The 38th Annual TOBA National Awards Dinner, Sept. 9, 2023

Photo by David Coyle

Thank You to our Sponsors

THE 38 TH ANNUAL NATIONAL AWARDS

BREEDER OF THE YEAR SPONSOR

OWNER OF THE YEAR SPONSOR

PLATINUM LEVEL SPONSORS

STATE & CANADIAN BREEDERS OF THE YEAR SPONSOR

SMALL BREEDER OF THE YEAR SPONSORS

AWARD

GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS

COT CAMPBELL PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS

J. DAVID RICHARDSON INDUSTRY SERVICE

President’s Message

Thoroughbred owners and breeders are a resilient group. Individualism sets them apart in their pursuit of excellence, as breeding and owning Thoroughbred racehorses presents a risky, yet rewarding proposition. The percentage of graded stakes to total races in the United States is just 1.3 percent, a small target to hit, and if owners win just one race in four, it’s an extraordinary year. Breeding and owning Thoroughbred racehorses requires both patience and passion, but the walk to the winner’s circle is the ultimate validation to the commitment of time, energy and resources.

On behalf of the TOBA Board of Trustees and Members, welcome to the 38th annual TOBA National Awards Dinner at Fasig-Tipton. As a leading voice for all Thoroughbred owners and breeders, TOBA is both honored and humbled to recognize the outstanding achievements of our sport’s leading owners, breeders and other honorees. With the generous support of our corporate sponsors and advertising supporters, the evening promises to provide memories to last a lifetime for all of the award winners.

Since our founding in 1961, TOBA has served the industry in a number of capacities, but the most consequential development in our history occurred 50 years ago. Then-TOBA president Jacques Wimpfheimer led the introduction of the grading of stakes races in North America. Mr. Wimpfheimer, along with his fellow TOBA trustees, forever changed our sport, from the auction ring to the racetrack and to the stallion barns.

Along with the American Graded Stakes Committee founded by TOBA in 1973, our programs are designed to enhance the experience for industry participants. Our fundamental principles have never wavered despite the changing times in both our world and within our sport. TOBA was the pioneer more than three decades ago with educational seminars, has co-managed the Claiming Crown for 25 years and represents American owners and breeders on important national and international organizations and committees. Thoroughbred Charities of America, our charitable arm, does incredible work supporting nonprofit organizations that work to support Thoroughbreds and the people who care for them.

TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Thanks to the generous support of our membership, sponsors and corporate partners, we are committed and determined to accomplish that mission. We are optimistic about the future of Thoroughbred racing. With your support, we can truly make a difference.

Sincerely yours,

Dan Metzger President

TOBA Member Benefits

As a member of Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders, you have access to many cost-saving benefits.

INDUSTRY

Free general or clubhouse admission to most North American racetracks.

EDUCATION

Receive up to $100 off of each of TOBA’s educational seminars and clinics across the country (5-8 hosted each year).

ASSOCIATION

Receive a listing in and a copy of the TOBA Directory with top owners, breeders, trainers and other industry professionals.

PUBLICATION

Free subscription to BloodHorse magazine PLUS a copy of annual supplement

The Stallion Register.

$60 Equineline Report Credit

20% off Daily Racing Form

NTRA Advantages

25% off Christine A. Moore Millinery

$25 off National Racing License

Up to 25% off Avis Travel

Up to 25% off Budget travel

5% discount Nationwide Pet Insurance

Long Term Care Global Premium Discount Rates

Up to 20% off Wyndham Hotels

GE Appliances Discounts

Hotel Engine Services

12% off McCauley’s

$250 Cash Back with BonusDrive Auto Rebate

25% off Museum Membership Up to 45% off Lenovo products

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES

Individual Membership - $275

Family Membership - $375

Corporate Membership - $550

Student Membership - $75

About TOBA

2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A200, Lexington, KY 40504-3331

(859) 276-2291 | toba.org | @tobahorses

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView, and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, is the co-owner of BloodHorse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.

© 2023 Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association

SPONSORS

PARTNERS

The mission of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is to improve the economics, integrity, and pleasure of the sport on behalf of owners and breeders.

Board of Trustees & Management

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Joe Appelbaum

Shannon Arvin

Michael Banahan

Barbara Banke

Greg Bensel

Jeffrey Bloom

Carrie Brogden

Doug Cauthen

Tim Cohen

Everett Dobson

Robert Edwards, Jr.

Marette Farrell

Marshall Gramm

Tanya Gunther

Walker Hancock

Stephanie Hronis

Billy Koch

Brant Laue

Jason Loutsch

Braxton Lynch

David O’Farrell

Garrett O’Rourke

Mandy Pope

Stephen Screnci

R. Glenn Sikura

Francis Vanlangendonck

OFFICERS

Garrett

THOROUGHBRED CHARITIES OF AMERICA

TOBA BOARD COMMITTEES

Executive Committee

American Graded Stakes Committee

National Awards Committee

Finance & Investment Committee

Membership & Owners Committee

Nominating Committee

OTHER INVOLVEMENT

TOBA represents owners and breeders on the following national and international organizations and committees:

American Horse Council

International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee

International Thoroughbred Breeders’ Federation

National Thoroughbred Racing Association

North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee

Racing Medication & Testing Consortium

Lesley Greathouse Kibler Development Manager

Erin Halliwell Executive Director

Andy Schweigardt Senior Director of Industry Relations & Development

Dan Metzger President

Barkley N. Porter Director of Marketing

Brooke Purcell Membership Coordinator

Thoroughbred Charities of America is the charitable arm of TOBA.

David O’Farrell Chairman

Everett Dobson Vice Chairman

Dan Metzger President

Doug Cauthen Secretary

O’Rourke Treasurer

TOBA MANAGEMENT & STAFF

State Association Members

ARIZONA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Marvin Fleming, President

ARKANSAS THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ & HORSEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Bill McDowell, President

Deana Echols, Executive Secretary

CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Terry Lovingier, Chairperson

Doug Burge, President

CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED HORSE SOCIETY NATIONAL OFFICE

Adrian Munro, President

Caitlin Grguric, National General Manager

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

Phil Matthews, President

Lonny T. Powell, CEO & Executive Vice President

INDIANA THOROUGHBRED OWNERS AND BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Pat McGhee, President

Kelly Peine, Executive Secretary

IOWA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS AND OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Kristal Freese, President

Brandi Jo Fett, Executive Director

KENTUCKY THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION/ KENTUCKY THOROUGHBRED OWNERS AND BREEDERS

Christopher L. Baker, President

Chauncey Morris, Executive Director

LOUISIANA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Warren Harang III, President

Roger Heitzmann III, Secretary/Treasurer

MARYLAND HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Kent A. Murray, President

Cricket Goodall, Executive Director

MASSACHUSETTS THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Donna Pereira, Chair

Karen Benson, Treasurer

MINNESOTA THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION

Cameron Mahlum, President

Kay King, Executive Director

NEW MEXICO HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Tom Goncharoff, President

Mary M. Barber, Executive Director

NEW YORK THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS, INC.

Thomas J. Gallo III, President

Najja Thompson, Executive Director

NORTH CAROLINA THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION

Rebecca Montaldo, President

Jimmy Teal, Treasurer

OREGON THOROUGHBRED OWNERS & BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Sharon Balcom, President

Lynnelle Fox Smith, Executive Director

PENNSYLVANIA HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Gregory C. Newell PE, President

Brian Sanfratello, Executive Secretary

SOUTH CAROLINA THOROUGHBRED OWNERS AND BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

Jack Sadler, President

TEXAS THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION

Tracy Sheffield, President

Mary Ruyle, Executive Director

THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Mildred Fleming, President

Michael Campbell, Executive Director

VIRGINIA THOROUGHBRED ASSOCIATION

Amy Moore, President

Debbie Easter, Executive Director

WASHINGTON THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Dana Halvorson, President

Melissa Wenzel, Office Manager

Sponsor Members

John H. Adger

Robert S. Agnello

Jose Aleman

Helen C. Alexander

Chuck & Lori Allen

John W. Amerman

David Anderson

John Ed Anthony

Shannon B. Arvin

Carl W. Asmus

Roger L. Attfield

Ann M. Backer

Katherine Ball

Conrad Bandoroff

Barbara R. Banke

Roy Barbe

Ramona Bass

Antony Beck

Barry & Judith Becker

Douglas R. Beebe DVM

John T. Behrendt

Gus Bell

Reynolds Bell Jr.

Oscar Benavides DVM

Gayle M. Benson

Craig Bernick

Paul F. Bialk

Gary E. Biszantz

Christian Black

Chet Blackey DVM

P. L. & Shirley Blake

Charles H. Boden

Joseph Boff & Connie Burke

Ina Brown Bond

Cornelia Nina Bonnie

Chris & Lynne Boutte

Jeffrey Bozeman

Kevin F. Brady

Larry R. Bramlage DVM MS

Doug Branham

Peter M. Brant

Alan Brodsky

Glenn S. Bromagen

Chester Broman

Stephen P. Brunetti

Dr. Robert L. Burke

Brian Burns

Gary L. Bush

Peter Buttacavoli

Peter J. Callahan

Marilyn Campbell

Padraig M. Campion

Richard & Michele Carmines

Robert Carr Jr. DVM

Brady F. Carruth & Zane Carruth

Michael J. Caruso

John P. Casey

Bill Casner

Doug Cauthen

Kerry Cauthen

Anthony Cecil

Dr. Thomas Center

Thomas Chalin

James D. Chambers

Patricia L. Chapman

Ellen MacNeille Charles

Susan Chatfield-Taylor

Stephanie S. Clark

Brutus Clay

Nelson E. Clemmens

Dorian Conger & Jean

Greenland

Diane Connell

Cornelia Corbett

Kip Cornett

Kiki Courtelis

Phillip G. Creek

Dennis Davee

Gwen Davis

Emmanuel & Laura de Seroux

Michael H. Devlin II & Robert M. Devlin

Adele B. Dilschneider

David M. DiPietro

Orlando N. DiRienzo

Donald R. Dizney

David M. Dobson

Everett Russell Dobson

George Doetsch Jr.

Michael Dubb

Sandra Z. Dubose

Michael & Kim Dudgeon

Aisling Cross Duignan

Steve Duncker

Tom Durant

Tawana Edwards & Lawrence R. Nau

Christopher L. Elser

Kristen Esler

Robert S. Evans

R. Douglas Ezzell

William S. Farish

William S. Farish Jr.

Tracy Farmer

Charles F. Farrington

Sid Fernando

Brent Fernung

Terrence P. Finley

Charles Fipke

Kenneth Fishbein

Flaxman Holdings Limited

Caroline A. Forgason

Martha D. Fortney

Moustapha M. Fostock

Joseph F. Fowler Jr. MD

Craig R. Fravel

Jerry Frey

Kamal Fustok

Robert Charles Gardiner MD

Pamela P. Gartin

E. K. Gaylord II

Carl J. Gessler Jr. MD FACC

Curt Gielow

Jim Gladden

Dash C. Goff

Rick Gold

Barry Golden

Richard L. Golden

H. Greg Goodman

Gerald A. Grabcheski

Curtis C. Green

Carl E. Hamilton

Emory A. Hamilton

Lucy Young Hamilton

Nicole Hammond

Arthur Hancock

Deborah Hancock

Seth W. Hancock

Waddell W. "Dell" Hancock II

Walker Hancock

John C. Harris

Susan T. Harris

Matt Haug

Tom & Paula Haughey, Kaitlin Haughey

Dana Lally Haugli

Gregory D. Hawkins

Scott C. Heider

Mr. & Mrs. L. William Heiligbrodt

William & Sally Helwig

A. Douglas Henderson

John Hendrickson

John M. Hess

Milton P. Higgins III

Andrew C. Hils

Henry L. Hinkle Sr.

Muriel N. Hinkle

Thomas S. Hinkle

Carol Holden

Richard D. Holder DVM

Peter Horvitz & Margaret O'Meara

Kosta & Stephanie Hronis & Pete Hronis

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.

Janelle Jackson

M. Roy & Gretchen Jackson

Stuart Janney III

Robert K. Johnson

Sally Fleet Johnson

Gillian S. Johnston

Brereton C. Jones

Kathy L. Jones

Marie D. Jones

Russell B. Jones Jr.

W. Lynn Jones

Juddmonte

Jeffrey D. J. Kallenberg

Harry Kassap

Patrick J. Kearney

Michael Kelly

John H. Kerr III

Charles Kidder & Nancy Cole, Ben Kidder

John Kimmins

Seth A. Klarman

Dr. Gary B. Knapp

William B. Koester

George Krikorian

Solomon Kumin

Marguerite W. Labrot

William L. S. Landes III

Brant M. Laue

Kevin S. Lavin

Sponsor Members

William H. Lawrence

Thomas Lazenby & Jane Lazenby

Lazy F Ranch

Scott Leeds

Meg Levy

Troy Levy

Jeffrey B. Lewis

Donald V. Little Jr.

