OF THE YEAR.. ADD MY NAME TO THE LIST. DON WALSH. SASKATOON, SASK.

4 December 2008 - 7:03 pm

Stephen Loughran, princeton ontario
had a great time following for the past 2 years

4 December 2008 - 7:00 pm

The beach ,,, thee greatest of all times! Thanks for all the excitement from a fellow blue noser!

4 December 2008 - 6:50 pm

Single handily recaptured the enthusiasim for harness racing. Became a canadian hero for all to cheer on.

4 December 2008 - 6:47 pm

Athlete of the millennium in addition to Canadian Athlete of the Year :P

JOSH ALDERSON
TORONTO, ONTARIO

4 December 2008 - 6:47 pm

Curtis MacDonald, Campbellville, Ontario

4 December 2008 - 6:21 pm

Somebeachsomewhere is the greatest standardbred race horse in history and is Canadian (Ontario) bred and Canadian owned.

4 December 2008 - 6:15 pm

I am 6 years old. I saw the the "Beach" race 3 times. He was awesome. Jeremy Walkerton Ontario

4 December 2008 - 6:08 pm

Congrats everyone!!!I'll be cheering you on in your last race with somebeachsomewhere!!!
Anna Elliott walkerton ontario

4 December 2008 - 6:01 pm

2296 County Rd 16
Merrickville, ON
K0G 1N0

4 December 2008 - 5:54 pm

Kevin Gillis
Windsor, Ontario

It is doubtful my generation will ever witness a horse of this caliber again in our lifetime. Thanks for the memories, Go Beach Go !!!!!

4 December 2008 - 5:31 pm

A truly gifted athlete worthy of the recognition .
His races have been inspirational. The excitement generated for myself , the harness industry and sports in general has been overwhelming.
A most deserving candidate.

4 December 2008 - 5:30 pm

Jamie Harris
Smithville, Ont.

The greatest pacer ever and from an Ontario sire. We have been honoured to witness this incredible athlete.

4 December 2008 - 5:29 pm

A truly gifted athlete worthy of the recognition .
His races have been inspirational. The excitement generated for myself , the harness industry and sports in general has been overwhelming.
A most deserving candidate.

4 December 2008 - 5:24 pm

somebeachsomewhere is an absolute champion ,the tiger woods of harness racing ,he has my vote for certain
dave mailman

4 December 2008 - 5:10 pm

This is the the best standardbred horse Ive ever seen.
He is untouchable.

4 December 2008 - 5:01 pm

Without a doubt simply the best there is,the best there was and the best there ever will be......

4 December 2008 - 4:57 pm

No horse in racing history has charted lines to match "The Beach". His two slowest miles were his first two lifetime starts and both would be great records for most horses.

World records on a half, 7/8th and mile track. The richest 3 year old ever. We won't see his equal soon if ever. Cograts to Brent for an amazing job.

He's an elite athlete pure and simple.

Dan
Halifax, NS.

4 December 2008 - 4:57 pm

Philip Willis Fort Augustus PEI
The best horse ever by far. He definately gets my vote for athlete of the year. As a spectator, Somebeachsomewhere has brought interest and spectators back to harness racing. I hear people all the time who are not into harness racing talking about him.

4 December 2008 - 4:47 pm

SBSW..World Champion..nothing more needs to be said

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