THE BROCK TALK

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT George Isaacs CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Lonny Taylor Powell FIRST VICE PRESIDENT George Russell SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Francis Vanlangendonck TREASURER Joseph M. O’Farrell III SECRETARY Nick de Meric IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Valerie Dailey DIRECTORS Fred Brei, T. Paul Bulmahn, Jerry D. Campbell, Marilyn Campbell, Laurine Fuller-Vargas, Mike Hall, Bobby Jones, Milan Kosanovich, Mary Lightner, Dr. Fred Yutani PAST PRESIDENTS Phil Matthews, DVM, Brent Fernung, Greg Wheeler, Don Dizney, John C. Weber, MD

ADMINISTRATIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & ASSISTANT TREASURER Peggy Yost ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT MEMBER SERVICES & EVENTS Tammy A. Gantt ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OPERATIONS Steve Koch EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT & OFFICE MANAGER & ASSISTANT SECRETARY Elaine K. Ansbacher REGISTRATIONS & PAYMENTS COORDINATOR Sheila Budden STAFF ACCOUNTANTS Liz Adorno Kerrie Riber ADMINISTRATIVE/MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT Vicki Davis

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Executive Office – 801 SW 60th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34474 (352) 629-2160 • Fax: (352) 629-3603 • e-mail: info@ftboa.com • www.ftboa.com Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm & Federal Holidays

Horse Capital of the World® is a registered trademark of The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association

FLORIDA EQUINE COMMUNICATIONS

PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIR George Isaacs FIRST VICE PRESIDENT George Russell SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Francis Vanlangendonck TREASURER Joseph M. O’Farrell III SECRETARY Nick de Meric CEO & PUBLISHER Lonny Taylor Powell CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Peggy Yost

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brock Sheridan ASSISTANT EDITOR OPERATIONS & DEVELOPMENT Steve Koch CONTRIBUTING EDITOR INDUSTRY & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Tammy A. Gantt ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Antoinette Griseta SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nancy Moffatt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Cynthia M. Harper GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mari Black

Published by

Our Media

horse A registered trademark of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association promoting the goods and services of FTBOA Horse Capital of the World ®

Our Media Partnered with Kaplan Advertising

Florida Equine Communications, Inc. A corporation owned by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Executive Office – 801 SW 60th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34474 (352) 732-8858 • Fax: (352) 867-1979 e-mail: info@wiretowire.net • www.ftboa.com

For subscription and advertising information contact Antoinette Griseta at (352) 732-8858.

© THE FLORIDA HORSE (ISSN 0090-967X) is published monthly except July by THE FLORIDA HORSE, INC., 801 Wire to Wire is digitally published daily except Wednesday and Sunday by Florida Equine Communications, 801 S.W. 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474. Advertising rates available upon request. All rights SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474, including the annual Statistical Review in February. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Florida Equine Communications or the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Publication of any material originating herein is expressly forreserved. Reproduction of contents without permission prohibited. Opinions expressed in Wire to Wire are bidden without first obtaining written permission from THE FLORIDA HORSE©. Statistics in the publication relating those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the editors and owners of this publication. to results of racing in North America are compiled from data generated by Daily Racing Form, Equibase, Bloodstock We are not responsible if the information reported to us is in error. Statistics in the publication relating Research Information Services, and The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., the copyright owners of said data. to results of racing in North America are compiled from data generated by Reproduction is prohibited. Daily Racing Form, Equibase, Bloodstock Research Information Systems Inc., the copyright owners of said data. DRF content: Copyright Advertising copy deadline 5th of month preceding publication. Subscriptions and change 2004 Daily Racing Form, LLC and Equibase Company LLC, all rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited. of address: Please mail to – Circulations Department. THE FLORIDA HORSE, 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474.

Printed by PANAPRINT

Brock Sheridan

Editor-in-Chief

Florida Equine Communications

SERITA HULT PHOTO

Florida’s Breeders’ Cup Legacy

The anticipation of Florida-breds adding another Breeders’ Cup victory this year to their already impressive tally of 30 during the 39-year-history of the World Thoroughbred Championships were dashed with unfortunate racing circumstances. A slow start by Golden Pal in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) and Elite Power’s late run to catch eventual runner-up C Z Rocket in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) were frustrations suffered by the last two Champion Florida-bred Sprinters.