John Liviakis

Nicholas & Christine Loiacono

Robert & Lawana Low

BCWT, Ltd.

W. Bruce Lunsford

Damian & Braxton Lynch

David C. Lyon

Earle I. Mack

Michael J. Mackin

Patrick Madden

Vivien G. Malloy

Amy Mancuso

Richard Mandella

Cheryl Manning

Marathon Farms, Inc.

Keith Mason & Twinker Mason

Richard & Sue Ann Masson

Michael W. & Suzanne Masters

Robert E. Masterson

John F. P. Mayer

Vickie McBee

Margaret M. McBride

Bernard F. McCormack

Bill McDowell

Dede McGehee DVM

Thomas L. & Susan McGrath

Michael McMahon

Tim McMurry

Brad & Lissa McNulty

Kenneth McPeek

Dr. Edward J. Messina PhD

Bob & Lorie Michaels

Leverett S. Miller

Amy N. Moore

Carl R. Moore

James P. Morehead DVM

Lynn & Sara Morgan

Robert V. Mucci

Edmund T. Mudge IV

Joe Mulholland Jr.

Carl Myers

Keith G. & Ginger Myers

Marsha J. Naify

Drew Nardiello

Joseph B. Nicholson

Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen

Oak Tree Racing Association

Robert P. Ochocki

David O'Farrell

J. Michael O'Farrell Jr.

Clarke Ohrstrom

Vic Oleszkowicz

Paul F. Oreffice

Audrey F. Otto

John & Debby Oxley

Ro Parra

Rodes S. Parrish

William Parsons Jr.

J. Michael Paulson

Linda S. Pavey

Richard Perkins

Anthony Pescetti

Joshua G. Phillips

Joanne Picone-Zocchia

Joan Pieper

Nicole Pieratt

H. Allen Poindexter

Mr. & Mrs. Lee (Kathie) Pokoik

Joel Politi

Hiram C. Polk Jr. MD

Andrea Singer Pollack

Carl F. Pollard

Joseph P. Pons Jr.

Amanda Pope

William J. Price

Kenneth L. Ramsey

R. Alex Rankin

Barbara Ratcliff

Dean & Patti Reeves

Raul & Martha Imelda Reyes

Tom Riddle DVM

Richard Rigney

J. Kirk & Judy Robison

Frank & Kathleen Romeo

Leslie Roncari-Marconi

Thomas J. Rooney

Susan M. Rose

Andrew Rosen

Sheila Rosenblum

Ann J. Rosenstein Giles

Andrew J. Roth

Jaime Roth

J. Andy Roye MD

Lynn Rushing

Brad J. Ruther

Mike G. Rutherford Sr.

Dermot Ryan

Michael J. Ryan

Bob Sambol

Richard Santulli

Beth Savarese

Paul H. Saylor

Peter G. Schiff

Chad Schumer

Barry K. Schwartz

David E. Seguias DVM

John G. Seiler III

Fred Seitz

Tamie Semler

Clark Shepherd

Nancy C. Shuford

Gary L. Shultz

Samantha Siegel

John G. Sikura

Bo & Stella Smith

Hamilton A. Smith

Kim S. Smith

Margaret L. Smith

Gregory Clarke

Diane P. Snowden

Hal Snowden Jr.

William G. Snowden

Michael Snyder

Richard & Connie Snyder

Robert Spiegel

Caroline Stautberg

Jessica Steinbrenner

Beverly Randolph Steinman

Jill Stephens

Charles C. "Chris" Stiller

Frank Stronach

Richard A. Sturgill

Stuart Subotnick

Joseph Sutton

Jack Swain III

Thomas J. Swales IV

T. Wayne & Cathy H. Sweezey

Peter & Marie Taaffe

David Michael Talla

Curtis S. Tamkin

Stella Thayer

Becky Thomas

Betty B. Thomas DVM

Patricia A. Thompson

Ramona Holt Thomson

Three Chimneys Farm

Omar Trevino

Kenny Troutt

Michael P. Tudor

Murray Valene

Donald J. Valpredo

Katharine M. Voss

Glen C. Warren MD

Halina Warren

W. K. Warren Jr.

Arthur A. Watson Jr.

Alain Wertheimer

Gary & Mary West

Constance Oneil White

Bennett Bell Williams

Peter S. Willmott

William B. Wilmot DVM

Carolyn Wilson

Steve Wilson

Mrs. James W. Wilson Jr.

WinStar Farm

Richard & Yvette Wira

Jack & Laurie Wolf

Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC

Patrick & Angela Woods

Rene R. & Lauren E. Woolcott

David W. Wright

Martin J. Wygod

Darrell Yates

Jeffrey W. Yingling

Christopher H. Young

J. Bonner Young

Stephen A. Young

Arnold Zetcher

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 ARIZONA BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Marvin Fleming and Gerald Fleming - Fleming Thoroughbred Farm LLC

When Gene Fleming purchased his first broodmare in 1947, he surely never imagined that three-quarters of a century later the family’s Fleming Thoroughbred Farm would be one of the Southwest region’s most important and well-known breeding operations. Brothers Marvin Fleming and Gerald Fleming operate the 320-acre facility on land that has comprised the family farm since 1914. The Flemings are so woven into the fabric of Arizona racing that last year a horse Marvin and Gerald bred, Arizona Andrew, won three consecutive stakes races. This year he won the most prestigious race for Arizona-breds, which is named for their father—the Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby—at Turf Paradise.

“We mostly breed to race within Arizona because they have a good breeders’ incentive program here,” Marvin said. “But a lot of our trainers here go to Prairie Meadows and more and more of our horses are spreading around the country.”

The Fleming farm in Willcox, Ariz., east of Tucson, is home to about 180 horses, including four stallions and 45 mares. Adding those from clients, they foaled 76 mares this spring. The property also features a five-eighths-

By Jim Mulvihill

mile training track, a training barn, a foaling barn, and a mare motel. “We’re hands-on here,” Marvin said. “We do the work ourselves and don’t expect anyone else to do the work for us. We’re a family operation and me and my brother are out there every day.”

Some of the Flemings’ prominent partners include owner/trainer Kevin Eikleberry, who trained Arizona Andrew, and Lloyd Yother, president of the Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

Other recent successes include Fortified Effort, a three-time winner of the ATBA Fall Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise, a multiple stakes winner at Arapahoe Park, and their first winner of the Gene Fleming. The Ez Effort gelding was bred by the Flemings and co-owned along with Yother, Eikleberry, and William Matthews.

The same group, minus Matthews, also campaigned Arizona and Iowa stakes winner Ima Trouble Maker, by Lotsa Mischief, bred by the Flemings. This is the seventh consecutive leading Arizona breeder title for Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, dating to 2016. In 2022 they retired Per Capita, a winning son of Tapit and a full brother to graded stakes winners Anchor Down and Iron Fist and a half brother to grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu, to stand at Fleming. Their other stallions are Lotsa Mischief (by Into Mischief), Ez Effort (by In Excess), and Distorted Reality (by Distorted Humor). ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

By Karen M. Johnson

2022 ARKANSAS BREEDER OF THE YEAR John E. Anthony - Shortleaf Stable

With three Arkansas homebreds making their way to the winner’s circle in stakes races for John Ed Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable in 2022, the owner/ breeder had a resoundingly productive year that also saw him rank 41st among North American breeders with race earnings topping $2.2 million.

The icing on the cake for Anthony, whose former Loblolly Stable produced a pair of classic-winning champions, Prairie Bayou and Temperence Hill, was found close to home, at his beloved home track, Oaklawn Park. Anthony, 84, who won his first race at the Arkansas oval in 1972, celebrated a significant milestone Feb. 26, 2022, when his homebred, Rolling Fork, captured an Arkansas-bred allowance optional claimer to mark his 270th Oaklawn victory, the most by any owner.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know they kept those kinds of records,” Anthony said. “Someone from the media called and told me, ‘Gosh, you’re a handful of wins away from the all-time (leading owner).’ I said, ‘My goodness, I never added those wins up.’

“The Arkansas program is a really great program, and I feel fortunate to be a resident there, as well as a longtime Oaklawn participant. The new (extended season), starting in December and racing into May, has been a great move by Oaklawn Park, and Mr. (Louis) Cella deserves credit for that. We’re certainly fortunate to have a progressive and well-operated track in our backyard and that’s why I participate in the breeding program.” With a broodmare band of about 25, Anthony has mares in both Arkansas, at McDowell Farm near Sparkman, Ark., and at Stone Farm in Paris, Ky.,

and frequently shuttles them back and forth to sires in each state. His 2022 Arkansas-bred stakes winners, who combined to win four stakes between them, Gar Hole, The Mary Rose, and Whelen Springs, are products of an Anthony family collaboration.

“I have to give full credit to my wife, Isabel, and my son, Ed Anthony, who is a pedigree analyst and an expert on the subject,” Anthony said proudly. “He plans and lays out the breedings for me to consider and approve. He’s a student of Bill Oppenheim and worked for Bill for many years, and he was then the stallion manager at Three Chimneys for several years. Ed is just enthralled by the business.

“We have come to believe it is better for us to have more homebreds, than sale yearlings, but whenever you have a crop of babies, and it gets too disproportionate, too many fillies and not enough colts, or vice versa, we kind of fill in the gap at sales, but we’re not as active as we were many years ago when I was racing as Loblolly Stable.” ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 CALIFORNIA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Nick Alexander

Nick Alexander’s success is tied inextricably to one horse: Grazen. Together the two have made a major impact on California racing, with Alexander homebreds by the stallion a frequent sight in California races and California winner’s circles.

Alexander led the state’s breeders list by purse earnings, while Grazen topped several California sire lists. Grazen, an Alexander homebred graded stakes-winning son of Benchmark, began slowly, with Alexander primarily breeding his own mares to him. But the stallion has become extremely popular with all breeders.

“Nobody gave him much credit the first few years he stood—as they probably shouldn’t have because he had a short career, although a good one,” said Alexander.

Others tried Grazen’s offspring as 2-year-olds, but soon discovered that the runners improved with age and that they could succeed on any surface.

“His horses are big, strong horses, and they mature at 3,” said Alexander. “Probably their best years are 4 and 5.”

Grazen, who spends the summer and fall at Alexander’s Horse Haven Farm in Santa Ynez, Calif., will stand the 2024 breeding season at Eclipse Thoroughbred Training & Sports Therapy just down the road in Buellton,

By Tracy Gantz

Calif. Mike and Angie Scully, who start Alexander’s babies, run the facility on land that previously housed River Edge Farm. During its heyday, River Edge stood many leading California sires, including Benchmark.

Alexander’s 2022 racing stable, trained primarily by Phil D’Amato and Steve Miyadi, had a plethora of talented and versatile Grazen offspring. Connie Swingle led the group, with earnings of $323,564 for the season.

Named for a Hall of Fame drag racer and trained by D’Amato, Connie Swingle won the 2021 Generous Portion Stakes on the dirt and excelled on turf in 2022. She captured the Unzip Me Stakes and ran second in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes, both listed stakes down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, and placed in two dirt stakes. Trained in 2022 by D’Amato and now with Miyadi for 2023 is Rose Dawson, who won the 2022 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks.

Miyadi’s Grazen runners included Lieutenant Dan and Rose Maddox. Lieutenant Dan, the 2021 California-bred Horse of the Year, won the 2022 Green Flash Handicap (G3T) and Rose Maddox finished second in the Melair Stakes and became a multiple stakes winner in 2023.

Becca Taylor is that rare Alexander homebred not by Grazen. She is by Old Topper, and her near-perfect record for Miyadi in 2022 earned her the champion Cal-bred older female title. Becca Taylor won four stakes, two of them graded.

But it is Grazen who supplies the majority of Alexander’s racing stable, and soon the stallion will be doing it as a broodmare sire.

“He continues to amaze me,” said Alexander. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

By Jennifer Morrison

2022 CANADA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Frank & Elfriede Stronach - Adena Springs

Frank and Frieda Stronach's Adena Springs won its 13th Sovereign Award as Canada’s Outstanding Breeder of 2022 for the success of its horses foaled at the Aurora, Ontario, farm.

Adena Springs North, previously Beechwood Farm in the 1960s when Frank purchased his first horse, has produced hundreds of stakes winners and dozens of champions. Great Ontario-breds such as Glorious Song and Awesome Again were foaled at the farm.

