Williams fêted by Canadian horse-racing community

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This article was published 14/04/2023 (1221 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Free Press horse-racing columnist George Williams is in the winner’s circle — again.

Williams won the prestigious 2022 Sovereign Award for outstanding writing, presented by the Jockey Club of Canada, on Thursday night in Toronto.

It’s the fifth award of his career and his latest win since 2000.

“It was a very satisfying surprise,” said Williams, going into his 10th year as Free Press contributing writer. “I never expected to win. I was up against four other excellent writers and was probably the long shot in the field.”

Williams was nominated for 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 began his career as a horse-racing writer for the Daily Racing Form in 1990 and analyzed over 60,000 races as a chart caller. He got his start in the business in 1977 at Assiniboia Downs as a groom for trainer Don Gray and his wife Lorna and went on to work for Hall of Fame trainers H. Allen Jerkens, Woody Stephens and Charlie Whittingham in New York and California before returning home to train two-time Gold Cup winner Buck Domino in the 1980s.

“I have a lot of people to thank for this, notably my editors at the Winnipeg Free Press,” said Williams. “On a personal note, I am indebted to my parents for teaching me how to read, write and spell, and my wife and family for putting up with all my crazy racetrack adventures over the years.

“I also want to thank some personal friends including Darren Dunn and Sharon Gulyas at Assiniboia Downs, Perry and Jane Lefko in Toronto and jockey agent Mike Luider, whom I groomed horses for in Ontario and Alberta. Mike books the mount for top Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson, and they invited me to sit at their table at the awards.”

While in Toronto, Williams had a chance to see his parents, who reside in Fort Erie.

“I just knew that whether I won or lost, being able to see my parents would mean more than anything. Winning the award was special not only for me but also for them. My dad, Bud, introduced me to horse racing and developed my passion. In many ways, this award belongs to him, too.”

— Staff