Racing Corner - Roger Attfield Homebred = Home run

HBPA
Apr 18
2 min read

Outstanding Groom – Victor James

will be celebrating before the Woodbine Thoroughbred season begins April 26. James, who hails from Grenada, is the 2024 recipient of the Outstanding Groom Sovereign Award from The Jockey Club of Canada. He will receive his trophy at the ceremony in Woodbridge, ON on Apr.24.

James visited the racetrack some 25 years ago without knowing anything about horses or caring for them. He joined the team of trainer Josie Carroll and learned from the ground up. It wasn't long before he was grooming his own set of runners and taking them to the races.

The list of horses that James has prepared is close to a 'who's who' of racing in Ontario. He won the 2011 Queen's Plate with the strong filly Inglorious and groomed colt champions Amis Gizmo and Avie's Flatter. He attended the Sovereign Awards in 2023 when another one of his students, Loyalty, was named Champion Female Sprinter.

This year, James will be receiving his own award at the Sovereigns but he is quick to emphasize that preparing horses for owners and trainers is very much a team effort.

“I was very excited when I found out about receiving this award, but it is all about teamwork,” said James. “This job brings me joy every day.”

Cheering Section

Speaking of the Sovereign Awards next week, duo Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield unleashed an exciting winner for one of his favourite clients, himself.

His homebred 3-year-old filly Double Velocity won a maiden special weight race on the grass at Keeneland at 18 to 1 in her first career start. The Ontario bred by Breeders' Cup Classic winner Accelerate (retired from stud) is from Attfield's own mare Double Guns Girl.

Double Velocity was ridden by Jose Ortiz and her time of 1:44.34 for 1 1/16 miles was good for a 74 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form. Double Velocity is eligible for the Woodbine Oaks and King's Plate, the latter which Attfield has won eight times.