Nevertheless, Sunshine State breeders have plenty of Breeders’ Cup achievements of which to be proud.

Seven Florida-breds started in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, accumulating two-day earnings of $420,000, led by C Z Rocket’s $340,000 paycheck in the Sprint.

Since the Breeders’ Cup first ran in 1984, Florida-breds have banked $46,153,538 with Mucho Macho Man topping the list with $3,650,000 from his victory in the 2013 Classic (G1) and as runner-up in the 2012 Classic. Skip Away sits second on this auspicious list with $2,288,000 from his victory in the 1997 Classic and a sixth-place finish in the 1998 Classic.

That brings the total number of Florida-bred starters throughout the history of the Breeders’ Cup to 387 trailing only Kentucky (2,653) and Ireland (417). Florida-breds sit proudly ahead of Great Britain, whose 10 starters this year brought their total to 264, California (one starter this year) with 134, Canada (three starters this year) with 127, New York (four starters this year) with 93 and Pennsylvania (two starters this year) with 47.

Florida breeders also sit high on the all-time list of Breeders’ Cup victories. Kentucky’s seven wins and Ireland’s six, nearly swept the event this year, bringing their totals to 240 and 46 respectively. Florida sits just behind this mark at 30, but ahead of all others.

Great Britain owns 24, Maryland holds seven and Pennsylvania’s win in the Turf Sprint (G1) with Caravel brings them even with California, Canada and Argentina have six each.

Individually, with his tenth-place finish in the Turf Sprint (G1), Golden Pal missed joining Goldikova (Ire) and Beholder as the only horses with three career Breeders’ Cup victories, having won the 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) and last year’s Turf Sprint (G1). However, Golden Pal continues to hold the title as the only Florida-bred with more than one Breeders’ Cup win.

Ontario-bred Channel Maker, who finished seventh in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) this year, now sits alone with six appearances in the Breeders’ Cup. That leaves Floridabred Firenze Fire, Better Talk Now (Ky), California Flag (Ca), Kona Gold (Ky), Obviously (Ire) and Perfect Drift (Ky) as the only horses with five starts in the lucrative series. Floridabreds Precisionist and Pure Sensation join Affirmed Success (Ky), Awesome Gem (Ky), El Senor (Ky), Eldaafer (Ky), Gio Ponti (Ky), Goldikova (Ire), Hollywood Story (Ky), Pleasant Tap (Va), Red Rocks (Ire), Riskaverse (Ky), Twilight Eclipse (Ky) and Whitmore (Ky) as horses with four Breeders’ Cup starts.

Ocala Stud, who bred this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1)-contender Willy Boi in partnership with William J. Terrell, moves into third-place among Florida breeders (alone or in partnership) with 12 Florida-bred Breeders’ Cup starters. Arthur I. Appleton leads that category at 15, followed by Live Oak Stud with 13.

Proving that Breeders’ Cup wins are elusive, Ocala Stud and Live Oak Stud are the only breeders among the top five Florida producers with a victory. Ocala Stud bred 2011 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)-winner Musical Romance, who is featured on page 24 in this issue, while Live Oak Stud bred 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1)winner World Approval.

Florida-bred Atomically, seventh in the NetJets Juvenile Fillies (G1) this year behind winner Wonder Wheel, extended Todd Pletcher’s lead in the category of trainers who have had the most Florida-bred starters. Pletcher has trained 14, with D. Wayne Lukas and Ocala’s Mark Casse following in second at 10 each.

With another Breeders’ Cup recently in the books, Florida breeders have added to their Thoroughbred World Championships legacy. The records separate the Sunshine State from all regions outside Kentucky and Ireland, defining Florida among the elite Thoroughbred industries and confirming the Ocala/Marion County moniker as the Horse Captital of the World® .