Frank Stronach came to Canada from Austria in 1952 as a tool-and-die maker which led to him creating what would become the Magna automotive parts manufacturing and electronic technology business. His first horse purchase was a riding horse in the early 1960s and in two years he had bought a racehorse. Stronach’s expansion in racing has included other farms in the U.S., racetrack acquisitions, and the creation of the Ontario-based Adena Springs horse retirement program.

Rarely a Canadian racing season goes by without at least one Adena Springs-bred star and that certainly was true in 2022. Moira, the brilliant 3-year-old filly by the Stronachs’ world class sire Ghostzapper, was named Canada’s Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly off her big wins in the Queen's Plate Stakes over males and the Woodbine Oaks. Moira, owned by X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing, was produced from a mare, Devine Aida, purchased by Adena Springs as a 2-year-old in 2014. Another top horse of 2022 bred by Adena is Philip My Dear, Canada’s champion 2-year-old male and a son of the farm's two-time leading Cana-

dian sire Silent Name. Philip My Dear won the Cup and Saucer Stakes and Soaring Free Stakes and finished third in the grade 1 Summer Stakes and Coronation Futurity for owner Raroma Stables. Adena Springs also is represented in 2022 by homebred graded stakes-placed Silent Poet as well as stakes-placed Friends for Life and Silent Fortune.

Adena Springs also is the busiest stallion station in Ontario. It currently stands five stallions including the aforementioned Silent Name, Queen's Plate and grade 1 winner Shaman Ghost, and multiple grade 1 winner Point of Entry.

A visionary, Frank has crafted Adena Springs into the most successful nursery of horses that are bred to sell in Canada. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2002 and received the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2018.

“I can help bring forward ideas—the horse community needs new ideas,” said Stronach in 2022. “I’ve invested the most in horse racing of anybody on this continent. I love horses and they are a huge part of my life.” ●

By Jennifer Morrison

2022 CANADA SMALL BREEDER OF THE YEAR Russell & Lois Bennett - Flying Horse Farm

For almost four decades Russell (R.J.) and Lois Bennett have dominated Thoroughbred breeding in their home province of British Columbia. Since 1982 the Bennetts have led all B.C. breeders 28 times, the most recent in 2020, and have consistently been among Canada’s leading breeders.

It all started when R.J. bought a mare for show jumping for $150 who turned out to be in foal. As he tells the story, “I got the papers for that foal and then you start getting into pedigrees and you know the trap. The dream starts.”

The Bennetts opened their Flying Horse Farm in Westbank, B.C., in the mid 1960s and initially focused on show jumpers but fell in love with Thoroughbred racing and breeding after frequent trips to Exhibition Park (now Hastings) in Vancouver with Lois' uncle.

As the Bennetts moved their primary focus toward Thoroughbred breeding, they began to expand their broodmare band through sales in Kentucky during the 1960s. They operate as a breed-to-race operation. Fillies and mares that run well on the track are often bred once their racing careers are completed.

Their most famous horse is Travelling Victor, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 1983, and the first horse racing outside of Ontario to win that award. The son of Hail to Victory won 21 races and more than $770,000. His success led to R.J. and Lois earning the 1983 Sovereign Award as Outstanding

Breeder. Travelling Victor went on to become a leading sire while standing at Flying Horse Farm. The Bennetts have a long list of stakes winners they have bred and raced, including Always a Dixie, multiple graded stakes winner Lord Nelson, and 2015 British Columbia Horse of the Year Touching Promise. The couple have been inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the British Columbia Horse Racing Hall of Fame. One honor that they particularly covet was receiving the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit from the Jockey Club of Canada in 2016. “It was unbelievable, truly a great honor,” said Lois Bennett. Currently the Bennetts stand two stallions at Flying Horse Farm, 2008 Queen's Plate winner Not Bourbon and the successful A.P. Indy son, Sungold. While their racehorse numbers have decreased a bit, they had stakes winner Solarity in 2022 along with stakes-placed fillies Viva La Vino and Cha Ching. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 FLORIDA BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Alan & Brian Cohen - Arindel Farm

A perennial force in Florida racing, Arindel’s biggest success in 2022 came outside of the Sunshine State when their homebred Key Biscayne won the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park, springing a big upset at odds of 36-1. On the strength of that win and five other stakes winners, Arindel was named the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s Florida Breeder of the Year.

Their homebred Lynx was named champion 2-year-old Florida-bred filly. All of Arindel’s stakes winners were sired by their stallion Brethren, who stands at their farm in Ocala, Fla.

The nom de course of Alan Cohen and his son Brian, Arindel led all Florida breeders in 2022 with earnings of more than $3 million from horses bred in the state; they also topped all owners with $1.9 million in earnings from Florida-bred runners.

A 2020 filly out of the Red Bullet mare Darby Rose, Lynx earned more than $300,00 during her four-race juvenile campaign, winning two editions of FTBOA stakes (the Susan’s Girl and Desert Vixen) and finishing second in another (the My Dear Girl). Stablemate Turbo, out of Horah for Bailey (by Doneraile Court) contributed a win in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park and two runner-up finishes in FTBOA stakes, the Affirmed and the Dr. Fager.

By Teresa Genaro

A 2019 Brethren colt out of Alexandra Rylee (by Afleet Alex), Clapton won the Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap at Gulfstream Park, and his lifetime earnings of $522,890 rank him second among Brethren’s progeny. By Distorted Humor, Brethren was raced by his breeder WinStar Farm and Winchell Thoroughbreds. The winner of the 2011 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs stood his first season at Journeyman Stallions in Florida, jointly owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Arindel Farm, then moved the following year to Pleasant Acres Stallions, also in Florida. He began standing at Arindel in 2018, and in 2021, he was the state’s leading juvenile sire, a title he also held in 2019.

“My father made a deal with Winchell to own him jointly,” said Brian Cohen. “Brethren is out of the A.P. Indy mare Supercharger, and my father loves that line. She was a phenomenal broodmare, and all the mares down that line are producers.”

Overall in 2022, Arindel runners earned $2 million in purses, the stable winning at a 14% rate and hitting a 46% rate of top-three finishes. They led all owners for the spring/summer meet at Gulfstream Park in 2021 with 17 wins.

Building on their success in Florida, the Cohens have begun to expand their breeding operation to other states and to move beyond breeding to race to breeding to sell.

“We’ve got 43 mares in Florida, 11 in Kentucky, and 11 in New York,” said Cohen. “We’re expanding a bit into buying and selling, rather than breeding and running everything in Florida.” ●

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Congratulates

Florida Breeder of the year

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 INDIANA BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Greg Justice - Justice Farms, Inc.

Greg Justice’s Justice Farm has found a lucrative niche focusing on state-bred programs, which has resulted in multiple Indiana Breeder of the Year honors. He also won the Hoosier State’s stallion owner of the year award. Both are based on total award payments from the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Program, which awards a bonus equal to 20% of the purse for races at Horseshoe Indianapolis and 10% for races out of state.

Justice Farm is located near Lexington but sends several of its mares to two Justice-owned stallions—Harry’s Holiday (by Harlan’s Holiday) and Lantana Mob (by Posse)—standing at Janice Jordan’s Breakway Farm in Dillsboro, Ind.

“Indiana is just a good program to make money, whether you’re just a mare owner, but especially if you own the mare and the stallion,” Justice said. “The state has done a really good job; they try to get input from breeders to help improve the program. They’re continuing to add money and I hope more people start to look at the program.”

By Jim Mulvihill

Indiana also offers $1,000 bonuses for mares foaling in Indiana for the first time. The award doubles if the mare is bred back to an Indiana sire the next season.

Justice’s top successes as breeders in 2022 included Spotonjustice (Lantana Mob—Mining Town), winner of the $100,000 Crown Ambassador Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Too Bad Justice (Harry’s Holiday—Alegra), winner of the Sagamore Sired Stakes and placing in two other stakes, also at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Both remained in training for 2023 and have competed in Indiana stakes this year.

The Justice horses are easy to spot and track, as nearly all of the homebreds have “justice” in their names. Last year’s 50 winners also included stakesplaced Rockin Justice and Wildcatjustice.

Harry’s Holiday first stood for an advertised fee of $3,000 in 2017 but has seen that advertised fee increase to $7,500. Harry’s Holiday’s dam, Daisy Mason (by Orientate), is out of Leslie’s Lady, making her a half sister to leading multiple North American sire Into Mischief (by Harlan’s Holiday), four-time Eclipse Award champion Beholder, and grade 1 winner Mendelssohn.

“The quality of mares has improved with him, so I can just see bigger and better things for him in the coming years,” Justice said. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 IOWA BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Allen Poindexter - Poindexter Thoroughbreds, LLC

H. Allen Poindexter again has proven himself among Iowa’s all-time great owners and breeders. Based on earnings at Prairie Meadows in 2022, he was named ITBOA Breeder and Owner of the Year, racing both in his own name and as Poindexter Thoroughbreds.

In 2022 his Hawkeye State-bred foals included the winners of more than $1.3 million, while his Iowaowned runners raked in nearly $1 million.

Tops among these competitors were Miss Peach, whom Poindexter bred and co-owns with Albaugh Family Stables. On July 22, she prevailed by a nose to win the Iowa Stallion Filly Stakes. Then, Oct. 1, the daughter of Dominus captured the Iowa Breeders’ Oaks over six rivals, including stablemate Kayla, while carrying co-top weight of 122 pounds. In total, she won three times and finished second once in her six starts, all at Prairie Meadows. Miss Peach earned $152,867 in 2022, en route to a well-deserved title as the state’s top sophomore filly.

Bossy Moment also brought home the Prairie Meadows black type last year. An Iowa homebred for Poindexter, she won $126,424 by winning three of her nine starts, including the Oct. 1 Donna Reed Stakes.

By Carly Silver

Beyond the big year for his horses, Poindexter was inducted into the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino Hall of Fame last July.

Poindexter had plenty of success in the sales ring in 2022, too. A lot of that is thanks to one sage purchase. Poindexter spent a mere $8,000 to buy a stakes-placed daughter of More Than Ready (in foal to Bwana Charlie) at Phase I of the July 2011 Fasig-Tipton Heiligbrodt Dispersal. Named Game for More, she went on to foal grade 3 winner Giant Game, who finished third in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

At the 2022 Keeneland January sale, Call to Service, a To Honor and Serve half sister to Giant Game bred by Poindexter, sold for $350,000. Consigned by Sequel New York and in foal to Horse of the Year Authentic, she was bought by Cary Bloodstock, for Coteau Grove Farms.

At that year’s Ocala Breeders Sales Co. April Sale, another Giant Game half sibling, this one a colt by leading sire Into Mischief, hammered for $825,000 to Mitsu Nakauchida. Named Great Sand Sea, the colt bred by Poindexter previously brought $385,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

Don’t expect Poindexter’s success to end anytime soon, either. In fact, 2023 is already turning out to be one of his best years yet. Thus far, Poindexter-breds Giant Game and Skelly have both won graded stakes, while Brightwork, co-bred by Poindexter and Wynnstay Inc., annexed the July 2 Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park. ●

2022 KENTUCKY BREEDER OF THE YEAR Godolphin

A potent stable led by 14 homebred graded stakes winners propelled Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin to the top of the Kentucky breeder standings for the 2022 racing season, giving the international operation its third consecutive title in the Bluegrass State.

Godolphin was selected by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders and recognized by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Worldwide, Godolphin was represented by 96 stakes winners, which include 61 graded/group winners. In North America, its breeding program was represented by 22 black-type winners of which 15 were graded stakes winners. Godolphin raced 18 of its stakes winners as homebreds and, of those, 14 were graded stakes winners in North America. The season ended with an exclamation mark in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland where Godolphin’s blue silks adorned the winner’s circle in four races: Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) with Rebel’s Romance, Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) with Modern Games, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Cody’s Wish, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) with Mischief Magic.

By Eric Mitchell

“We have been fortunate for the last couple of years that the stable has been firing and our trainers have done a great job for us,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA director of bloodstock. “But to expect to have back-to-back years like this is not realistic. It is the culmination in our breeding program of focusing on the long game—carefully selecting the mares, enjoying some success with our stallions, and over five, 10, 15 years a lot of hard work that we now see the fruits of that labor.”

Godolphin owns Darley Stallions at Jonabell near Lexington, where it stands 11 stallions: Enticed, Essential Quality, Frosted, Hard Spun, Maxfield, Medaglia d’Oro, Midshipman, Mystic Guide, Nyquist, Speaker’s Corner, and Street Sense.

Two of the farm’s Breeders’ Cup winners also are by its leading European sire Dubawi, who stands at Dalham Hall Stud in England.

Despite its strong roster of stallions, however, a key strength of the Godolphin breeding program is to use quality sires no matter where they stand.

