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« m — — Canada Canadas Horse of the Year Award Has Grown Steadily in Importance By FRANK ARMSTRONG TORONTO, Ontario, June 3.— Traditionally, during the early days of a Woodbine spring meeting the Queens Plate is the topic of intense interest in local turf circles. Candidates converge at full strength for the final phase of training on the scene of action. They literally take over as the prime subject of discussion among horsemen. Along Along shedrow.in shedrow.in the the « — : Along Along shedrow.in shedrow.in the the paddock, on the lawns and elsewhere on the Ontario Jockey Club grounds, you hear a variety of opinions on the ultimate outcome of the Canadian classic. It has been in the past, unusual at this time of the year to hear any other mention. And perhaps it is is no no sudden sudden mood mood is is no no sudden sudden mood mood — — that causes turfmen to link Queens Plate honors with Canadas Horse of the Year honors; rather it is the fact that the Plate winner becomes the first claimant for the new seasons title. Around and about, hither and yon on Woodbines race track this department listens and learris that Canadas Horse of the Year award has grown steadily in importance since its institution hereNfour years ago. t-~- AAA The Horse of the Year award as originally inaugurated in 1947 by J. Samuel Perlman, editor and publisher of this newspaper, was open to any horse in North America with the necessary qualifications to capture a majority from a selected panel. Canadian talent limited in numbers and scarcely equal to open competition seldom entered the general picture. Where in Canada was there a horse to challenge such as Armed, Citation, Hill Prince, Counterpoint, One Count and Tom Fool, successive winners of- the award? In 1951, Perlman, with respect to the limitations hereabout, made separate provision for Canadas Horse of the Year, with eligibility open to any horse who had raced in Canada within the year. In 1954 eligibility was altered to restrict the award to a Canadian-bred horse and, of course, they are not ineligible for the open vote. AAA On Friday at Canadas Horse of the Year dinner, Daily Racing Form presented owner-breeder E. P. Taylor with ah oil painting of Queens Own, who won the award in 1954. This was the third such award to Taylor. His previous title holders were Bull Page, an American-bred, in 1951, and his home-bred Canadiana in 1952. Chatting with Taylor, we asked him for his opinion on the worth of the award as a contribution to racing. Said he, "Youre putting me on the spot. Could I say anything but great after being on the honor roll three times. But, seriously, if I had never had the honor, or never have it again, Ill think that Daily Racing Form makes a worthy contribution to our design for better racing with this annual award. I can tell you that there iand ejation jand. satisfaction in owning" of breeding a horse — good enough to win Horse of the Year honors. Ill stay right on trying to repeat." AAA Mrs. Gordon McMacken, owner of King Maple, Canadas Horse of the Year in 1953 said, "It was the thrill of my life, as a horse owner, when my colt won the honor. I think your award is a definite incentive to own and breed better horses, and I can say that Mr. McMacken has the same opinion. You might be surprised to know how many people have congratulated us, all of them hoping to be in the same position in another year. Truly it is an honor eagerly sought after. We were not the breeders of our winner, but next time it may be one of our own breeding." Col. K. R. Marshall, president of the Ontario Jockey Club, declared himself as a member in good standing of the "hope-to-win-it" group. "This Horse of the Year title and award has quite definitely caught the fancy of owners and breeders as something well worth aiming for. I might have a Horse of the Year in my stable now, one of the English colts for example. There is no harm in wishful thinking. I can give you a straightforward thought that the award and the attendant dinner serve as a needed contribution to our sport, materially and socially. AAA George C. Hendrie, . managing director of the Ontario Jockey Club, declared himself as being "wholeheartedly in favor of the idea." He opined "that the motive behind the idea has not missed. It adds zest to the enthusiasm of owning a* good horse. It is a spice that our kind of racing needs. To my way of thinking there is grace gained to the sport from the social aspect of your affair. There is always some good derived when representative turf folk with a common aim meet socially as they do at your annual dinner. The Horse of the Year title has a particular appeal -to breeders. I thought that Mr. and Mrs. Don McClelland, breeders of King Maple, were even more enthusiastic than the owners at last years dinner. This should have happened before I quit the breeding business. I might have been a guest of honor." AAA Breeder Frank Conklin asserts, "It wont be long before Im in the honored chair. How can I miss with so many good horses representing me on the race tracks? Better tell Sam Ill be the honor guest next year. Only thing I can say against the Horse of. the Year affair: It should have happened sooner. "Owner and breeder Carr Hatch thinks along similar lines with a reminder ttha he, suggested the Canada . division a year or so after the original was introduced.
