By Canadian Press

Chantilly a big winner at harness racing’s O’Brien Awards

Feb 8, 2025 | 9:46 PM

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Chantilly and her connections took centre stage at the 36th O’Brien Awards on Saturday, as the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year was also named the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year.

Standardbred Canada announced the winners of the 2024 O’Brien Awards, honouring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season, during a black-tie gala in Mississauga, Ont.

The event marked the 36th edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman from Prince Edward Island and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.Chantilly became just the fifth two-year-old — and only the third pacing filly — to be named Canada’s Horse of the Year, joining the likes of Emilie Cas El, Whenuwishuponastar, Somebeachsomewhere and JK Shesalady.

Chantilly’s breeder and owner, Millar Farms, earned its third Armstrong Breeder of the Year award and was also recognized as the leading owner at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The celebrations continued for her connections, with Nick Gallucci securing his first Trainer of the Year title and James MacDonald collecting his fourth consecutive Keith Waples Driver of the Year award.

Continuing his dominance, James MacDonald became the first driver to win the Keith Waples Driver of the Year award four years in a row since Doug Brown (1993-1996). In 2024, MacDonald set a career-high as he drove horses to purse earnings totalling $12,329,313, becoming the first Canadian-based driver to surpass $12 million in a single season.

He also drove winners of more than 400 races for the third consecutive year (444 in total) and was the regular driver of four O’Brien Award winners — Chantilly, Its A Love Thing, Willys Home Run and Monalishi.

MacDonald’s remarkable season included stakes victories in the Meadowlands Pace, Cane Pace, Peaceful Way, Fan Hanover and Shes A Great Lady in addition to two Breeders Crown finals.Nick Gallucci received the O’Brien Award for Trainer of the Year, his first individual O’Brien after being nominated previously in 2021 and being a finalist for the Future Star award a decade ago.

The Stouffville, Ont. resident had a standout season anchored by the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year, Chantilly, former O’Brien Award winners Silver Label and Prohibition Legal, and two-year-old stakes winner Allstar Maniac. His stable earned $1,822,167, the second-highest total of his career, with a UTRS of .396, also the second-best of his career.

Gallucci’s season was highlighted by Chantilly’s victory in the $532,000 Shes A Great Lady Stakes, the largest purse he has won to date, along with wins in multiple Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) Gold Series divisions and Mid-Season Finals. He also maintained an impressive strike rate, winning more than 26 per cent of the time he entered a horse.

Millar Farms, owned by George Millar, has been recognized for the third time with the Armstrong Breeder of the Year award. In 2024, horses bred by Millar Farms won 106 races and earned $2,208,681.

The Somebeachsomewhere Horse of the Year, Chantilly, led the Stouffville, Ont. farm’s progeny for the season with $761,000 in earnings, along with three other earners exceeding $100,000, including former O’Brien Award winners Prohibition Legal and Silver Label.Guy Gagnon, who won the O’Brien Award of Horsemanship in 2018, received this award once again in 2024.

With a dominant season at Rideau Carleton Raceway, Gagnon was once again among the top trainers at the Ottawa, Ont. oval. Stable stars I Ama Rocket, The Light Speed and All Wrapped Up ruled the national capital region’s Preferred ranks.

Gagnon developed multiple stakes-placed youngsters, such as Jenny Longlegs and Wild Dream Men. He finished the season with a personal best 100 training wins and his stable earning more than $600,000 for the second time in his career. His UTRS was one of the highest of his career (0.434) in a season with more than 250 starts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2025.

The Canadian Press