George Williams, who provides horse-racing coverage for the Free Press, has been nominated for a prestigious 2022 Sovereign Award in the writing category.

The award is handed out annually by the Jockey Club of Canada in a range of categories to horses, trainers, jockeys and journalists in recognition of excellence in Canadian thoroughbred racing.

Williams was nominated for the story, Derby Winner has a Manitoba Mother, published early last May, chronicling the story of 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike’s local lineage.

The three-year-old colt was the product of Manitoba-bred mare Gold Strike, who was bred by a Winnipegger, Dick Bonnycastle, the former owner of Harlequin Enterprises, the world’s largest publisher of romantic fiction.

Williams, a four-time Sovereign Award winner, was thrilled with news.

“It’s nice to be nominated. It’s been about 20 years since I last won (2000), so it’s likely rare to get nominated again so many years later,” he said.

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“The story was an interesting one to tell to Free Press readers. Digging into how the horse grew up here, it shows the quality of horses in Manitoba, and it speaks well for the local racing community and the environment here for raising horses.”

The Jockey Club of Canada will announce the winners April 13 at an awards ceremony at Universal Eventspace in Vaughan, Ont.

Jason Bell
Sports editor

Jason Bell wanted to be a lawyer when he was a kid. The movie The Paper Chase got him hooked on the idea of law school and, possibly, falling in love with someone exactly like Lindsay Wagner (before she went all bionic).

   Read full biography