Al and Bill Ulwelling’s 2025 King’s Plate winner, Mansetti , was named Canadian Horse of the Year during the 51st Sovereign Awards hosted April 23 by The Jockey Club of Canada. The Kevin Attard trainee was also named champion 3-year-old male.
Last year, the Jungle Racing-bred son of Collected out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl notched three wins and two seconds in eight starts, making CA$925,000. Besides the King’s Plate, he won the Woodstock Stakes and Marine Stakes (G3). His placings came when second in the Ontario Derby (G3) and on dirt at Fort Erie in the Prince of Wales Stakes, which follows the King’s Plate and is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. The King’s Plate, contested on Woodbine’s Tapeta surface, is often called the Canadian equivalent of the Kentucky Derby. He did not compete in the third and final race in the Canadian Triple Crown, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders Stakes on turf.
Mansetti secured 81 votes, outpacing fellow champions Caitlinhergrtness (74) and Corsia Veloce (35)
READ: Mansetti Delivers King’s Plate for American Owners
Besides Horse of the Year, other Canadian championships were announced throughout the Thursday evening program, along with media award winners.
The Sovereign Awards are Canada’s premier horse racing honors, presented annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to recognize excellence in Thoroughbred racing and breeding. They celebrate both human and equine achievements, with the most prestigious award being Horse of the Year. Horses do not need to be foaled in Canada to win a Sovereign Award, but to be eligible, a juvenile must race in Canada at least two times, and those aged 3 and up must run at least three times.
The top three finalists in each category are determined by the online ballots of the Jockey Club of Canada’s knowledgeable voters. The media category award finalists were determined by media professionals within the North American industry.
Here are the full winners, in order of presentation:
Outstanding Writing: Natalie Voss
Outstanding Photograph: Clive Cohen
Outstanding Audio Visual/Digital Broadcast: Woodbine Entertainment
Outstanding Groom: Rose Day
Outstanding Off-track Worker: Tove Morgan
Outstanding Off-track Worker: Jodie Hiesinger
Special Sovereign Award: Doug Anderson
Champion 2-year Old Female: Corsia Veloce
Champion 2-year Old Male: Argos
Champion 3-year Old Female: Winterberry
Champion 3-year Old Male: Mansetti
Outstanding Breeder: Chiefswood Stables
Outstanding Broodmare: Dixie Chicken
Champion Female Sprinter: Little Teddy
Champion Male Sprinter: Simcoe
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Pietro Moran
Outstanding Jockey: Rafael Hernandez
Champion Female Turf Horse: Ready For Shirl
Champion Male Turf Horse: Gas Me Up
Outstanding Trainer: Mark Casse
Champion Older Main Track Male: Desden Row
Outstanding Owner: Chiefswood Stables
Horse of the Year: Mansetti