The late Tammy Samuel-Balaz, who took charge of Sam-Son Farm following the death of her father, Ernie Samuel, in 2000, has joined her dad in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Fame. Others voted in the Hall of Fame this year are Sam-Son trainer Mark Frostad and the outfit’s homebred champion racemare Dancethruthedawn, plus 1997 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Touch Gold and champion and blue hen mare Square Angel.
The Hall of Fame is located at Woodbine. The induction ceremony will take place at the Mississauga Convention Centre in the Toronto area Aug. 18.
Samuel-Balaz, like her father, was inducted in the builder’s category of the Hall of Fame. She ran Sam-Son until her death in 2008. Her husband, Rick Balaz, currently serves as president.
Samuel, a Hall of Fame member since 1998, earned Sovereign Awards as outstanding breeder in 1988 and in 1991 and as top owner five times from 1980-91.
Sam-Son has earned five Sovereign Awards as top breeder and five as outstanding owner, including one in 2010. The outfit’s Grand Adventure was voted Canada’s champion male turf performer of 2010.
Frostad, who trains Grand Adventure, has conditioned a number of Sam-Son champions and numerous other major winners for the outfit. He has earned three Sovereign Awards as best trainer.
Frostad trained Dancethruthedawn, who joined fellow Sam-Son horses Chief Bearhart, Classy n’ Smart, Dance Smartly, No Class, Sky Classic, Smart Strike, and Wilderness Song in the Hall of Fame. Dance Smartly also is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Dancethruthedawn, by Mr. Prospector, is a fourth generation Sam-Son runner. She is out of Dance Smartly, who is out of Classy n’ Smart, whose dam is No Class.
Dancethruthedawn won the 2001 Queen’s Plate Stakes over males and the Labatt Woodbine Oaks over fillies, both at Woodbine, the year she was voted Canadian champion 3-year-old filly. The following year she captured the Go for Wand Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga. She was retired with seven wins and five stakes-placings and earnings of $1,609,643.
Square Angel, bred by E.P. Taylor of Windfields Farm, was champion 3-year-old filly of 1973 for Gen. Preston Gilbride. Her big win came in that year’s Canadian Oaks.
Square Angel, who became a broodmare for Taylor, produced Canadian champion Kamar, the 1990 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, and grade I winner Love Smitten, dam of international champion Swain, and is the ancestress of numerous other stakes winners.
Touch Gold was a leading 3-year-old of 1997 for Canadian breeder/owner Frank Stronach and Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable. Touch Gold upset Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid when he won the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). He next won the Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I). He earned a career total of $1,679,907.
Touch Gold, who stands at stud at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds near Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has sired 30 stakes winners.
Stronach’s Adena Springs operation earned a 2010 Sovereign Award as outstanding breeder.
Lily A. Livingston, a leading Canadian breeder in the first part of the 1990s, and Thomas H. Burns, who twice was North America’s leading jockey in the 1890s, were inducted in the Hall of Fame in the legends category.
