J.P. (Paul) Souter, who posted 928 career riding wins, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award.
The treasured Gomez Award is given to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to Thoroughbred racing.
It is named in memory of one of the sport's most talented and respected competitors. The Cuban-born Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident in the 1980 Canadian Oaks.
To commemorate his legacy and lasting contributions to the sport, a life-size statue of Gomez, who called Toronto home and raised a family there, keeps watch over Woodbine's walking ring. A replica is presented to each year's recipient.
"I don't know what to say," said Souter. "I'm not a nervous guy, but I'm going to be nervous [when I make my speech], I'm sure. Avelino was my friend, and I'm thrilled to receive this honour.
"I only knew him for a short while, but when I started at Gulfstream, he was there for the winter vacationing and riding a bit -- we became friends. We came home and started riding here, and I've never seen anybody like him since. He was entertaining and just a really good guy. I'm at a loss for words."
Souter's connection to Thoroughbred racing was instantaneous. Standing by his father's side, one visit to the track was all it took for a wide-eyed 5-year-old kid to dream of a future in racing.
A riding career, however, was the last way he expected to live out his childhood dream.
Cue Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer, Souter's great friend and mentor, trainer Yonnie (John) Starr.
"I wasn't expecting to ride," recounted Souter. "I was just a hippie kid rubbing horses and having fun at the time before he grabbed me and said, 'Come on, we're going to Florida.' It was then that I started getting on horses for Yonnie at the farm."
Alongside the man dubbed "the trainer of champions," Souter credited former rider Vincent Bracciale Jr., John Charlebois, and another quartet of Hall of Famers in legendary horseman Jean-Louis Lévesque, trainer Macdonald (Mac) Benson of Windfields Farm, and famed jockeys Robin Platts and Sandy Hawley.
"The guys that I rode with were just the coolest. Robin Platts is my favourite jockey ever and he's one of my favourite friends ever. Sandy Hawley, I thought about throwing him in the speech, but kept thinking, 'Well, nobody liked him. He was just too good.' He's a great friend, too.
"They were all super horse people and super people. I could go on and on."
While Souter will have plenty more names to include in his acceptance speech, the celebrated race rider surely won't forget those, both human and equine, who played a helping hand in delivering the crown jewel of his standout career: the 1982 Queen's Plate.
Souter, aboard Son of Briartic, navigated the Woodbine dirt course in 2:04.60 to claim Canada's most coveted Thoroughbred fixture.
"He went wire-to-wire," said Souter of the Jerry Lavigne-trained son of Briartic--Tabola. "It was incredible."
For Souter, memories from that banner day remain as fresh as the moment they were made.
"I watch it once every five years or so on the VHS," he said. "My dad was at Orangeville Raceway because he didn't like crowds, but my mom was there, and it was the craziest day ever.
"It's amazing that it was that long ago. It feels like it was only 10 years ago, to be honest. I still have some wonderful pictures of it. One of the headlines after was 'The Weasel and the Squirrel.' [Trainer] Jerry Lavigne's nickname was The Weasel. Mine was The Squirrel. I'm as thrilled with this award as I was with the Plate win."
The chestnut, bred by E. P. Taylor, recorded more than $380,000 in purse earnings across 30 lifetime starts, posting an 8-5-3 record.
Joining Son of Briartic on Souter's list of standouts are Bridle Path, Choral Group, L'Alezane, Hasty Rick, and his personal favourite, La Voyageuse.
La Voyageuse, a daughter of Tentam--Fanfreluche, was immortalized as a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame class of 2009 following a brilliant racing career that saw her land 26 wins, half in stakes contests, and net nearly $525,000 from 56 starts (26-10-7).
The dark bay, conditioned by John Starr, burst onto the scene in 1978 when she sprung a major upset over stablemate, and 1977 Horse of the Year, L'Alezane, in the Canadian Oaks.
Later that season, the ascending La Voyageuse captured the Bison City Stakes en route to locking down champion 3-year-old filly honours.
The multiple stakes winner put the finishing touches on her Hall of Fame résumé with a gate-to-wire victory over the boys in the 1980 Nearctic Stakes, with Souter at the helm, to become Canada's first Sovereign Award champion sprinter.
"I wish there were Breeders' Cups back then because I think she would have won one. She went five-eighths on the grass to a mile-and-one-eighths on the dirt. She won at Woodbine, Fort Erie, Gulfstream, Hialeah, Calder -- she was just a little thing, but she was special. She could beat anybody."
After 25 outstanding years donning different silks, Souter decided it was time to write his next chapter in racing.
The devoted horseman remains an active member of today's game, passing on his 54 years of expertise to the next generation as a jockey agent.
His best bit of advice?
"Be happy, be healthy, and have some fun."
And he has.
"Not a lot of good stuff happens when you're old," said a chuckling Souter. "Not a lot of people understand how special this honour is. It's a prestigious award and I'm amazed by it. I've thought about it before and now here it is... unbelievable."
The Avelino Gomez Memorial Award ceremony will take place on June 29th at Woodbine.
Souter joins Ron Turcotte, Johnny Longden, Sandy Hawley, Don MacBeth, Chris Rogers, Jeff Fell, Lloyd Duffy, Hugo Dittfach, Robin Platts, Larry Attard, Don Seymour, David Gall, Richard Grubb, Irwin Driedger, David Clark, Jim McKnight, Chris Loseth, Richard Dos Ramos, Robert Landry, Francine Villeneuve, Sam Krasner, John LeBlanc Sr., George Ho Sang, Jack Lauzon, Robert King Jr., Stewart Elliott, Emile Ramsammy, Steve Bahen, Mickey Walls, Patrick Husbands, Quincy Welch, Gary Stahlbaum, Gary Boulanger, Emma-Jayne Wilson, Frank Barroby, Eurico Rosa da Silva, Slade Callaghan, Russell Baze, and Gunnar Lindberg as Gomez recipients.
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