“We are very selective about who we use and it has to be the right stallion for that particular mare, so we don’t just breed them in-house for the sake of it,” said Banahan. “There is a great selection of good stallions in Central Kentucky and you see we’ve used a wide variety of them, like Essential Quality, by Tapit, or Cody’s Wish, by Curlin. Of course, any time you can have them by one of our stallions is great.” ●

CONGRATULATIONS A BREED APART

to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s GODOLPHIN operation on being honored as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s KENTUCKY BREEDER OF THE YEAR for the third consecutive year.

Godolphin was represented in 2022 by such Kentucky-bred Grade 1 winners as CODY’S WISH, SANTIN, MATAREYA, PROXY, and SPEAKER’S CORNER.

Cody’s Wish (KY)

Cody Dorman and family

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 LOUISIANA BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Chester Thomas - Allied Racing Stables LLC

Chester Thomas, despite being based in Kentucky, has proved time and again that his dedication to the breeding program in Louisiana is as strong as ever. There is plenty for Thomas to point to in a successful 2022 campaign and even more on the horizon. On the track, his Allied Racing Stable’s most successful Louisiana-bred’s name answered the question on everyone’s mind.

“Chester has been successful in a lot of things,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “First off, he’s a high-energy guy. He works extremely hard in everything he’s involved in. He keeps on top of everything but he doesn’t get in your way.”

Thomas’ approach to the game has created a lot of success.

The aptly named Who Took the Money never missed the board, going 4-0-2 in six starts and earning $191,550. At one point, the Street Boss gelding reeled off three straight wins in black-type stakes, including winning the Gold Cup Stakes at Delta Downs with a career-best Equibase Speed Figure of 111. For his career, the 5-year-old has earned nearly half a million dollars.

“Who Took the Money is an interesting horse,” said Calhoun. “He’s extremely talented. He runs well on both surfaces; he’s a better turf horse. He can run with open-class horses on the turf.”

By Joe Perez

Another runner, Winning Romance, was 2-3-0 from seven starts with $143,540 in earnings.

Thomas has also positioned himself elsewhere.

As an owner, he moved his five-time graded stakes winner and three-time Breeders’ Cup participant Mr. Money from Florida to Clear Creek Stud in Louisiana in August of last year. The millionaire son of Goldencents, which he owns in partnership with Spendthrift Farm, is part of a plan to invest back into the state’s breeding program. Along with another stallion, By My Standards, who went to stud in 2022, Thomas’ Allied Racing Stable hopes to prove the viability of not just his stallions but elevate the state’s profile in the sport.

By My Standard, who is also by Goldencents and stands at Spendthrift Farm, was even more successful on the track, earning more than $2 million with numerous grade 1 starts to his credit: the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Clark Stakes the Metropolitan Handicap, and twice in the Whitney Stakes, including a second-place effort in 2020.

With Mr. Money’s yearlings hitting the sales ring this year, it’s only a matter of time before results are seen.

“He’s trying to breed a lot with his own stallions,” said Calhoun. “If the looks of these foals, if they end up going like they look, I think we are going to have big years to come.”

Calhoun said of the success of 2022, “It was almost like a fairy tale run for us.”

If that run continues, the next chapter will likely be more exciting. ●

2022 MARYLAND BREEDER OF THE YEAR Tom & Chris Bowman - Dance Forth Farm

Dr. Tom and Chris Bowman’s journey in the Thoroughbred industry is remarkable.

Neither grew up around horses; Tom grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore while Chris was an orphan who came to the United States when she was 11. And it wasn’t until after becoming a veterinarian when Tom was inspired by horses on his uncle’s farm that his path became clear. Chris has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since the birth of her first of five children.

“They weren’t born into it. I think that’s kind of interesting and important because there are so many people who are. There are generations and generations of horse folks,” said their daughter Becky Davis.

The Bowmans are no strangers to being named TOBA’s Breeder of the Year for Maryland. Their 2022 honor is the 10th time they have received the award. This follows 1998, 2005-08, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. Only Robert Meyerhoff (11) has been honored more times than the Bowmans.

It was a banner year for the Bowmans, who sat atop the standings of all categories when it came to Maryland-bred runners. All of the categorical leaders were either bred by them or in partnership. The Bowmans 528 starters registered 94 wins and 133 second- or third-place finishes. Those starters earned $3,821,060 and had the highest average earnings per start among the top-10 breeders in the state by total earnings.

By Joe Perez

Tops among those runners is Double Crown. Bred with Davis, Double Crown was 2-4-0 from 14 starts with $322,330 in earnings. The Bourbon Courage gelding triumphed in the Kelso Handicap (G2) at the Belmont at the Big A meet. The then-5-year-old took a step up in competition, running a distant sixth in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct.

“If you ask them, they would probably say they have a dedicated crew, which has been a lot of family for a lot of years. … Honestly, I truly believe the key to their success has been their partnerships,” Davis said.

“Every time they have something, they want to share it,” she added.

Another is 2022 Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old male Post Time. Bred with their son Dr. Brooke Bowman and Milton Higgins III, Post Time won all three times he was asked. The son of Frosted capped off his year with the Maryland Juvenile Stakes.

Higgins, who died earlier this year, left an indelible mark on the Bowmans.

“If you want to say there is one thing that stands out (about 2022), it would have to be him,” Davis said. “There are plenty of other partnerships, and they’ve had a lot of success with local stallions and local horses. … If you are going to pinpoint just last year, then Milton Higgins and his involvement with my parents was instrumental because most of the horses that helped to achieve that result were in partnership with him.”

Other standouts for the Bowmans (alone or in partnership) in 2022 were Alottahope, who ran fourth in the Chick Lang Stakes (G3); Alwaysinahurry; Divine Huntress, who finished fourth in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and second in the Acorn Stakes (G1); and Local Motive. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 MINNESOTA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Robert Lothenbach - Lothenbach Stables

Multiple graded stakes-winning owner/breeder Robert Lothenbach secured back-to-back Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association awards for the state of Minnesota on the back of a sterling year for his stable in 2022. As an owner, Lothenbach’s runners recorded their highest earnings yet with his stable amassing a bankroll of $4,142,340 for the year.

Lothenbach Stables’ netted 87 overall wins from 387 starts in 2022 and landed stakes victories across the country with Bell’s the One, Happy American, and She Can’t Sing in addition to other stakes winners at Canterbury Park and Colonial Downs.

A fervent supporter of the Minnesota breeding program, Lothenbach was recently inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame. The leading owner at Canterbury for the last few years, Lothenbach set an earnings record in 2022 netting $1,521,176 in purses. He has won more than 200 races at the Shakopee, Minn., oval.

Although he currently owns 36 broodmares, Lothenbach breeds between 10 to 15 Minnesota-breds each year. Trainer Joel Berndt currently oversees a stable of more than 50 of Lothenbach’s Minnesota-breds each year at Canterbury Park. Lothenbach’s homebreds were on no greater display than on Sept. 10, 2022, during Canterbury Park’s Minnesota Festival of

By Molly Rollins

Champions, where his runners captured four of the six Thoroughbred stakes races on the card. Among those winners was homebred Midnight Current, a daughter of Midnight Lute who went 5-for-5 during her 2022 season on her way to being crowned Minnesota’s Horse of the Year.

Apart from his success in Minnesota, Lothenbach’s stable finished among the top 10 owners nationally by earnings won in 2022. The aforementioned trio of Bell’s the One, Happy American, and She Can’t Sing were pivotal to that success.

Purchased by Lothenbach for $155,000 as a yearling at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton July Sale, Bell’s the One capped her 27-start career last year at Churchill Downs with victories in the Lady Tak and Open Mind stakes. The daughter of Majesticperfection was also a heartbreaking second in Keeneland’s Madison Stakes (G1) and third in the Chicago Stakes (G3) earlier that season. Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell’s the One retired with earnings of $2,000,675 and five graded stakes wins, including a top-level score in the 2020 Derby City Distaff (G1).

Another Pessin trainee for Lothenbach, Happy American, also closed out his 2022 campaign on a winning note. The late-running son of Runhappy nabbed his first stakes win in the Dec. 26 Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He then upped the ante with a graded stakes tally in the Jan. 21 Louisiana Stakes (G3).

Arguably one of the more banner achievements from 2022 for Lothenbach was winning the Chilukki Stakes (G3) with his homebred She Can’t Sing. Trained by Chris Block, the Bernardini mare romped home by 33/4 lengths Nov. 19 under the Twin Spires. The win was her fourth of the year, all of which were achieved in stakes company. ●

2022 NEW JERSEY BREEDER OF THE YEAR Christine Connelly - Bright View Farm

Christine Connelly’s Bright View Farm, one of the oldest breeding operations in New Jersey, garnered its fourth Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association title for their success in 2022. The farm enjoyed a banner year with two of its alumni, I Can Run and Girl Trouble (in partnership), capturing New Jersey-bred championships in the 3-year-old filly and 2-year-old filly divisions, respectively. Girl Trouble’s dam, Adorabella, was honored as the New Jersey-bred Broodmare of the Year.

Bright View Farm had previously won the New Jersey TOBA award in 1986, 2011, and 2014.

“It’s wonderful to be recognized for breeding good horses and I’m very happy to be doing so in New Jersey,” Connelly said.

Established in 1975, the 270-acre Bright View Farm is currently the home of 18-20 broodmares, some of whom belong to Connelly in addition to outside clients. There are a dozen other pensioned broodmares, many of them foundation mares for the farm, that also reside on the Chesterfield, N.J., property.

“I’m hopeful that the New Jersey racing program can continue to thrive,” Connelly said. “It has tremendous challenges, as all the racing programs from other states do, but I have my fingers crossed and I’ll continue to do everything I can to promote the success of the program.”

By Molly Rollins

New Jersey-bred champion 3-year-old filly I Can Run is a fourth generational runner produced from Bright View Farm’s blue hen mare Hana J. Unraced, Hana J, a daughter of Peaks and Valleys, has begat three blacktype stakes winners with I Can Run joining older half siblings Silent Appeal and Exit Stage Left. Hana J was named New Jersey-bred Broodmare of the Year in 2014.

I Can Run is campaigned by Robert Bone and Magic Stable and is a winner in three of her eight starts in 2022, notching her biggest victory when defeating older rivals in the $104,000 Eleven North Handicap Aug. 28 at Monmouth Park. The 4-year-old daughter of Tourist, an earner of $195,190, is trained by Claudio Gonzalez.

Girl Trouble, bred in partnership with Gregory Kilka, has already notched two stakes wins in her young career (one in 2023) with a bankroll of $283,490. The Fast Anna filly registered back-to-back triumphs in the Future Stars Filly Division Stakes and this year in the Parx Futurity, both at Parx Racing. The Robert Reid Jr. trainee has also placed in three other stakes for owner Swilcan Stable and LC Racing.

Adorabella currently has a yearling colt by Classic Empire bred in partnership and is in foal to Medaglia d’Oro. Kilka acquired the Ghostzapper mare with Girl Trouble in utero at the 2020 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale for $14,000.

A leading owner and breeder of New Jersey-breds for years, Bright View Farm continues to race a small string of homebreds in the Garden State but is an active player in the sales ring as well. Girl Trouble and I Can Run were sold at the 2021 and 2020, respectively, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 NEW MEXICO BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Robert M. & DelRae Driggers - Bar Y Equine

As the saying goes, it takes a lot of hard work to be an overnight sensation. That can be attributed to the success of Robert and Del Rae Driggers and their homebred Bella Dona (raced with Ben Lee Ivey). Robert Driggers started in the horse business in the 1970s with a few horses and later started breeding. Those years of effort have culminated with a TOBA award as the top breeders in New Mexico, thanks to Bella Dona, who ran the table as a 3-year-old filly in 2022, winning all seven of her starts and earning $495,000.

Breeding and racing both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses is a staple of most New Mexico outfits, and the Driggers’ Bar Y Equine in Berino, N.M., is no different. Their racing stable is a mix of both breeds and on the ranch they have 15 broodmares and one Quarter Horse stallion.

“We’re breeding Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses and we run quite a few of them,” Robert told BloodHorse earlier this year. “I trained for several years but haven’t for about eight or nine years.”

Robert said when he was training, the New Mexico tracks ran mixed meets and he started by claiming a few Thoroughbreds.

“When I was training, I really loved Thoroughbreds because you can do so much more with them. You can stretch them out or spread them. With Thoroughbreds, there’s a little more strategy to it.”

By Evan Hammonds

The strategy with Bella Dona, trained by Simon Buechler, is pretty simple. Saddle her, send her out, and head to the winner’s circle.

