Chiefswood Stable named Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society breeder of the year

Chiefswood Stable took the headline honor at a sellout Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society awards night at Royal Woodbine Golf Club, but the real story was on the track and in the paddock: nearly four dozen breeders in Ontario produced 51 horses that combined for 67 stakes victories in 2025. That is the pipeline fans actually see at Woodbine, and it is why the breeder side still shapes the racing product in Canada’s biggest jurisdiction.

The CTHS, founded in 1906, is built around organizing sales and promoting Canadian Thoroughbreds, and Ontario Racing says its members remain significant contributors to the agricultural economy. At the dinner on June 10, tickets were $100 per person plus HST, cocktails began at 5:00 p.m., and dinner and awards followed at 6:00 p.m. CTHS president David Anderson put the point plainly when he called breeders “the foundation of this industry.”

The night’s other major honor went to Dom Romeo of Terra Racing Stables, who received the Mint Julep Cup for lifetime contribution and dedication to the sport. Romeo’s run traces back nearly 42 years, when he bought Flashy Chestnut at a CTHS sale. That mare became the granddam of Terra Racing’s 2010 Queen’s Plate winner Big Red Mike, a line that still gives Ontario breeding real sporting weight. Ontario Racing said Romeo-bred horses also include 2024 Sovereign Award champion older dirt female Fashionably Fab, 2021 Sovereign Award champion female sprinter Amalfi Coast and multiple stakes winner Bold n’ Flashy.

Romeo’s remarks also underscored how much of this business is built on family and repeat relationships. He thanked family members and longtime trainers including Debbie England, Nick Gonzalez, Martha Gonzalez and Kevin Attard, a reminder that breeding success usually reaches the winner’s circle through a long chain of people, not a single season.

CTHS Ontario also recognized Gail Bosscher as Outstanding Farm Worker and Dixie Chicken as Top Broodmare. On the stallion side, Souper Speedy led the 2025 rankings, followed by Reload and Silent Name (JPN). Canadian Thoroughbred reported that Souper Speedy’s offspring earned more than $3.8 million last year, Reload topped $2.9 million and Silent Name (JPN) finished with $2.1 million, numbers that directly influence which bloodlines breeders chase next.

That is where the awards really connect back to the races fans bet and watch. The same operation that honored its 2025 standouts is already looking ahead to the 2026 Premier Yearling Sale, scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion. In Ontario, breeding is not a side story. It is the front end of the race card.