Standardbred Canada has announced the finalists for the 2011 O’Brien Awards, which honor Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season. The awards are named in honor of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The winners will be announced at the annual O’Brien Awards banquet on Saturday, Jan. 28.
The 2011 World Driving Champion Jody Jamieson, defending Driver of the Year Randy Waples, and Canada's leading dash-winning driver, Scott Zeron, are the finalists for the Driver of the Year category.
Other finalists are as follows below:
TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLY
American Jewel--owned by Brittany Farms
Economy Terror--Owned by Chuck Pompey, Archbald, PA, Howard Taylor, Philadelphia, PA, Edwin Gold, Phoenixville, PA
TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING COLT
A Rocknroll Dance--Owned by James Mulinix, Wauseon, OH, Denny Miller, Archbold, OH, Jerry & Theresa Silva, Long Beach, NY
Warrawee Needy--Owned by Carl Jamieson, Princeton, Ont., Thomas Kyron, Toronto, Ont., Dr. Michael Wilson, Rockwood, Ont. and Floyd Marshall, Jarvis, Ont.
THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING FILLY
Monkey On My Wheel--Owned by Mac T. Nichol, Burlington, Ont. & Travis Umphrey, Guelph, Ont.
See You At Peelers--Owned by Christina Takter, East Windsor, NJ and Jim and John Fielding, Toronto, Ont.
THREE-YEAR-OLD PACING COLT
Betterthancheddar--Owned by Steve Calhoun, Chatham, Ont. and West Wins Stable, Cambridge, Ont. (Winbak graduate)
Up The Credit--Owned by Carl Jamieson, Princeton, Ont., Thomas Kyron, Toronto, Ont., Brian Paquet, Que., Joanne Morrison, Beeton, Ont.
OLDER PACING MARE
Anndrovette--Owned by Jeffrey Bamond, Brick, NJ and Joseph Davino, Clarksburg, NJ (sired by Riverboat King)
Dreamfair Eternal--Owned by John Lamers, Ingersoll, Ont.
OLDER PACING HORSE
Foiled Again--Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Fredericktown, PA, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Canonsburg, PA and JJK Stables LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL
We Will See--Owned by Shannon Depinto, Creamridge, NJ, Earl Smith, Millstone, NJ and Jerry Silva, Long Beach, NY
TROTTERS
TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLY
Check Me Out--Owned by Raymond Schnittker, Middletown, NY and Charles Iannazzo, Tappan, NY
Circles--Owned by John Smith Racing Stb Inc, Woodlawn, Ont.
TWO-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLT
Possess The Will--Owned by Fashion Farms LLC, New Hope, PA
The Game Plan--Owned by LLK Stable, Mississauga, Ont., Gary Grieve, Union, Ont., Anthony Wagner, Mississauga, Ont. and John Kopas, Milton, Ont.
THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING FILLY
Cedar Dove--Owned by Adam Victor and Son Stables, New York, NY & John Fielding, Toronto, Ont.
China Pearls--Owned by Carman Hie Stable Inc., Rockwood, Ont., Blake Anthony, Millgrove, Ont., J. Peter Kloepfer, Harley, Ont. and Ted Murrell, Sharon, Ont.
THREE-YEAR-OLD TROTTING COLT
Broad Bahn--Owned by Fam Alber Horse Racing LL, E Windsor, NJ (standing in 2012 at Winbak Farm of New York)
Daylon Magician--Owned by Daylon Farms Ltd., Komoka, Ont.
OLDER TROTTING MARE