In her unbeaten campaign—all seven outings came in stakes—the year started in mid-January with the six-furlong La Senora Stakes at Sunland Park and resulted in a four-length tally. She notched two more wins at the south New Mexico track in the one-mile Enchantress Stakes and the $250,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks at 11/16 miles. Ruidoso Downs was the site of her victory in the Lincoln Stakes and later came the Carlos Salazar and Petticoat Stakes at Albuquerque Downs. Her season wrapped up in Zia Park’s New Mexico Classic Cup Oaks Championship Stakes. Bella Dona, by Attila’s Storm—Charlotte’s Drone, by B. G.’s Drone, tasted defeat for just the second time in her 14 career outings in March of this year. In all, she’s 12-1-0 and has earned $753,068. Her success has meant a lot to the Driggers.

“It’s been out of this world,” Robert said. “You don’t get these runners; you might get one in a lifetime and that’s it. We know you better appreciate what you have when you have it.”

“Small breeders can have big success,” said Del Rae. “We have a handful of mares; some breeders have 25 mares or more. It gives people some hope that, ‘Hey, I can have one of those runners.’ ” ●

2022 NEW YORK BREEDER OF THE YEAR Chester & Mary Broman - Chestertown Farm

Despite downsizing in recent years, Chester and Mary Broman remain among the national elite in breeding Thoroughbreds. Developing a prodigious breed-to-race program, the Bromans have been named outstanding breeders in New York seven times, including 2022.

They’ve led the state’s breeders by earnings in six of the last seven years, finishing second on the leaderboard in 2020, and they topped the owners’ list by earnings from 2016 through 2019. Their homebred Mr. Buff finished in the top five in earnings in the state in both 2020 and 2019, the latter year runner-up to multiple graded stakes winner Audible.

In 2022, 3-year-old filly Fingal’s Cave led Bromans-bred horses by earnings, with $315,500. The first foal out of the Bromans’ New York-bred Barbie On a Budget (by Mineshaft), Fingal’s Cave is by Carpe Diem and won her first four races, including the Fleet Indian Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, before finishing second in the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland. Multiple stakes-winner Acoustic Ave sold for $200,000 as a 2-year-old to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and in five starts in 2022 racked up four wins, three of them in stakes races—the Aspirant Stakes and New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes and the Notebook Stakes at Aqueduct—

By Teresa Genaro

for earnings of $281,260. He was also voted New York-bred champion 2-year-old male.

A Bromans-bred 2-year-old brought the highest price at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, bringing $3.55 million from Zedan Racing. A son of Bernardini, Hejazi ran third while still a maiden in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. Other notable 2022 Bromans-bred stakes winners include Arctic Arrogance and Coinage, the first foal out of millionaire Bar of Gold, the Bromans’ 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner. By Tapit, Coinage sold for $450,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale to D. J. Stable, with the Bromans purchasing an interest. A graded stakes winner with earnings of $349,541, he was twice graded stakes-placed in 2022, finishing third in the Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland and in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.

Another Bromans-bred millionaire, Highway Star, won four graded stakes races in 2016-17 and missed a grade 1 win by a head in the Ballerina Stakes. Retiring in 2018 as a millionaire, she, like Bar of Gold, joined the Bromans’ broodmare band in upstate New York.

At the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales’ March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, the Bromans-bred Chestertown was the highest seller, going for $2 million to West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello, and Siena Farm. By Tapit, Chestertown—named in honor of the Bromans farm—is out of Artemis Agrotera, a multiple grade 1-winning mare for the Bromans. ●

Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 NORTH CAROLINA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Nancy Shuford - Rockhouse Farm

At the 2010 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Jody and Michelle Huckabay of Elm Tree Farm bought their client, Nancy Shuford, a special mare. In foal to Mr. Greeley, Bashful Bertie, a homebred for Bertram and Elaine Klein, sold for $90,000.

At the time of the sale, Shuford was in Venezuela—a long way from Keeneland. So when the Huckabays told her they’d spotted a promising prospect, she gave them the green light. After all, though Bashful Bertie was a non-winner from four starts, the Quiet American mare out of Clever Bertie (by Timeless Native) was a full sister to multiple grade 2 winner and grade 1-placed Allamerican Bertie and a half sister to graded stakes winner Hurricane Bertie. “I was lucky and they are great people and they have a great eye,” Shuford enthused, adding, “We’re so fortunate in Jody and Michelle Huckabay.”

That purchase has proved a bargain. Bashful Bertie’s Speightstown filly, the late Carolina Bertie, produced two foals that sold for six figures in 2022. Named Sonic Star, her Into Mischief colt hammered to Katsumi Yoshida for $300,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Then, at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Carolina Bertie’s Amer-

By Carly Silver

ican Pharoah weanling filly sold for $130,000 to Eric Reed (for W. Harvey Sparkman). At that same sale, another weanling—this one a Shuford-bred colt by Volatile—sold for $85,000. Of her successful sales in 2022, Shuford said, “I’m thrilled for them. I hope they come back and buy another one.”

And, of course, Bashful Bertie’s most remarkable foal goes by the name of Beach Patrol. Sent to Lemon Drop Kid, Bashful Bertie foaled Shuford-bred Beach Patrol in 2013. From 19 career starts, the dark bay horse won five times, including three grade 1 races, and earned $2,532,945. He currently stands at Lex Stud in Japan.

Shuford’s Rock House Farm spans 250 acres in Hickory, N.C., located in the western part of the state. There, she has about 70 horses, ranging from broodmares to babies, and recently sent 12 yearlings to be prepped for upcoming sales. Shuford thrives on raising horses and sells what she breeds as weanlings or yearlings, stating, “I love the mares and foals. That’s my thing.”

She cherishes Bashful Bertie. Still an active broodmare at age 16, the Kentucky-bred had a colt in 2023 by two-time Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality. Bashful Bertie is currently in foal to multiple grade 1 victor Life Is Good. But being smart when you’re selling horses is part of the game, too. Shuford explained, “You can’t get too crazy about your reserves (for) the weanlings or yearlings.” ●

2022 OREGON BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Lisa Baze

All three of Lisa Baze’s homebreds who ran in 2022 are winners, and two are champion Oregon-breds. It’s an enviable achievement, especially for a small operation where everyone pitches in, and one that earned Baze the TOBA Oregon Breeder of the Year for 2022.

“We’re a family operation,” Baze said. “We do everything. We gallop, we train, we pony, we shoe.” Baze’s family includes her longtime boyfriend, trainer Rigoberto Velasquez, and her daughter, Kyrie Baze-Patino. Kyrie is married to Faustino Patino, also now a trainer.

The horses become part of Baze’s family as well. She keeps two or three mares, and while the family is based primarily in Washington State and often races at Emerald Downs, Baze breeds and raises her runners in Oregon. She also serves on the board of the Oregon Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

“The Oregon bonus program is such a great program,” she said. “They’ve got a lot of really good incentives to promote their breeding program.”

Baze bred El Maestro, who tied for the 2021 Oregon-bred Horse of the Year and was that season’s champion Oregon-bred 2-year-old colt or gelding. She also co-bred with Velasquez, Enchanting Way, the 2021 champion Oregon-bred 2-year-old filly and a contender for the 2022 Horse of the

By Tracy Gantz

Year title when it is announced later this year. Rodeo Rose was Baze’s third homebred who competed in 2022.

Baze raced all three in partnership with Velasquez’s Rancho Viejo until they were claimed. While they and John Sneesby campaigned El Maestro, he won the 2021 Douglas Fir Futurity and Thongs Fancy Stakes, both at Grants Pass.

“Oregon has been so good to us that we always try to go to Grants Pass and support it,” Baze said.

She and Velasquez have been the leading owners at Oregon meets several times, while Velasquez has been leading trainer.

Lisa’s last name of Baze is iconic in the Pacific Northwest. She notes that her grandmother, Mabel, who went by the name of Bunt, was the first Baze jockey in the 1900s. Lisa’s father, Earl Thomas Baze, and his brother, Joe Baze, were both jockeys, Joe often a leading rider in the Pacific Northwest. Joe is the father of Hall of Famer Russell Baze, the all-time leading jockey by wins in North America.

Lisa focuses on her breeding operation. Clemens Brook, the dam of Rodeo Rose, has a 2-year-old gelding, Pass the Crown, that Baze and Velasquez are preparing to race. Baze’s other mare, Stay in Grace, an earner of $109,538, is a maiden mare in foal to Lutes Gift.

“I’m honored to win this award,” said Baze. “It was a big surprise. I was so excited because my babies did so good.” ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 PENNSYLVANIA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Elizabeth M. Merryman

Horsewoman Elizabeth “Lizzie” Merryman has been involved in Thoroughbred breeding for years but experienced a breakthrough in 2022 when a standout mare she bred and initially owned and trained, Caravel, won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Keeneland for trainer Brad Cox. For her breeding achievements, Merryman, who breeds mares in Pennsylvania and is on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, has been named 2022 Pennsylvania Breeder of the Year.

Merryman, who bases her racing stable at Fair Hill Training Center near Elkton, Md., specializes in raising and developing young horses, one of which was Pennsylvania-bred Caravel, who she owned and raced through mid-2021. At that point after a series of fast performances, she sold partial ownership in Caravel to celebrity chef Bobby Flay and after a victory by the filly in the 2021 Caress Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course, the turf sprinter made her final three starts of that year for trainer Graham Motion. Following a sale in 2021 for $500,000 at The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton, Cox has trained her for the partnership of Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel, and Madaket Stables.

By Ali Cetinok

In describing her equine involvement, Merryman said she currently has two mares, three yearlings, eight racehorses, and one breeding right. Besides Caravel, Witty was a homebred stakes winner for Merryman in 2022, taking the Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park and Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel Park for the owner/breeder/trainer.

Caravel, a daughter of Mizzen Mast out of the Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom, has created many memories for Merryman, developing into the star of her breeding operation. Last year Merryman won the John Deere Award, in recognition of the breeders who participated in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and Breeders’ Cup qualifying events. "She's the smartest horse I've ever been around,” Merryman said of Caravel in an interview with BloodHorse in 2021. "I raised her as an only child because her mother was the only mare I had in foal that year. She had to go in the paddock with the older mares as a young horse and she was tough; she would fight her way through any crowd. She was respectful of the older mares but she also wouldn't back off."

Caravel, now age 6, is perfect in three starts over the first half of 2023, defeating males twice in that stretch, including the June 10 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. Through mid-July, she had a record of 15 wins from 23 starts with earnings of $1,897,577, capped by winning five races in a row. ●

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Franklin G. Smith Sr.

The longtime owner of the Elloree Training Center in Elloree, S.C., Franklin G. Smith got his first horse in 1972 and has owned horses representing virtually all elements of the Thoroughbred racing industry, from foals to horses in training to breeding stock. A multiple winner of awards for South Carolina owners and breeders, Smith was represented in 2022 by Swayin to and Fro, who won three stakes races last year.

Swayin to and Fro is a 2019 filly by an unraced stallion, Straight Talking (by Dixieland Band), who comes from the same female family as Done Talking, Smith’s stallion who stands at the Elloree Training Center. After breaking her maiden at Pimlico Race Course in May, the daughter of Jungle Lady (by Warrior’s Reward) won the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico and the Safely Kept Stakes and the Willa On the Move Stakes at Laurel Park. From 12 starts in 2022, Swayin to and Fro won eight races and finished third once, earning $304,000. She is the first of her dam’s five foals to make it to the races.

Smith also bred Dixie Drawl (by Done Talking), a gelding that ran seven times in 2021 for a record of 3-21-1, earning black type in a third-place finish in the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Stakes at Laurel. A son of

By Teresa Genaro

Broken Vow, Done Talking won the 2012 Illinois Derby (G3) and ran in the Kentucky Derby (G1) that year, finishing 14th. With lifetime earnings of $379,168, Dixie Drawl is his most successful progeny.

Smith also bred Nana’s Shoes, campaigning her through 19 starts before losing her to a claim. A veteran of 51 starts in the United States, the bay mare earned nearly $200,000 before being relocated to race in Puerto Rico in October 2022. Like Nana’s Shoes, Sweet Home Dixie is by Done Talking and bred by Smith, earning more than $190,000 from a record of 7-7-4 from 26 starts.

In 2013, Smith’s Nag Nag Nag (by Just a Miner) was named South Carolina’s 3-year-old filly, an honor that her mare, Havin’ a Moan, also won. She, too, was owned and bred by Smith.

Smith counts among the best horses he bred Intelligent Male (by Ride the Storm—Likearone), who earned nearly $340,000 and finished second in the Phil D. Shepherd Stakes at Fairplex Park and won two stakes.

