THE BROCK TALK

Loving Your Numbers

Brock Sheridan Editor-in-Chief Florida Equine Communications JOHN D. FILER PHOTO Ilove numbers, statistics and lists. I love hearing somebody list their all-time favorite movies or concerts as much as I love reading a notable expert rank the alltime greatest NFL quarterbacks or thoroughbred race horses. I love perusing the all-time list of stolen base leaders as much as I love poring over Oscar winners.

That is why the annual Statistical Review issue of The Florida Horse is my favorite. Each year I order a slew of statistics, rankings and lists from The Jockey Club with as much anticipation as a child (and some adults I might add) approaching their birthday.

One of my favorite lists is the year’s leading breeders by earnings. It is usually a battle between Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud and Gilbert and Marilyn Campbell’s Stonehedge LLC but others can be contenders including Arindel and Ocala Stud with Farm III Enterprises, Brent and Chrystal Fernung, Joseph and Helen Barbazon and Woodford Thoroughbreds also in contention on an annual basis.

This year’s title goes to Stonehedge, whose runners banked $2,699,622.

But my favorite is the list of Florida-bred millionaires.

In 2020, it was Mr. Amore Stable’s homebred Firenze Fire and Blue Heaven Farm’s Starship Jubilee rising in the rankings that I found the most intriguing.

Bred by William P. Sorren, Starship Jubilee was also the leading money earner in 2020 among Florida-breds with $921,682. The then 7-year-old daughter of Indy Wind won five of seven starts on the year, all in stakes, including the prestigious Ricoh Woodbine Mile (Grade 1) at Woodbine, the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga, the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs, and the Grade 3 Suwanee River and Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream. That launched her 98 spots on the list to be ranked 34th among Florida-bred all-time leading money earners with $2,093,069 as she goes into retirement.

Firenze Fire ranked fifth among Florida-bred leading money earners in 2020 with $545,100 from three wins in eight added-money starts with a second and a third. He won the Grade 2 Vosburgh and the Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park and the Grade 3 General George Stakes at Laurel. The banner year propelled him 21 spots to be ranked 31st on the all-time list with $2,236,850.

One more 2020 leader I found interesting was Mad Dog Racing Stable, Isla Stables LLC and Big Frank Stable’s Sugar Fix, who led all Florida-breds during the year with seven wins. The then 3-year-old daughter of Pleasant Acres Stallion’s Treasure Beach (GB) accumulated that total by winning under nearly every condition written including claiming, starter allowance, allowance and allowance optional claiming. She also sprinkled in a few credible stakes performances including a second to Queens Embrace in the Claiming Crown Tiara at Gulfstream Park and a close up fifth when just two-and-a-half lengths behind winner Selflessly in the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga. Bred by Ballybrit Stable, the well-traveled Sugar Fix compiled the notable record while running at Gulfstream, Saratoga, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs and Delaware Park.

So I hope you enjoy this Statistical Review as much as I. And the next time we meet, perhaps we can discuss the shortest odds by a winner of the Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed. It was In Summation at 1-10 in 2005 by the way. ■