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2022 JOSEPH M. O’ FARRELL MEMORIAL AWARD
CONSIGNORS: BETH BAYER & BLAS PEREZ STABLES
HORSE: HAVNAMELTDOWN
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The 2022 Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award was presented to consignors Beth Bayer and Blas Perez Stables, who sold Flor ida-bred graded stakes-winner Havnameltdown. Bred by Kath erine S. Devall, Havnameltdown was consigned by Beth Bayer to the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company October Yearling Sale. A 2020 bay colt by Uncaptured out of Ashley’s Babe, by Put It Back, Havnameltdown sold for $16,000 to Blas Perez Stables. The latter then consigned Havnameltdown to the 2022 OBS April Spring Sale, where he was purchased for $200,000 by Three Amigos.
Raced by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Havnameltdown won the Best Pal (G3) and Bob Hope (G3) in 2022. He was also second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on his way to banking $288,000.
The Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award is presented annually by OBS to the consignor(s) of the year’s best Florida-bred racehorse offered at an OBS auction. The award is named after Joseph M. O’Farrell, who was part of the nine-man syndicate that founded Ocala Stud in 1956 and who was a pioneer in establishing public Thoroughbred auctions in Florida.
2022 Needles Award
JOHN B. PENN
The 2022 Needles Award was presented to John B. Penn, who as a breeder posted Florida-bred earnings of $683,475 on the season. Penn was represented by 14 starters, who recorded 12 wins, 14 seconds and nine thirds.
Penn, who owns Ocala-based Pennston Farm, bred undefeated multiple stakes-winner Awesome Strong.
A 2020 chestnut colt by Awesome Slew out of Pleasant Ring, by Pleasant Tap, Awesome Strong became the 10th horse to sweep the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series’ colts and geldings division.
He won the Dr. Fager, Affirmed and In Reality divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes by a combined margin of nine-and-a-quarter lengths.
Campaigned by CSLR Racing Partners and trained by Jorge Delgado, Awesome Strong earned $458,000 on the season. He was named the 2022 Florida-bred champion 2-year-old colt/gelding.
The Needles Award was established by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Own ers’ Association to honor small Thoroughbred operations that have made outstanding con tributions to the Florida Thoroughbred industry.
The award is named after Needles, who was the first Florida-bred national champion (1955 champion 2-year-old colt) and the first Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby (1956).
