THE BROCK TALK

Star Power

Brock Sheridan Editor-in-Chief Florida Equine Communications JOHN D. FILER PHOTO

There is an old adage that states that exceptional competition forges superior champions and that definitely appeared to be the case in the race for the 2019 Florida-bred champions.

First, a big congratulations to all the Florida-bred Champions of 2019, most of which are recognized starting on page 18 of this issue. In addition to the Chase to the Championship honorees noted here, several other champions including the champion Florida breeder, champion Florida owner, several categories of champion trainers, Florida broodmare of the year, Florida Stallion of the Year, Leading Florida Juvenile Stallion, Leading Florida Freshman Sire, the Needles Award-winner, O’Farrell Award-winner and of course, the Florida-bred Horse of the Year will also be recognized at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Gala to be held Mar. 16 at the Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom in Ocala.

To gauge the quality and close competition of this year’s awards, one only has to look at some of the Florida-breds who were runners-up this year in various categories.

World of Trouble has earned the trophies for being the champion older male, champion sprinter and champion turf horse but he had to defeat Imperial Hint to do so in the older male and sprinter categories.

To give you an idea of how competitive those races were, consider that Imperial Hint was the 2018 Florida-bred Horse of the Year and champion older male and it can be argued that he had a better year in 2019. The Luis Carvajal Jr. trainee repeated his wins in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes and in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt while also finishing third in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News at Meydan Race Course in Dubai, U.A.E.

In the Vanderbilt, he not only defeated 2019 Eclipse Award-wining champion sprinter Mitole, but also broke the track record, going six furlongs in 1:07.92 while erasing Spanish Riddle’s 1:08 set in 1972.

Also in the Florida-bred sprint category were multiple graded-stakes-winner Firenze Fire and multiple stakeswinner Extravagant Kid, making that a quality race from top to bottom.

In the female sprint category, 2019 champion Wildwood’s Beauty also had to hold off a defending champion in 2018 honoree in Stormy Embrace.

Wildwood’s Beauty took advantage of her Florida Sire Stakes credentials to win the FTBOA FSS Ivanavinalot and finish second in both the FTBOA FSS City of Ocala and FTBOA FSS Wildcat Heir. She also maximized her Floridabred license to win the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies, the Sheer Drama and Sunshine Millions Distaff.

In 2019, Stormy Embrace repeated her wins in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney and in the Musical Romance but finished behind Wildwood’s Beauty in both the Sheer Drama and the Sunshine Millions Distaff.

In the 2-year-old male category, 2019 Champion Chance It and Liam’s Lucky Charm racked up two stakes each during the year with Chance It winning the FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager and FTBOA FSS In Reality while Liam’s Lucky Charm won the FTBOA FSS Affirmed and the Pasco Stakes. The separation in points resulted because the Florida Sire Stakes wins carried more points than the Pasco. Not much separated them on the track either as Liam’s Lucky Charm was second in the Dr. Fager and third in the In Reality divisions while Chance It was second to his rival in the Affirmed division.

The closest race in the Chase to the Championship came in the 2-year-old filly division where K P Dreamin won a tie-breaker over Ceci Valentina. Both had six points, but K P Dreamin had a larger bankroll in graded earnings to get the title in accordance with the published rules. K P Dreamin picked up her points with two thirds in the Grade 1 Chandelier and in the Grade 1 Starlet while Ceci Valentina won the FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen and Juvenile Fillies Sprint.

It is without debate that the Florida-bred champions of 2019 are a resilient group. It is even more evident that they conceived their adulations only after fighting off tenacious challengers. And it is another testament to the Florida thoroughbred breeders who produce a diverse group of world class competitors in several categories.

And thank you for all of the fun and excitement. ■ “ It is without debate that the Florida-bred champions of 2019 are a resilient group. It is even more evident that they conceived their adulations only after fighting off tenacious challengers. ”

Distorted Humor – Delta Princess, by A.P. Indy

His First Crop just turned 3-year-olds and already Florida’s Leading Sire with $384,936 in earnings .

(Source: Blood-Horse Daily 2/19/2020)

Half-brother to Royal Delta By perennial leading sire Distorted Humor

Also standing Fury Kapcori and St Patrick’s Day

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