The Alberta Standardbred Horse Association has announced its award winners for the 2020 season, with Major Custard and his connections taking home major hardware after the pacer's sensational sophomore season.
Major Custard marked himself as one of Alberta's finest through his three-year-old season, carrying a 17-race win streak he started as a freshman that extended through most of his 2020 campaign. In that streak, the Custard The Dragon gelding collected victories in the Plainsman Stakes, Marksman Stakes, Ralph Klein Memorial and the Alberta Sires Stakes (ABSS) Super Final. He shipped to British Columbia to sweep the Robert Murphy Stakes at Fraser Downs before seeing his record snapped in an elimination for the Western Canada Pacing Derby.
Major Custard (2, inside) winning the $84,790 Ralph Klein Memorial
Despite the loss and the fact his regular driver Brandon Campbell broke his wrists in a spill earlier on the card, Major Custard and his regular pilot cruised to a 1:54.4 victory in the $92,840 final. His season ended with a 1:54.3 win in the Brad Gunn Memorial at Century Mile two weeks later.
Through 16 starts, Major Custard's lone loss came in that elimination of the Western Canada Pacing Derby. While winning his other 15, he earned $237,795 and remained undefeated in ABSS competition as he swept both categories for his division.
Major Custard's trainer, Michael Campbell, also received recognition as Alberta's Trainer of the Year. In his first season, the Airdrie resident sent 59 winners from 246 and earned $496,667 in purses. He also trained Champion Aged Mare Mrs Suhwiggins as well as Boiling Oar, who paced the fastest mile of the season in the province when winning in the Open at Century in 1:51.2 on July 27.
A pair of honourees came out of the Nate Sobey barn, one of them being the Custard The Dragon gelding Dragon Energy — a homebred for Breeder of the Year (Six & Under) Kurt & Kathy Schmidt. The gelding won in all his starts minus the $30,000 Century Mile, where she finished third as the 1-5 favourite. With six victories from seven outings, she banked $64,833. Her stablemate, Deja Vroom, took the title for Three-Year-Old of the Year with a campaign consisting of four victories from 17 starts and $37,880 earned. That Blue Burner filly was also bred by Kurt & Kathy Schmidt.
The full list of winners appears below:
Two-Year-Old Alberta-Sired Filly
Graceful Horizon
Two-Year-Old Filly
Burning Hot
Two-Year-Old Alberta-Sired Colt/Gelding
Dragon Energy
Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Dragon Energy
Three-Year-Old Alberta-Sired Filly
Miss Itunes
Three-Year-Old Filly
Deja Vroom
Three-Year-Old Alberta-Sired Colt/Gelding
Major Custard
Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
Major Custard
Champion Aged Mare
Mrs Suhwiggins
Champion Aged Horse
Outlaw Gunsablazin
Claimer (Filly/Mare)
Lovethatsixpack
Claimer (Colt/Horse/Gelding)
Tolly Ho
Trainer Under 200 Starts
Chris Lancaster
Driver Under 200 Starts
Ryan Grundy
Trainer Of The Year
Michael Campbell
Driver Of The Year
Dave Kelly
Horseperson Of The Year
Dave Kelly
Horse Of The Year
Major Custard
Owner Of The Year
J J J Stables/Jim Marino
Breeder Of The Year
Meridian Farms
Breeder Of The Year (6 & Under)
Kurt & Kathy Schmidt
Fastest Girl
Probert - 1:53
Fastest Boy
Boiling Oar - 1:51.2
Breeder Award Of Recognition
William Andrew
Ron McLeod Award
Shirley McClellan
Caretaker Of The Year
Thalia Martin
Gena Anderson