Woodbine Notes: Sovereign Media Award Finalists - Rahy's Attorney - and Emile Ramsammy approaches 2000 wins

The Jockey Club of Canada announced the finalists in the 2009 Sovereign Award Media categories Wednesday afternoon. Winners will be announced at the 35th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremonies to be held in the new year.

Down The Stretch newspaper is well represented in the three print-based categories with Peter Gross, Perry Lefko, Eleanor Yeoman Leblanc and Keith McCalmont (that's me!) all receiving nominations.

Outstanding Newspaper Article

Perry Lefko, Fate of the Fort, Down the Stretch, January 2009

Curtis Stock, Edmonton Journal, Lifetime of Horse racing brings love, happiness and tragedy,
Edmonton Journal, September 2009

Eleanor Yeoman LeBlanc, Racing stars change hats for a good cause, Down the Stretch, September 2009

Keith McCalmont, They’re really at the post, Down the Stretch, July 2009

Outstanding Feature Story

Perry Lefko, Eddie and Jennifer, Down the Stretch, September 2009

Bruce Walker, A Penny for your Thoughts, Canadian Thoroughbred Magazine 150th Queen’s Plate Souvenir Edition, June 2009

Jennifer Morrison, Lindros and Impropriety, Horse-Canada.com, September 2009

Outstanding Photograph

Peter Gross, Chantal and the Flag, Down the Stretch, April 2009

Michael Burns Photography, A reflection of Talent, Canadian Thoroughbred, July 2009

Dave Landry Photography, Alumni Hall enjoying winter, Canadian Thoroughbred, March 2009

Michael Burns Jr., For the Birds, Canadian Thoroughbred, October 2009

Outstanding Film/Video Broadcast

Tom Wolski, Episode 357, Sport of Kings, CTV BC, October 2009

Woodbine Entertainment Broadcast Department, The Queen’s Plate – History, Heritage and Hope, CBC Television, June 2009

Horse Racing Alberta & Whiteiron Productions, 80th Anniversary of the Canadian Derby, TSN Canada, August 2009

Congratulations to all the nominees.

Down The Stretch is hopeful of receiving one final Sovereign Award nomination in the Champion Turf category for their efforts in the United Way 4 X 100 relay held on the E.P. Taylor course earlier this summer.

Team Down The Stretch legs one out on the infamous E.P. Taylor Turf Course.


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Rahy's Attorney, a real threat to win a Sovereign Award for his efforts on the turf, is entered in Friday's River City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Rahy's Attorney won the GII Nijinsky Stakes doubling up on a win in the GII win King Edward Handicap earlier this summer at Woodbine. Most recently, Rahy's Attorney was a commanding winner in the restricted Bunty Lawless.

Rahy's Attorney likes to have his picture taken


The five-year-old gelding is one of only four horses with three wins on the Woodbine turf this season. The others being Jungle Wave, winner of the GII Play The King, and Lady Shakespeare who won the Ontario Colleen. (The filly Sheraton Park also has three turf wins, the best of which was notched at the second allowance level.)

A win this afternoon could push Rahy's Attorney into the top spot for the Sovereign Award honouring Champion Turf Male. The gelding's main competition for the honour is Champs Elysees who won the GI, $2 million Canadian International in October.

Champs Elysees placed third in the GI Northern Dancer after first-place finisher Marsh Side was disqualified and was runner up in the G2 Sky Classic. Champs Elysees has earned more than $1.3M at Woodbine this season.

In the River City Handicap, Rahy's Attorney will have the tough task of carrying 121lbs over a mile and an eighth and will have to fend off the challenge of Roger Attfield's Simmard and New York based stalwart Banrock.

Robert Landry gets the call on Rahy's Attorney for trainer Ian Black.

RIVER CITY H. (G3), 9TH-CD, $100,000, 3YO/UP, 1 1/8MT, 3:29 P.M., 11-27
PP	HORSE	TRAINER	JOCKEY	WT
1	BANROCK	BUSH THOMAS M	DESORMEAUX K J	119
2	WHEELS UP AT NOON	FOUT P DOUGLAS	BOREL C H	115
3	WICKED STYLE	ARNOLD GEORGE R II	ALBARADO R J	116
4	RAHY'S ATTORNEY	BLACK IAN	LANDRY R C	121
5	SIMMARD	ATTFIELD ROGER	BRIDGMOHAN S X	115
6	RAHYSTRADA	HUGHES BYRON G	GONCALZES LEAND	114
7	PLEASANT STRIKE	PLETCHER TODD A	DECARLO C P	116
8	BRAVE TIN SOLDIER	MCLAUGHLIN KIARAN P	GARCIA A	117
9	KARELIAN	ARNOLD GEORGE R II	MARAGH RAJIV	122
10	CRYPTOLIGHT	MARTIN WILLIAM N	TOLENTINO P	114

You can't catch me! Rahy's Attorney cruises to victory at Woodbine


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In other Woodbine news, jockey Emile Ramsammy is two wins shy of recording his 2,000th career victory.

You'll get 110% effort in every ride from Emile Ramsammy.


The Trinidad native and Brampton resident has won several high profile races including the 1996 Queen’s Plate with Victor Cooley and the 2006 edition with Edenwold.

Ramsammy is enjoying a superb 2009 campaign with 114 wins thus far. The 46-year-old journeyman has seven mounts on Friday's card at Woodbine. Good luck Emile!