In 2006, Smith purchased Hugo (by Stormy Atlantic) out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale, paying $16,000 for the son of stakesplaced Go Baby Go. Hugo won five races, including the John D. Marsh Stakes at Colonial Downs and upon his retirement stood at the Elloree Training Center. As is the case with most of Smith’s horses, Hugo was trained by Smith’s brother Hamilton, who is based at Laurel Park. ●

2022 TEXAS BREEDER OF THE YEAR

Ronald & Margaret Ellerbee - Windy Hill

At 83 years young, horses still play a big role in Margaret Ellerbee’s life.

Born in Birmingham, Ala., Ellerbee’s family relocated to the suburbs of Dallas a couple months later where she was raised and still calls home. She got her first horse in 1952.

“My dad worked with the railroad and we moved to Dallas when I was 6 months old and I’ve been here ever since. I’m perfectly happy,” Ellerbee said.

“I got my very first horse when I was 12 years old and I rode for years, just pleasure riding. My folks actually bought Tennessee Walkers and the three of us rode together for years. I never had a racehorse until I married Ronald Ellerbee.”

The pair started off with Quarter Horses and eventually met a man named James Sills who was also involved with the business. They became good friends with Sills and his wife and eventually wound up as partners in the impressive now 6-year-old mare No Mas Tequila who was named 2022 Texas Horse of the Year and champion older filly and mare.

The daughter of Northern Afleet out Foxy Boss tasted victory in four stakes races last year, including the Miss Bluebonnet Turf Stakes, San Jacinto

By Corrie McCroskey

Turf Stakes, Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes, and Fiesta Mile Stakes.

“She was originally one of our babies we sold as a yearling and then she was in a claiming race at Shreveport,” Ellerbee said. “My husband called James and said, ‘Will you go 50-50?’ and he said, ‘Sure.’ Of course that’s been the best deal we ever made.”

Sadly, Ronald Ellerbee died in January 2022 and would not be able to see much of the success No Mas Tequila had in her 5-year-old year. Ellerbee says she has since downsized and found new homes for many of the horses now that she is on her own.

“When he (died) I gave both of my mares to James Jones at Benchmark (Training Center) and subsequently sold both of the yearlings last year at the Lone Star Sale. … When you get as old as I am, you just can’t take on that responsibility by yourself,” Ellerbee said.

The remaining horses that she has are a 20-year-old gelding named Red Thunder who lives at her home, and her share in No Mas Tequila. She says that she still has a box at Lone Star Park and enjoys traveling for races.

“I live in a big old house. I do have my yard done and a boy that feeds and his dad. I have six acres to take care of and they help, but I mow part of it and they mow the rest,” Ellerbee said. “I’m a flower enthusiast. … I’m in perfect health and I feel so fortunate because I can get around and do what I want to.” ●

Maggie Kimmitt Photography

BORN RUN

SANTA ANITA PARK NOVEMBER 3 & 4

Nothing demonstrates the quality of your horse like a Breeders’ Cup nomination. Your investment today puts you in the running for over $31 million in purses and awards each year. Breeders’ Cup Win & You’re In Challenge Series – 80 races, 11 countries. Over $6 million in free entry fees. Returning for the second year, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus includes 12 races with an additional $525,000 in free entry fees offered.

DEADLINES

Early Horse of Racing Age Deadline: July 15

Early Foal Deadline: August 1

Standard Foal Nomination Deadline: October 15

Pre-Entry Deadline: October 23

Stallion Nomination Deadline: December 15

Late Foal Nomination Deadline: February 28

BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 14 Championship Races

$31 Million in Purses and Awards

November 3-4, 2023 • Santa Anita Park

2022 State and Canadian Breeder Awards

2022 VIRGINIA BREEDER OF THE YEAR Amy Moore - South Gate Farm

Buoyed by the success of Forte, the Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old male of 2022, (now one of the top 3-year-olds in training in 2023), Amy Moore’s South Gate Farm has been named 2022 Virginia Breeder of the Year.

“It’s terrific,” she said of the honor. “I’m trying to breed nice horses and it’s very nice to have recognition, especially in Virginia, where the breeding industry is doing well and really taking off.”

Moore, whose roots in the equine world trace to her youth before more than 30 years spent in the legal world in Washington, D.C., bought South Gate Farm in 2015 and moved to the 126-acre Virginia property in January 2016. Forte—born Feb. 3, 2020—was produced by the mating of Violence to Moore’s multiple stakes-winning Blame mare Queen Caroline. The latter, who earned $401,608, retired in 2018.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte would surpass the accomplishments of his dam and grade 1- winning sire, capturing four of five races as a 2-year-old, capped by a victory in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland. Other graded wins followed this year for the Kentucky-bred, as well as a runner-up finish from the colt in the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1).

By Byron King

“It’s been amazing,” Moore said of watching his success. “Forte is the first foal I bred, so it’s hard to know where I’m going to go from here. But I’m certainly enjoying it at the moment.”

Moore bought Virginia-bred Queen Caroline as a yearling for $170,000, kickstarting her racing operation, and she became a multiple stakes winner with trainer Michael Matz.

Queen Caroline has two foals of racing age. Forte’s 2-year-old half brother, Dr. Park, sold for $850,000 as a yearling to Mayberry Farm and has progressed in his training this summer with trainer John Shirreffs on the West Coast.

Complications led to Queen Caroline’s losing her 2022 Authentic foal and her not becoming pregnant for 2023. This year she is in foal to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline on an early cover.

Moore, president of the board of directors of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, also has a small number of racehorses, including recent addition Stellar Lady, a graded stakes-placed Shackleford filly she acquired for $280,000 at the July Kentucky Selected Horses of Racing Age sale at Fasig-Tipton.

Moore breeds horses in both Kentucky and Virginia. With purses booming and plenty of opportunities for Virginia-breds at Colonial Downs, Moore’s farm near Millwood, Va., is well-positioned to take some advantage both as a breeder and a boarder. ●

2022 WASHINGTON BREEDER OF THE YEAR John E. Parker

Gold Rush Dancer, the most successful racehorse for John E. Parker, continues to return dividends for the Washington owner/ breeder.

Parker bred and campaigned California-bred Gold Rush Dancer through six seasons of racing that saw the son of Private Gold provide Parker’s racing career highlight to date by rolling to a 4¾-length victory in the 2017 edition of Washington’s signature race— the Longacres Mile Handicap (G3) at Emerald Downs. His racing success would see him named champion California-bred 3-year-old male in 2016. With Gold Rush Dancer’s racing career ending early last year (you read that correctly) Parker also enjoyed some success with 2-year-olds by his most successful runner. (Gold Rush Dancer stood his first season in 2019 at El Dorado Farms in Enumclaw, Wash., before Parker returned him to racing in 2021 before retiring him again.)

While Gold Rush Dancer’s racing career wound down a second time, Parker would enjoy some racing thrills with some homebred runners from the sire’s first crop. Parker’s Midnight Lute mare Mo’orea Island produced Washington-bred Annette Marie, who would become the sire’s first stakes

By Frank Angst

winner when she captured the WA Cup Juvenile Filly Stakes at Emerald. Parker, owner of a Tacoma, Wash., trucking company, also boasts homebred colt Gold Rush Junior, who showed enough promise for trainer Candice Cryderman to debut him in a stakes. After finishing fourth in the King County Express Stakes at Emerald, the colt out of the winning, stakesplaced Harbor the Gold mare Among the Stars would post a 4¼-length win in a maiden special weight race next out at Emerald.

As an owner Parker campaigns about a 30-horse stable that has lifted him to multiple leading owner titles at Emerald. His four mares have produced three foals this year.

Parker, who told Washington Thoroughbred that his love of racing began as a teenager when his father let him make a small wager on a winning horse at Longacres, purchased his first Thoroughbred in 2000. He told that publication that while Gold Rush Dancer provided some great thrills he enjoys all of his horses.

“Of course it’s great to have a horse like him, especially when you are the breeder,” Parker said. “But for me each time I get a horse to the starting gate, they are all stars. Raising them here and running at Emerald Downs is very satisfying. It’s a 100% stress reliever for me to be around the horses— and the people.”

Fully focused on his stallion career, Gold Rush Dancer stood the 2023 season for $1,500 at Blue Ribbon Farm in Buckley, Wash. ●

2022 National Awards

2022 CLAIMING CROWN HORSE OF THE YEAR Invaluable

When trainer Mike Maker and owner Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms submitted a $32,000 claim during the summer of 2022 at Saratoga Race Course for Invaluable, they hoped she would prove well suited to a race at the Claiming Crown, a series of lucrative starter allowance stakes races.

Two months later, after a thirdplace finish at Keeneland from the mare, they were rewarded at Churchill Downs when the then 5-year-old daughter of Include splashed her way to victory over a sloppy track in the $109,850 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper. The mile race was for fillies and mares who had run for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2021-22. Now 6, she has been a subsequent winner on the racetrack—and in awards competition.

In May, she was named 2022 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year for her accomplishments—an award that will be formally recognized Sept. 9 at the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Awards Dinner at Fasig-Tipton.

“She worked out good,” Maker said July 11. “She showed up for the (Claiming Crown race) we got her for and, hopefully, she shows up again this year.” Having run for as inexpensive of a claiming price as $8,000 in April 2022,

By Byron King

Invaluable remains eligible for the 2023 Glass Slipper, which along with other Claiming Crown races, will be staged Dec. 2 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Though Invaluable was racing for a much higher claiming price before Proscia and Maker took her, they were drawn to her attributes and starter eligibility.

“She was a nice, balanced filly—looked sound. She was consistent,” said Maker, a 21-time Claiming Crown winner. “She was running at Saratoga. If you run well up here (at Saratoga), you have to like your chances for the Claiming Crown.”

Her success for her new connections was no surprise. Maker and Proscia have teamed up, often with partners such as David Staudacher, to even win graded stakes races.

“We try to do it as a team,” Proscia said.

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones out of the multiple stakes-winning Forest Grove mare Overvalued, Invaluable was 1-for-3 over the first half of 2023 after an eighth-place finish in her final start of 2022 when racing over a synthetic surface at Turfway Park. Through July 10, she had earnings of $370,932 and compiled an 8-6-7 record in 29 starts with earnings of $370,932. For her current connections, she has earned $103,198.

“It was a pretty good claim,” Proscia said. “The horse had some back numbers, and we got lucky in the slop. I think she really loved the slop and gave us a win at the Claiming Crown.” ●

2022 National Awards

2022 ROOD & RIDDLE THOROUGHBRED SPORT HORSE OF THE YEAR - Satins Angel

This year’s recipient of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Sporthorse of the Year Award, Satins Angel, ridden by Alexa Lee of Columbus, Ohio, is a story of teamwork. The 30-year-old acquired the mare in 2016 from a local trainer after she was picked up at the Sugar Creek Auction, destined for slaughter.

Registered with The Jockey Club as Queen Satin, the Louisiana-bred by K One King raced 18 times through 2013, earning $36,783 with a record of 3-5-0. Bred by Donald Cox, who initially campaigned the mare with trainer Samuel Breaux, she bounced around between Louisiana, West Virginia, and finally landed in Michigan.

“She’s been through a lot, and it’s been a long road for us, but we have overcome everything, various obstacles to figuring each other out,” Lee said. “We put everything together with teamwork, and she learned she could trust me and I would do right by her.”

In 2022 the pair won the Rood & Riddle Jumping Open Horse of the Year Award, earned Champion Junior Amateur at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, won the Ohio Hunter Jumper Association Junior-Amateur/Owner Jumper, were the United States Equestrian Feder-

By Lauren Gash

ation Reserve Horse of the Year for Low Adult Amateur Jumpers (Zone 5), and won the Thoroughbred Incentive Program Championship for the High Central Division.

The duo competed at Zone Finals for the first time in 2022 and they were one of a handful that went double clear that weekend.

“It was our first time doing 1.35 meters, and we were up against imported horses who compete in the FEI ranks; we were the only Thoroughbred. Most of the time, when I compete, I am on the only Thoroughbred, which is fun,” Lee said.

“If I mess up and we crash through a jump, Satin will keep going and jump clear,” Lee said. “She is so forgiving and wants to do well and win. If she rubs a rail, she will try 10 times harder at the next jump. We work together as a team; she’s an incredible horse and has been through so much, and for her to still trust and do all of this for me is amazing.”

Based in central Ohio, Lee works for an architecture and engineering company as a power system engineer and spends her recreational time with Satin.

“My jumping trainer told me, ‘Let her be a Thoroughbred, let her be and move forward, stop trying to control and force the momentum and speed that you want.’ It clicked for me, and I feel like we have become more of a team,” Lee commented. ●

2022 ROBERT N. CLAY CONSERVATION AWARD Greg Goodman

As a co-founder of Fayette Alliance i n 2006 and host of one of that land-use advocacy group’s biggest annual fundraisers, Greg Goodman and his Mt. Brilliant Farm have displayed their commitment to preserving Kentucky Thoroughbred farmland.

