By Canadian Press

Casse earns seventh straight top trainer honour at Sovereign Awards

Apr 20, 2018 | 10:50 AM

TORONTO — Another year, another Sovereign Award as Canadian thoroughbred racing’s top trainer for Mark Casse.

Casse, 57, earned a seventh straight Sovereign Award on Thursday night and the 10th of his illustrious racing career. Casse saddled 96 winners in 2017 that earned over $5.4 million.

Casse’s stable included World Approval, the Woodbine Mile champion who earned Casse a second straight victory in the event. Norman McKnight, Josie Carroll and Catherine Day Phillips were finalists.

Pink Lloyd, a six-year-old gelding, captured three honours, including horse of the year. Pink Lloyd was also named champion older male and champion male sprinter after winning all eight of his ’17 starts and earning $663,000.

Pink Lloyd will make his 2018 debut Saturday at Woodbine in the $100,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes. He’s the 3/5 early favourite in the six-horse field.

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Eurico Rosa Da Silva claimed top jockey honours after finishing in the money in 510 of his 824 mounts, including 203 wins. He won 34 stakes races and amassed over $8.5 million in earnings and was an integral past of Pink Lloyd’s campaign.

Luis Contreras and Rico Walcott were finalists.

Rey Williams claimed top apprentice jockey honours. The Barbados-born Williams had 41 wins at Northlands Park and Century Downs in Alberta while earning over $471,000. Ridge Balgobin and Brandon A. Duchaine were finalists.

Ami’s Mesa was a two-time winner, earning champion older female and champion female sprinter honours. Ami’s Mesa, trained by Josie Carroll and owned by Ivan Dalos, had four first-place finished and a second-place effort in five starts with earnings of $634,880.

Other winners included: Adena Springs (top breeder); Chiefswood Stable (top owner); Alfredo Ramos (top groom); Johnny Bear (champion male turf); Starship Jubilee (champion female turf); Admiralty Pier (champion two-year-old male); Wonder Gadot (champion two-year-old filly); Channel Maker (champion three-year-old male); and Holy Helena (champion three-year-old filly); Tyson Lautenschlager (Jockey Club of Canada award); and Sam Lima (special Sovereign Award).

The Canadian Press