A 5-year-old gelded son of Smart Strike   owned and bred by Sam-Son, Soaring Free was voted Canada's Horse of the Year and champion male turf horses on the basis of a 2004 campaign in which he won six of eight starts and earned $1,113,862. Trained by Mark Frostad, Soaring Free won the Atto Mile (Can-I), Play the King Handicap (Can-III), Scotts Highlander Handicap (Can-III), and Ontario Jockey Club Stakes, all at Woobdine, and Keeneland's Shakertown Stakes (gr. IIIT). A Bit O'Gold, the champion 3-year-old male, was runner-up to Soaring Free for Horse of the Year honors.

In addition to being voted outstanding owner honors, Sam-Son, the racing and breeding entity founded by the late Ernie Samuel, also took home a sixth Sovereign Awards as outstanding breeder. The Stronach Stable of Frank Stronach finished second in the outstanding owner category and Stronach's Adena Springs Farm was runner-up for top breeder honors.

2004 SOVEREIGN AWARDS, ANNOUNCED BY THE JOCKEY CLUB OF CANADA:

OUTSTANDING JOCKEY: Todd Kabel

OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE JOCKEY: Corey Fraser

OUTSTANDING TRAINER: Robert Tiller

OUTSTANDING OWNER: Sam-Son Farms

OUTSTANDING BREEDER: Sam-Son Farms

OUTSTANDING BROODMARE: Annasan

CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY: Simply Lovely

CHAMPION TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE : Wholelottabourbon

CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY: Eye of the Sphynx

CHAMPION THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE: A Bit O'Gold

CHAMPION OLDER FEMALE: One for Rose

CHAMPION OLDER MALE HORSE: Mobil

CHAMPION SPRINTER: Blonde Executive

CHAMPION MALE TURF HORSE: Soaring Free

CHAMPION FEMALE TURF HORSE: Inish Glora

HORSE OF THE YEAR: Soaring Free

OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPH: David Landry

OUTSTANDING FILM/VIDEO/BROADCAST: Woodbine Entertainment Group

OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER STORY: Paul Wiecek