Who to Watch This Season
Lindsay Ward • July 30, 2025
Big Hug Continues Her Winning Ways This Season!
Who to Watch: BIG HUG
Alberta-bred superstar BIG HUG is proving to be one of the most exciting horses on the track this season! After sweeping three major awards at the Night of Champions—including Champion Older Mare, Champion Alberta Bred, and the coveted Horse of the Year—she’s kept the momentum going strong.
In 2024, the daughter of Mr. Big dominated Alberta racing with six wins in eight starts, capturing stakes like the Lynn Chouinard Founders Distaff, CTHS Sales Stakes, Alberta Fall Classic Distaff, and the R.K. ‘Red’ Smith Handicap, earning $175,500 for the season. Bred by Chalet Stable and sold through the CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred Sale for just $2,759, this sale graduate has turned into a half-million-dollar earner under the care of owner/trainer Rick Hedge and co-owner Lori Neyka.
With black type wins this year in both the R.A. Red Mackenzie and R.K. Red Smith Handicaps, BIG HUG now boasts over $550,000 in lifetime earnings—and she’s not done yet. Watch for her in the 2025 Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic!
Pick me!”
Trainer Rick Hedge said that’s what Big Hug communicated to him at a yearling auction, where he purchased her for about $3,500.
Fast forward to Saturday night at Century Mile, and Big Hug comes into the Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic program as arguably the most accomplished horse on the nine-race card.
A leading trainer in Alberta, Tim Rycoft hasn’t had the year he is accustomed to.
He hopes that changes this weekend with Saturday’s annual Alberta Fall Classic.
Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic – The Richest Day in Alberta Racing! 🔥
Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 13 at Century Mile Racetrack, where Alberta-breds take center stage with seven stakes races worth $60,000 each 🏇. That’s over $400,000 in purses dedicated to celebrating the best of Alberta racing!
📍 Fi
H K Rapper: The Alberta-Bred Champion You Need to Know
Join us for an exclusive video interview with Kerry Wilson, the breeder behind the 2023 Beaufort Stakes winner, H K Rapper. Kerry’s story is one of passion, dedication, and vision, beginning with his decision to breed the talented mare Mimipaoponchis, a daughter of Broken Vow. That decision laid the foundation for a remarkable Alberta-bred star.
H K Rapper has built an impressive racing record, earning almost $100,000 and placing in 15 of his 25 starts, including four victories. Among those wins, his triumph in the prestigious 2023 Beaufort Stakes stands out as a career highlight and a proud moment for Alberta breeding.
Kerry’s journey is a testament to the excitement and rewards of breeding and racing Alberta-breds. Horses like H K Rapper show the incredible potential that comes from supporting local breeding programs.
So why wait? Add some excitement to your life and join the action. Have some fun—get an Alberta-bred!
Dive into the exciting world of Alberta horse racing with this exclusive video interview featuring Gerald and Tina Stone, the proud breeders of the exceptional Itsallgoodman. This graded stakes-placed gelding has made his mark as one of Alberta’s finest, earning multiple championship titles and thrilling racing fans across the province.
In 2023, Itsallgoodman was crowned Alberta Champion Two-Year-Old, Alberta Champion Sprinter, and Champion Alberta-bred, solidifying his place as a standout in the Alberta racing scene. His impressive achievements include:
2023 Alberta Premier’s Futurity
Back-to-back wins in the CTHS Sales Stakes (2023 & 2024)
With speed, heart, and consistency, Itsallgoodman is the kind of horse that showcases the incredible talent coming out of Alberta’s breeding programs. Breeders like Gerald and Tina Stone are passionate about producing top-tier athletes, and their success with Itsallgoodman is proof that Alberta-breds are built to compete and win.
Big Hug: Alberta’s Champion Mare and Racing Superstar
Experience the incredible story of Big Hug in this exclusive video interview with her breeders, Paul Luft and Chalet Stable. A true Alberta-bred sensation, Big Hug has risen to stardom through her outstanding talent, resilience, and consistent success on the racetrack.
Crowned 2022 Alberta Champion Two-Year-Old and 2023 Alberta Champion Three-Year-Old, Big Hug has become a dominant force in Alberta racing. A standout performer in the Alberta Breeders' Fall Classic series, she has triumphed in three signature races:
2022 Sturgeon River Stakes
2023 Alberta Oaks
2024 Alberta Fall Classic Distaff Handicap
Her racing career has only improved with each passing year. Among her long list of victories are these notable stakes wins:
2022: Sturgeon River Stakes, Princess Margaret Stakes
2023: Alberta Oaks, CTHS Sales Stakes, Chariot Chaser Handicap
2024: Lynn Chouinard Handicap, Alberta Fall Classic Distaff Handicap, R.K. Red Smith Handicap, CTHS Sales Stake
Spotlight on Alberta Stars: Smart Play and Her Breeders
Watch our exclusive video interview with Pierre Esquirol and Jerri Robertson, the dedicated breeders behind Smart Play, a standout performer in Alberta's racing scene. Smart Play has earned his place as a true star of the Alberta Breeders' Fall Classic series, capturing back-to-back victories in the prestigious Alberta Breeders' Handicap in both 2023 and 2024.
As Jerri Robertson proudly shares, "Some of the best horses I've had in my stable have been Alberta-breds." This heartfelt sentiment highlights the remarkable dedication and talent of Alberta's breeding community, which consistently produces runners that shine on the track.
Smart Play is a shining example of the excellence that Alberta breeders aim to achieve—combining talent, resilience, and heart.
Click below to hear the story behind this exceptional horse and the breeders who brought him to life!
Spotlight on Alberta Excellence: Meet Jim McFadyen and Dance Shoes
Get an inside look at Alberta's thriving horse racing scene in this exclusive video interview with Jim McFadyen, the proud breeder of Dance Shoes, the 2022 Horse of the Year and Champion Alberta-bred.
Dance Shoes has solidified her place as a star of the Alberta Breeders' Fall Classic, showcasing her talent and resilience with major victories in the 2021 Alberta Oaks, followed by back-to-back wins in the Alberta Fall Classic Distaff in 2022 and 2023.
This incredible runner is a testament to the quality and dedication of Alberta's breeding programs, exemplifying the excellence that local breeders strive to achieve.
Click below to watch the interview and learn more about Dance Shoes' remarkable journey and the vision behind her success!
Big Hug is really starting to like the annual Fall Classic races.
Saturday she romped in the Alberta Classic Distaff for three and up fillies and mares at Century Mile.
Last year she won the Fall Classic Alberta Oaks for three-year-old Alberta-bred fillies. Two years ago she took the Sturgeon River Fall Classic for two-year-old fillies.
Three Classic appearances. Three wins. It’s hard to argue with perfection.
“She loves the The Fall Classic,” said trainer and co-owner Rick Hedge. “And so do I,” added Hedge, who has won several other Fall Classic races over the years including Regal Max, who won the Beaufort in 2018; Mr. Shadar who took the Red Diamond Express in 2010; CR Jag, who won the Premier’s in 2006 and Beau Brass, whose scintillating career included two Speed to Spare Championships and the Beaufort in 2003.
Promotional video produced by Horse Racing Alberta for the 2024 Alberta Breeders' Fall Classic