2009 Hall of Fame Nominees Announced

Somebeachsomewhere, Canada’s Horse of the Year for 2008, is one of 21 nominees that has been

put forward by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame’s Thoroughbred and Standardbred Nominating Committees, which includes a total of six horses and three people on the standardbred side.

Two trainer-drivers and one builder are nominated in the people category. Keith Clark, 56, of DeWinton, Alberta, one of the most recognizable names in Western Canadian harness racing; Dave Wall, 62, of Komoka, Ontario, a veteran campaigner on the Woodbine Entertainment Group and Ontario circuits, and prominent owner-breeder Peter Heffering, 77, of Port Perry, Ontario, are nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame.

Keith Clark has recorded 5,596 driving victories and has personally steered his mounts to over $27 million in purse earnings. Horses that have raced out of Clark's barn have recorded 3,291 wins and earned more than $20 million in purses. Clark was honoured with the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship in 2004 and in 2008 won more than 100 races for the 29th time in the past 30 years. Clark’s most memorable horse was the Abercrombie pacing colt As Promised, a winner of 71 races and over $669,000. As Promised was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dave Wall has recorded 6,849 career driving wins, and horses he has driven have banked more than $57.5 million in purses. Wall has dabbled in training, somewhat, as his pupils have recorded 518 wins and earned $2.4 million in earnings. Wall, 'The Komoka Kid,' has driven many equine stars over the years, but is probably best known for his efforts behind Odies Fame and Goodtimes. Odies Fame retired at the end of 2001 with career earnings of $1.4 million, which, at the time, made her the richest Canadian-bred pacing mare of all time. Goodtimes retired in 2003. At the time of her retirement, Goodtimes was the richest Canadian-bred standardbred with more than $2.2 million in purse earnings.

Heffering has campaigned many notable horses including Precious Bunny, a winner of over $2.2 million and a member of the Hall of Fame; Riyadh, a winner of over $2.7 million; Pacific Rocket, a winner of over $2.3 million and Day In A Life, a winner of over $1.8 million. In 1996, Heffering and his son David opened Tara Hills Stud Farm in Port Perry, Ontario, and it has risen to become one of the most successful stallion stations in Canada. Heffering has bred such top level horses as Bunny Lake, a winner of over $3 million and Precious Delight, a winner of over $1.3 million. Heffering has found his way to the winner’s circles throughout North America for many of the sport’s major stakes events including the North America Cup, Meadowlands Pace, Canadian Pacing Derby, Little Brown Jug and Breeders Crown.

Nominated in the female horse category were the Ontario-sired pacing star Invitro, and outstanding broodmares Rich N Elegant and B Cor Tamara. Invitro, who was retired in 2008, won 35 races and over $2.3 million in purses while racing all of her starts, except one, in Ontario. She took a career mark of 1:50 at Woodbine Racetrack and this daughter of Camluck was an embryo transfer foal out of the mare Keystone Trinidad. Rich N Elegant was the dam of winners of over $8.6 million including such standouts as Rocknroll Hanover, Red River Hanover and Royalflush Hanover. B Cor Tamara was the dam of four starters of $100,000 or more, including B Cor Pete, a winner of $893,076 and B Cor Timgo, a winner of over $666,000.

Somebeachsomewhere, Majestic Son and Wesgate Crown were nominated in the male horse category. Somebeachsomewhere was voted Horse of the Year in Canada and North America for 2008; earned more than $3.3 million in purses and triumphed in all but one of his 21 career starts. Majestic Son was Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2006 and a winner of $1.9 million. Wesgate Crown won $2.5 million during his racing career and two Breeders Crown championships and has since sired the winners of over $14 million.

In the people category for thoroughbred racing, the nominees are the late Tammy Samuel-Balaz, president and general manager of Sam-Son Farm, formerly one of Canada’s foremost breeding and racing operations; owner-breeder Gustav Schickedanz, owner-breeder of Triple Crown winner Wando and Queen’s Plate champion Woodcarver, and jockey Mickey Walls, a winner of 1,453 races and earnings of $37 million.

In the male horse category for thoroughbreds, 1993 Horse of the Year and Triple Crown champion Peteski was nominated along with Eclipse Award winner Victory Gallop and 2003 Triple Crown Champion Wando.

On the distaff side, 1994 Horse of the Year Alywow, champion sprinter Apelia and Eclipse Award winner Maryfield were nominated.

In the Veterans Category, the Sovereign Award winning filly La Voyageuse, Play The King, a triple Sovereign Award champion in 1988 and Rainbow Connection, a champion racehorse and productive broodmare were nominated.

The two 20-person Election Committees will declare the winners in the respective categories and they will be announced on Tuesday, May 19. The Induction Ceremony will be hosted at the Mississauga Convention Centre on Thursday, August 27. Guest speaker will be Canadian comedian Gerry Dee.