Lexie Lou Canada's Horse of the Year

Lexie Lou (Sligo Bay {Ire}), who defeated the boys in the 2014 Queen's Plate between victories in two legs of the Canadian Filly Triple Crown, was named the nation's Horse of the Year at ceremonies held Friday evening at Woodbine Racetrack. Having received 156 votes, the Ontario-bred easily outpointed Calgary Cat (Cowtown Cat), who took town the champion male sprinter title, and GII Canadian S. victress Deceptive Vision (A.P. Indy). 

Purchased by owner Gary Barber last April, Lexie Lou was a close third in the restricted Fury S. in her first start for the new connections ahead of a 4 1/2-length success in the Woodbine Oaks in June. She rallied from the latter half of the field for a 1 1/2-length tally in the Queen's Plate, then made a successful transition to the turf with a three-length score in the Aug. 10 Wonder Where S. Following a rare subpar effort when trying older fillies and mares in the GII Canadian S., she atoned with an easy victory in the GIII Autumn Miss S. at Santa Anita and closed the season with a strong runner-up effort to subsequent U.S. Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 29. In addition to being bestowed the evening's most prestigious award, Lexie Lou was also named champion turf female and champion 3-year-old filly. 

Mark Casse oversaw the development of Lexie Lou and was named the country's outstanding trainer for the third consecutive season and for the sixth time in the last eight years. The native of Indianapolis, Indiana, led the trainer's standings at Woodbine for the eighth consecutive year and for the ninth time overall, posting 93 winners from 476 starters in Canada in 2014, including the winners of 21 black-type races. His starters earned better than $7.1 million. 

Casse clients occupied three of the top four spots in the outstanding owner category, and John Oxley outpointed Gary Barber to take home the statuette. The Oklahoma oilman also added a Sovereign Award in the turf male category, asDynamic Sky (Sky Mesa) defeated champion 3-year-old male Heart to Heart (English Channel) for that particular award. 

Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell's Conquest Stables was only fourth in the voting for outstanding owners, but did not leave empty handed, as they swept the 2-year-old categories with Conquest Typhoon (Stormy Atlantic) and Conquest Harlanate (Harlan's Holiday).