Johnny Bear (CAN)
March 13, 2011 – Living
English Channel (USA) x In Return (USA), by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
Family 5-b
March 13, 2011 – Living
English Channel (USA) x In Return (USA), by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
Family 5-b
Three years older than his champion full brother Channel Maker, Johnny Bear completed a sensational double for his sire and dam by giving them two Sovereign Award winners in the same year (Channel Maker having won the honors in the 3-year-old male division). Like his brother, Johnny Bear needed a distance of ground to get rolling. He made only one start in 2019 and remained in training into 2020 but did not return to the races.
Race record
43 starts, 8 wins, 8 seconds, 6 thirds, US$702,706 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2017:
2018:
Honors
As an individual
A handsome chestnut gelding, Johnny Bear was a late-maturing type candidly described by trainer Ashlee Brnjas as “a dud” during his first two years of training. He struggled with multiple physical issues including a thyroid disorder, ulcers, and anemia and was generally given down time at the farm between races to allow him to recover in a place where he could “just be a horse.” When racing, he did best when allowed to settle in mid-pack before producing his challenge in the stretch. He was at his best on firm turf and did not handle soft going well.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Johnny Bear was bred by Ivan Dalos’s Tall Oaks Farm. A US$278,823 purchase from the 2012 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society sale (the yearling sale topper), he was owned by Colebrook Farms and Danny Dion’s Bear Stables. He was trained by Ashlee Brnjas, daughter of Colebrook Farms owner John Brnjas.
Pedigree notes
Johnny Bear is inbred 5x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a full brother to 2017 Canadian champion 3-year-old male and 2020 American champion turf male Channel Maker and a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Court Return (by Court Vision).
Johnny Bear and his siblings are out of 2018 Canadian Broodmare of the Year In Return, who produced only four named foals. Sired by 1999 South African Horse of the Year Horse Chestnut, In Return was a stakes winner and set or equaled three course records at Monmouth Park. She is out of Bartered Bride (by 1985 General Accident Two Thousand Guineas, G1, winner Shadeed), a half sister to 1996 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Star de Lady Ann (by Star de Naskra) and 1998 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Auntie Mame (by Theatrical); the last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Gam’s Mission. Bartered Bride is also a half sister to Lady Nicholas (by Nicholas), dam of Canadian listed stakes winner Pants n Kisses (by Mr. Greeley).
Bartered Bride and her siblings are out of the Sir Ivor mare Lady Vixen, a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner T. V. Heart Throb (by Known Fact). The next dam in Johnny Bear’s tail-female line, 1976 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2) winner T. V. Vixen (by T. V. Lark), is out of the stakes-placed Crimson Satan mare Crimson Lass (a half sister to stakes winner Whitesburg Lass, by Whitesburg) and is a half sister to multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Eastland (by Exceller), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misako Togo (by Theatrical); to Grade 3 winner Lady Annabelle (by Sir Ivor); and to multiple stakes winner Dancer’s Lass (by Rattle Dancer). T. V. Vixen is also a half sister to Crimson Echo (by High Echelon), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Michey’s Echo (by Mickey McGuire), and to Cream ‘n Crimson (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Qirmazi (by Riverman) and multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Hishi Masaru (by Secretariat).
Books and media
A video of Johnny Bear’s win in the 2018 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes can be accessed through Christine Oser’s article “Johnny Bear Repeats in Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine” at Horse Racing Nation (https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Johnny_Bear_repeats_in_Northern_Dancer_Turf_Stakes_at_Woodbine_123).
Fun facts
Last updated: October 27, 2023
Race record
43 starts, 8 wins, 8 seconds, 6 thirds, US$702,706 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2017:
- Won Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (CAN-G1, 12FT, Woodbine)
- Won OLG/OR Halton Stakes Presented by Tipperary Equestrian (CAN, 12FT, Woodbine)
2018:
- Won Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (CAN-G1, 12FT. Woodbine)
- 2nd OLG Halton Stakes (CAN-R, 12FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Nijinsky II Stakes (CAN-G2, 12FT, Woodbine)
Honors
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion turf male (2017)
- Sovereign Award finalist, Canadian champion turf male (2018)
As an individual
A handsome chestnut gelding, Johnny Bear was a late-maturing type candidly described by trainer Ashlee Brnjas as “a dud” during his first two years of training. He struggled with multiple physical issues including a thyroid disorder, ulcers, and anemia and was generally given down time at the farm between races to allow him to recover in a place where he could “just be a horse.” When racing, he did best when allowed to settle in mid-pack before producing his challenge in the stretch. He was at his best on firm turf and did not handle soft going well.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Johnny Bear was bred by Ivan Dalos’s Tall Oaks Farm. A US$278,823 purchase from the 2012 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society sale (the yearling sale topper), he was owned by Colebrook Farms and Danny Dion’s Bear Stables. He was trained by Ashlee Brnjas, daughter of Colebrook Farms owner John Brnjas.
Pedigree notes
Johnny Bear is inbred 5x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a full brother to 2017 Canadian champion 3-year-old male and 2020 American champion turf male Channel Maker and a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Court Return (by Court Vision).
Johnny Bear and his siblings are out of 2018 Canadian Broodmare of the Year In Return, who produced only four named foals. Sired by 1999 South African Horse of the Year Horse Chestnut, In Return was a stakes winner and set or equaled three course records at Monmouth Park. She is out of Bartered Bride (by 1985 General Accident Two Thousand Guineas, G1, winner Shadeed), a half sister to 1996 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Star de Lady Ann (by Star de Naskra) and 1998 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Auntie Mame (by Theatrical); the last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Gam’s Mission. Bartered Bride is also a half sister to Lady Nicholas (by Nicholas), dam of Canadian listed stakes winner Pants n Kisses (by Mr. Greeley).
Bartered Bride and her siblings are out of the Sir Ivor mare Lady Vixen, a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner T. V. Heart Throb (by Known Fact). The next dam in Johnny Bear’s tail-female line, 1976 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2) winner T. V. Vixen (by T. V. Lark), is out of the stakes-placed Crimson Satan mare Crimson Lass (a half sister to stakes winner Whitesburg Lass, by Whitesburg) and is a half sister to multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Eastland (by Exceller), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misako Togo (by Theatrical); to Grade 3 winner Lady Annabelle (by Sir Ivor); and to multiple stakes winner Dancer’s Lass (by Rattle Dancer). T. V. Vixen is also a half sister to Crimson Echo (by High Echelon), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Michey’s Echo (by Mickey McGuire), and to Cream ‘n Crimson (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Qirmazi (by Riverman) and multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Hishi Masaru (by Secretariat).
Books and media
A video of Johnny Bear’s win in the 2018 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes can be accessed through Christine Oser’s article “Johnny Bear Repeats in Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine” at Horse Racing Nation (https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Johnny_Bear_repeats_in_Northern_Dancer_Turf_Stakes_at_Woodbine_123).
Fun facts
- Johnny Bear was the best horse trained by Ashlee Brnjas, who trained horses for her father’s Colebrook Farms from 2017 until her sudden death at the age of 40 in 2021. She had trained the winners of 317 races (including 11 stakes victories) and US$10.6 million.
- Tall Oaks Farm, which bred Johnny Bear, had an incredible year in 2017 as the farm also bred that year’s Sovereign Award winners Channel Maker (3-year-old male) and Ami’s Mesa (champion older female and champion female sprinter). In spite of being represented by the winners of four Sovereign Awards, Tall Oaks still lost out to Adena Springs for the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top breeder.
Last updated: October 27, 2023