The British Columbia Horse Racing Hall of Fame added three new members during its 2006 Thoroughbred Industry Awards Dinner: trainer Lance Giesbrecht, owner/breeder John Gunther, and l998 British Columbia Horse of the Year and older male, Artic Son.
Giesbrecht was the leading trainer at Hastings Racecourse four consecutive years, from 1994-1997. His 76 victories in 1997 still stand as a record for a single season.
Among the numerous black-type winners bred by Gunther is Stevie Wonderboy, winner of the 2005 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and other dual grade I victor First Samurai.
Artic Son, bred and owned by Rassul Vahabzadeh and trained by Cindy Krasner, was a three-time British Columbia Cup Classic winner who captured 13 career races for more than $500,000 in earnings. The son of Son of Briartic also holds the track record for 1 1/8 miles at Hastings Racecourse.