Fayette Alliance is dedicated to smart, sustainable, and equitable growth in Lexington-Fayette County through land-use advocacy, education, and research. It aims to build ties between Lexington and the Bluegrass farm community through advocacy at City Hall and with local decision makers and community education.

Goodman has helped guide those efforts. He currently is the co-chair of Fayette Alliance with Don Robinson of Winter Quarter Farm and has been actively involved in the organization's efforts since its founding.

“His leadership, support, fierce passion, and steadfast dedication to smart, responsible growth and protecting and promoting the farmland that supports Fayette County's economy and identity has been absolutely critical in Fayette Alliance's success over the last 17 years,” the alliance said in a statement. “The Lexington-Fayette County community, and our team at Fayette Alliance, is incredibly fortunate to have Greg and his family. They have committed both time and treasure to seeing our community thrive.”

By Frank Angst

Goodman said his initial involvement sprouted from opposition to a development project all those years ago when he recalls a pro-development city leader telling him the farms only showed up at City Hall when they had a specific issue of interest.

“I remember telling him be careful what you wish for,” Goodman said, as Fayette Alliance would then be formed to provide that consistent representation. “I’ve always loved the land. My first love is the horses but the land is second. There’s a finite number of these farms, of these soils. And once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.”

Goodman said the Alliance has helped educate lawmakers on how important horse farms, and agriculture in general, is to the Lexington area in terms of the economy, tax revenue, jobs, and tourism. He said it often makes more sense, strictly from an economic standpoint, to retain farms over development.

Each year Goodman and Mt. Brilliant host the Bluegrass International Cup, a fundraiser for the Alliance where guests enjoy a night of polo, exquisite food, live music, and dancing on the beautiful Mt. Brilliant Farm grounds. Mt. Brilliant features 1,400 acres of carefully manicured grasses and landscaping that features several new polo fields and barns. Lexington landmark Russell Cave is located on the property.

In 2014 the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association partnered with Equine Land Conservation Resource to launch this award aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of land conservation to the Thoroughbred industry and to serve as an inspiration to others within the industry. ●

2022 National Awards

2022 BROODMARE OF THE YEAR Dreaming of Julia

Stonestreet's Barbara Banke once called Dreaming of Julia a birthday present to herself when she opted to keep the daughter of A.P. Indy–Dream Rush, by Wild Rush, to race rather than sell her as a yearling.

That gift would provide thrills on the track and prove even more special after her racing career as the now 13-year-old broodmare is the gift that keeps on giving as the dam has produced two-time Eclipse Award winner Malathaat as well as grade 2 winner, grade 1-placed Julia Shining from her first two starters. She is the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year for 2022.

Earlier this year John Moynihan, bloodstock adviser for Banke's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, noted that Dreaming of Julia consistently has delivered impressive foals. Besides her first two runners, she also has a Curlin yearling filly (a full sister to Malathaat) and an Into Mischief weanling filly.

"When you go look at her foals, she's a blessing. With every one of her foals, on a scale of 1-10 they're 12s," Moynihan said. "These kinds of broodmares come along once in a lifetime."

By Frank Angst

Racing for Shadwell Stable, Malathaat earned champion 3-year-old filly honors behind three grade 1 wins in 2021 and she closed 2022 with three straight grade 1 wins, including the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland, to nail down champion older dirt female honors.

Dreaming of Julia as a juvenile won the 2012 Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park. At 3, she captured the Gulfstream Oaks (G2) and finished second in the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) at Belmont.

She didn’t take long to display her brilliance. Trained by Todd Pletcher, she won her 2012 maiden special weight debut by 10½ lengths at Saratoga Race Course. In her eight-race career, she only finished off the board once (4-2-1) and earned $874,500.

Shadwell purchased Malathaat for $1,050,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale where she was consigned by Denali Stud.

At 2, Malathaat also won the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct and when her full sister, Julia Shining, won that stakes in 2022 it marked the first time in more than 100 years that siblings had captured that race—a big accomplishment for Dreaming of Julia. Campaigned by Stonestreet Stables, Julia Shining has added two more stakes-placings in 2023, including a third-place finish in the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Moynihan added that the top Stonestreet staff and unwavering support of Banke aids such success stories. ●

Breeders are the backbone of our industry.

-B. Wayne Hughes

“” THE BREEDERS’ FARM

By Evan Hammonds

2022 National Awards

2022 J. DAVID RICHARDSON INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD Michael Blowen

There are precious few industry awards that haven’t been earned by Michael Blowen. The originator of Old Friends has taken the fun concept of housing racing’s stars in their retirement days on a plot of land in Scott County, Ky., and has built it into a sizable operation.

It has even grown beyond the state borders as Old Friends cares for more than 200 Thoroughbreds in multiple states and even Japan. One would think winning a Special Eclipse Award in 2015 as the pinnacle of success, but not to Blowen. Being named the recipient of TOBA’s J. David Richardson Industry Service Award is just as special.

“It’s such an honor. I’m flabbergasted that Old Friends now has its name attached with David,” Blowen said. “He loved the sport—everything about it. He worked on trying to solve racing’s problems. That’s one of the bonds we all have.

“I knew David pretty well. He’d had those same seats at Saratoga every year and everybody would stop there. It was like visiting the Pope,” Blowen continued. “He was always so friendly and reasonable. If he had lived a little longer, racing would have been in a much better place. There are so few people in racing that understand all aspects. He knew the economics, about aftercare, and racing. He understood it all. If they ever had a commissioner of racing, he’d be it.”

Blowen, the former film critic for the Boston Globe, started Old Friends in 2003 with a leased paddock and one horse. One of the driving forces of the

aftercare movement, he beats the drum for support not only for Old Friends, but the industry.

“If I had known it would have gotten this big, I wouldn’t have had the guts to start it,” Blowen said. “If someone would have said, ‘Twenty years from now you are going to have cared for more than 300 horses and this, that, and the other,’ I wouldn’t have believed it.

I just wanted a little mom-and-pop operation…now I have a bunch of Walmarts. We have an Old Friends in Japan now…we’re working on a farm in California…the farm near Saratoga is doing great…and we’re expanding here (in Georgetown, Ky.).

“The whole idea of aftercare has blossomed. We still have a long way to go, but the TAA (Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) and the TCA (Thoroughbred Charities of America) and everybody has come together to do what is right for the horse. The momentum is going in our direction, and that is part of David’s legacy as well.” ●

2022 COT CAMPBELL PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

By Karen M. Johnson

Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing

All the superlatives that deservedly came Flightline’s way for his undefeated career in six starts, including three grade 1 victories in 2022, still resonate for the partnership of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing, who campaigned the now-retired son of Tapit and are the recipients of the 2022 Cot Campbell Racing Partnership of the Year Award.

“It really is still sinking in,” said Stephanie Hronis, who with her husband, Kosta, and his brother, Pete, comprise Hronis Racing. “It is nice to look back on 2022 and to be able to reflect on the evolution of Flightline’s development–going into each race with a lot of hope, but a lot of uncertainty because it is horse racing. But to see him be able to live up to and exceed the expectations, race after race, was completely phenomenal.”

Flightline, now standing at Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky., burst on the racing scene in 2021, under the care of trainer John Sadler. After a maiden win, an allowance optional claiming score, and an 111/2-length romp in his stakes debut, the Malibu Stakes (G1), the colt served notice he was something special. Last year, as a 4-year-old, he awed the racing world with jaw-dropping performances in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the final race

of his career. His combined margin of victory in those starts was 331/2 lengths. That brilliance was recognized with Horse of the Year honors as well as the title of champion older dirt male.

Bred by Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine, Flightline, who is out of the Indian Charlie mare Feathered, was acquired for $1 million as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Select Yearling Sale when consigned by Lane’s End. West Point Thoroughbreds signed the slip and the partnership that saw him breathe rarified air on the racetrack was quickly formed.

“Flightline spread the wealth quite a bit, and it was certainly fun,” said Terry Finley, the CEO and president of West Point Thoroughbreds. “He impacted a lot of lives. … He was impactful to the industry overall, but in particular with the partners at West Point and the other co-owners.

“Flightline was truly magic and made magic. It was a journey none of us will ever forget. (West Point) has been at it for 32 years and has had some really good horses. But I did find myself thinking, ‘What would it feel like to get the one that the whole world is aware of and the whole world talks about?’ I thought that it would be really special and cool, but I didn’t expect it to be as special and cool as it was.” ●

Kosta & Stephanie Hronis HRONIS RACING

Anthony R. Manganaro SIENA FARM Jane Lyon SUMMER WIND FARM

Terry Finley, CEO & President, WEST POINT THOROUGHBREDS Bill Farish, Jr. WOODFORD RACING

2022 National Awards

2022 NATIONAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Godolphin

The powerful international breeding program built by Sheikh Mohammed under the Godolphin brand continued to flex considerable muscle during 2022 and made the operation a finalist for leading national breeder honors from the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Eighteen homebred runners won 29 North American stakes throughout the year, which included 23 graded stakes. Remarkably, 13 (57%) of those graded stakes victories came in a grade 1 and four of those grade 1s were part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Three homebreds won multiple grade 1 and/or group 1 stakes in 2022s: Cody’s Wish, Modern Games, and Santin.

“We have been fortunate for the last couple of years that the stable has been firing and our trainers have done a great job for us,” said Godolphin’s USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. “But to expect to have back-toback years like this is not realistic. It is the culmination in our breeding program of focusing on the long game—carefully selecting the mares, enjoying some success with our stallions, and over five, 10, 15 years, a lot of hard work that we now see the fruits of that labor.”

By Eric Mitchell

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Cody’s Wish is out of Dance Card, a grade 1 winner by Tapit who Godolphin bought for $750,000 during the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. She went on to win the Gazelle Stakes (G1) and finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Cody’s Wish is her fourth foal and third blacktype performer.

Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) winner Modern Games, a 3-year-old in 2022, is a Godolphin homebred top and bottom. He is by homebred three-time group 1 winner Dubawi, who stands at Sheikh Mohammed’s Dalham Hall Stud in England, and out of homebred runner Modern Ideals, by New Approach. Modern Ideals is a half sister to group 1 winner Ultra and group 3 winner Synopsis.

Arlington Million Stakes (G1T) winner Santin is a son of Distorted Humor out of the Godolphin homebred Sentiero Italia, by Medaglia d’Oro, who was a multiple grade 2 winner and twice grade 1-placed. The mare is a half sister to grade 1 winner Ashkal Way, by Ashkalani.

Godolphin topped the individual breeders list in North America in 2022 with $18,621,521 in earnings, according to statistics from The Jockey Club Information Systems. Godolphin, which also topped the list in 2021, bred 189 starters with 150 wins, 125 seconds, and 117 thirds out of 873 starts. ●

2022 NATIONAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings

The perennial goal for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings is to produce elite racehorses and whether they compete in her silks or not is secondary.

Banke met that goal in 2022 as the breeder of multiple grade 1 winners and then went beyond with two of those runners winning Breeders’ Cup Championships races and subsequently being named Eclipse Award champions, having her premier broodmare Dreaming of Julia (a homebred) named Broodmare of the Year, and then her homebred freshman sire Good Magic become the co-leader of his class by number of graded stakes winners with four. These accomplishments put Stonestreet squarely in the running for a National Breeder title from the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Other finalists in this category are Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin and Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine.

“Barbara takes amazing pride in every breeding aspect of our business. So to be in a position where you can win these awards is something we really strive for,” said John Moynihan, bloodstock adviser for Stonestreet. “We look at having the Broodmare of the Year like winning an Eclipse Award; that is a unique, hard honor to achieve with so many good broodmares and only one winner.”

By Eric Mitchell

Stonestreet bred 18 North American black-type winners in 2022, which included 10 graded stakes winners. The brightest stars of the year were grade 1 winners Malathaat, Goodnight Olive, Clairiere, and Pauline’s Pearl. Malathaat and Goodnight Olive both earned championship honors as champion older dirt female and champion female sprinter, respectively, after becoming winners during the Breeders’ Cup.

Malathaat, a daughter of Curlin out of Dreaming of Julia (by A.P. Indy), won her third consecutive grade 1 for 2022 in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). Raced by Shadwell Stable, the then-4-year-old filly raised her number of career grade 1 victories to six and ended the year with $3,790,825 in career earnings. She was trained by Todd Pletcher.

Goodnight Olive, a daughter of Ghostzapper out of Salty Strike (by Smart Strike) and also 4 in 2022, went undefeated in four starts for the year for owners First Row Partners and Team Hanley. She started the season with a couple of allowance level wins before taking the Ballerina Handicap (G1) on her way to capturing the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Goodnight Olive is trained by Chad Brown.

Clairiere and Pauline’s Pearl, both trained by Steve Asmussen, raced as homebreds for Stonestreet. Clairiere won the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) and Shuvee Stakes (G2), while Pauline’s Pearl captured the La Troienne Stakes (G1) and Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3). Stonestreet also campaigned Demoiselle Stakes (G2) winner Julia Shining, a homebred full sister to Malathaat. ●

2022 National Awards

2022 NATIONAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Summer Wind

It is no surprise that Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine ranks at the very top of breeding operations, considering it holds responsibility for one of the most talented horses of recent times in Flightline.

The Georgetown, Ky., farm, which was purchased in 1995 by Lyon and her late husband James "Frank" Lyon Jr., has gained momentum throughout the years by crafting a high-quality broodmare band and pairing them with top stallions.

In 2016, Lyon saw Feathered at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and knew she had to have her. The grade 3-winning daughter of Indian Charlie would sell for $2.35 million—an investment that certainly seems to have paid off when her second foal became 2022 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male.

Flightline, though lightly raced with only six career starts from 2021-22, remained undefeated when he retired to stud at the end of last year with more than $4.5 million in earnings under his belt. The son of Tapit scored four straight grade 1 victories, including the Malibu Stakes, Metropolitan

By Corrie McCroskey

Handicap, Pacific Classic Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Conditioned by John Sadler and ridden by Flavien Prat, the colt won his last start at the World Championships by 81/4 lengths. Watching from the sidelines were owners Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and Lyon, who stayed in on the colt when he was purchased for $1 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

"I was just trying not to start crying so hard that I wouldn't be able to see him when he came across the finish line," said Lyon in reaction to the race. "You can't expect this. You can't wish it. And to have it happen and for him to continue to grow like he is, better and better and better, it's just a miracle."

Though fans were hoping to see Flightline in 2023, the decision was made to retire him to stud. He bred his first set of mares this year at Lane’s End for a fee of $200,000.

With any luck it will not be long before another horse from the talented family appears in headlines as Lyon prepares to campaign Flightline’s 2-year-old half brother, Eagles Flight. Either way, 2022 will be hard to top. "This is not a short-term game…and my goal has always been the same from the beginning—to raise some really good horses,” Lyon said. ●

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2022 National Awards

2022 NATIONAL OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Peter Brant

Peter Brant is as consistent as any owner in the game. In the approximately 45 years since he bought his first horse, Brant has become nearly omnipresent in the winner’s circle, especially with female turf runners. And 2022 was no different, garnering Brant an Eclipse Award nomination as top owner. Now, he’s in contention for TOBA’s National Owner of the Year.

“I am honored to be nominated as a finalist for this prestigious award and be placed amongst the other esteemed group of owners,” the White Birch Paper CEO and chairman said. “I am grateful for the many wonderful horses who made this possible.”

Among his many star runners of 2022 was Regal Glory. She started the year off right, winning the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park. She added victories in Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) and Belmont Park’s Just a Game Stakes (G1T) before finishing second against the boys in Saratoga’s Fourstardave Handicap (G1T).

By Carly Silver

Sent back to Keeneland, the Animal Kingdom mare placed in the Oct. 8 First Lady Stakes (G1T) and ran 10th against males in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). A repeat win in Del Mar’s Matriarch Stakes (G1T) helped her land the Eclipse Award for top turf female.

At the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Brant bought a British-bred daughter of Dubawi for $609,434. Named In Italian, she earned Brant another nomination for top turf female last year. Her two grade 1 wins in 2022 included a triumph in the First Lady over Regal Glory. She also ran second in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).

Brant’s other turf talent didn’t disappoint, either. Bleecker Street won five straight, highlighted by the New York Stakes (G1T), while his Gina Romantica won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T). Campaigned by Brant and Michael Tabor, French-bred Rougir captured the Beaugay Stakes (G3T) and E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T). Irish-bred Rocky Sky annexed the Waya Stakes (G3T), German-bred Virginia Joy took the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) and Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G2T), and Irish-bred Lemista won the Matchmaker Stakes (G3T).

Brant also co-owns sprinter Jack Christopher. Winner of the Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2), Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), he ran third in the Haskell Stakes (G1) en route to being an Eclipse Award finalist for champion sprinter. ●

2022 National Awards

2022 NATIONAL OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Godolphin

Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation enjoyed another sterling year on the track, saving a particularly memorable day in North America for late in the racing year.

Godolphin set the record for the most Breeders’ Cup World Championships wins in a given year as an owner and as a breeder behind victories by homebreds Cody’s Wish in the Dirt Mile (G1), Modern Games in the Mile (G1T), Rebel’s Romance in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), and Mischief Magic in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).

“And to do this at Keeneland was magical,” said Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. “So many of our employees were able to attend the races and be a part of it. It was an unbelievable weekend for everyone at Godolphin.”

Cody’s Wish, a son of Curlin, won four of five starts as a 4-year-old in 2022. Trained by Bill Mott, the colt started the year with a second in the Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and then rolled through consecutive wins in the Westchester Stakes (G3), Hanshin Stakes, Forego Stakes (G1), and a season-topping thriller in the Dirt Mile (G1) where he

beat Cyberknife by a head.

By Eric Mitchell

Modern Games won a controversial running of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) when he ran for purse money only. The colt would get another shot at a more straightforward Breeders’ Cup win in the 2022 Mile and delivered, rallying eight wide in a mid-stretch cavalry charge to win by three-quarters of a length.

Santin had a standout year at 4 in 2022 by earning more than $1.3 million. He would win two of seven starts both being grade 1s on the Churchill Downs turf—the Arlington Million and Turf Classic Stakes.

Despite Godolphin’s deep bench of graded/group winners throughout 2022, Banahan had no trouble readily identifying the most meaningful winner for his team—Cody’s Wish, but more so for his win in the Forego than the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“We thought he would run really well, but we didn’t anticipate he would beat Jackie’s Warrior,” Banahan said. “He came down the stretch and we thought he’d be a nice second and then in the last sixteenth, you realize, ‘Oh my gosh, he beat him.’

“At the beginning of every year, you go back to zero. You start out trying to win as many races as you can, try to win as many stakes as you can, and obviously as many graded races at the top level.” ●

2022 NATIONAL OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Hronis Racing

The Hronis family sets great store by loyalty. Kosta Hronis frequently notes that they have had one trainer, John Sadler, who has guided them through the ownership ranks thoughtfully and methodically.

Sadler started Kosta, wife Stephanie, and brother Pete in the claiming ranks and developed the stable into a perennial national powerhouse. The synergy between owners and trainer led to perhaps the greatest horse either will ever have: Flightline.

Hronis campaigned undefeated Flightline in partnership with breeder Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine as well as with Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.

“I want him to become America’s horse because we want to share him,” said Kosta. “We’re hoping that everybody can fall in love with him.”

They did, even before 2022 began. Flightline brought a three-race win streak into the year and started three times in 2022 as well. Each of those races added a new dimension to his growing legend.

Based in California, where he campaigned throughout 2021, Flightline invaded New York in his first 2022 start, tackling the historic Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park by crushing his foes with a six-length victory. It was even more impressive because Flightline broke slowly,

By Tracy Gantz

couldn’t get through on the rail, and had to check, trouble that might have derailed a lesser Thoroughbred.

From that mile race, Flightline stretched out to 11/4 miles in Del Mar’s Pacific Classic (G1). No one who saw that performance will ever forget it, as Flightline galloped home in 1:59.28, just 0.17 off the track record, an incredible 191/4 lengths in front, obliterating the largest previous Pacific Classic victory margin of 121/2 lengths. That previous record-holder? Accelerate, owned by Hronis Racing.

In Kentucky, Flightline capped off his career in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Again, no one could get close, as he floated to the wire 81/4 lengths in front. That clinched the Horse of the Year title, with Flightline also voted champion older dirt male.

“This is a really special, special racehorse I’m not sure we’re ever going to see again,” Kosta said.

While 2022 might have been the year of Flightline, he was by no means the only arrow in the Hronis Racing quiver. Bran and Edgeway, owned solely by Hronis Racing and trained by Sadler, each won three stakes, two of them graded, while competing in California and Kentucky. Edgeway, as a mare, was so highly regarded that she sold for $1.7 million as a broodmare prospect last fall at Keeneland.

Hronis’ other 2022 stakes winners included Heywoods Beach and Park Avenue, while horses such as Game Time were just getting started. Already in 2023, Game Time has become a stakes winner, setting the stage for future success. ●

THE WISH THAT KEEPS COMING TRUE

The extraordinary Cody’s Wish – undefeated at G1 level with ever more spectacular triumphs. Set to delight for years to come as a future Darley stallion. Just imagine...

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2022 National Awards

2022 NATIONAL OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Klaravich Stables

Though Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables finished second in the 2022 owners’ standings in North America, his purse earnings reached a personal-best for a single season.

Klaravich horses earned $9.4 million in 2022, easily surpassing his previous personal standard of about $7 million in 2021. Last year his horses posted a 25% win rate, and his silks were carried to the winner’s circle in 12 graded stakes races with eight horses, six of them fillies and mares. Among his standout horses in 2022 were classic winner Early Voting and McKulick, both purchased as yearlings in 2020.

A British-bred daughter of Frankel, McKulick sold to Klarman’s regular agent Mike Ryan for $245,369 at Tattersalls October. In 2022, she won both the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes (G3T) at the Belmont at the Big A meet and the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) at Belmont Park. She finished second in her other four races that year, including the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland Race Course. McKulick ended her sophomore season with career earnings of $1.1 million.

In 2022, Kentucky-bred Early Voting (Gun Runner) got Klarman his second win in the Preakness Stakes (G1), the first coming in 2017 with Cloud Computing, the latter owned in partnership with Bill Lawrence. After winning the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, Early Voting finished

By Teresa Genaro

second by a neck in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) to Mo Donegal, eventual winner of the 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1). Early Voting ended the year with a record of 5-2-1-0 and earnings of $1.3 million.

As a 4-year-old, filly Search Results built on the success of her sophomore season, winning the Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park and the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park; she fell a half-length short in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. A runner-up in the 2021 Kentucky Oaks (G1), she went on to win the Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Klarman purchased the dark bay filly through agent Mike Ryan for $310,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Select Sales.

A two-time stakes winner in 2021, Technical Analysis won the Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga and the Gallorette Stakes (G3T) at Pimlico Race Course last year, earning a career high $462,093. A $258,109 yearling purchase at Tattersalls October, Technical Analysis is a daughter of Kingman.

“The market for colts was extremely strong (high prices),” Klarman said in an e-mail, “so we pivoted to fillies.”

Klarman races primarily in New York, and has won 22 owners’ titles at New York Racing Association tracks. A hedge fund manager and founder of the Baupost Group, Klarman has brought the lexicon of both investment banking and politics into Thoroughbred racing with his horses’ names, campaigning among others Currency Swap, Takeover Target, Public Sector, and Separationofpowers, all graded stakes winners. ●

2022 NATIONAL OWNER OF THE YEAR FINALIST Winchell Thoroughbreds

While they may have missed out on one of racing’s ultimate prizes, Ron Winchell’s Winchell Thoroughbreds enjoyed another tremendous season on the track in 2022…good enough to be a finalist for TOBA’s national owner of the year.

Good things happen to breeder/ owners who not only have one breed-shaping stallion, but two. Winchell raced and owns a sizable piece of three-time leading sire Tapit and co-owned Gun Runner, 2017 Horse of the Year and record-breaking leading freshman sire of 2021.

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ racing stable (alone and in partnerships) won 10 graded stakes in 2022, led by Epicenter (a horse they purchased as a yearling), the 2022 Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old male.

A winner of the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2), he was the favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1).

“You go to the Kentucky Derby and think you have a good chance to win and 50 yards from the wire, you think you really have a good chance to win,” said racing manager David Fiske. “And then, that doesn’t happen.”

Epicenter was overtaken by 80-1 shot Rich Strike late, falling short by three-quarters of a length.

“Someone told us last year, ‘Every new owner’s seminar should highlight Epicenter’s getting beat at the wire…and then asking people that if you

can’t live with that, then find another game to play.’

By Evan Hammonds

“But then, you win the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and the Travers Stakes (G1) and win the Eclipse Award. The game is humbling,” he said.

Epicenter was joined by Winchell’s 2022 two-time graded winner Echo Zulu (in partnership), who was champion 2-year-old filly of 2021, homebred grade 2 winners Gunite and Wicked Halo, and grade 3 winner Capensis (owned in partnership). Winchell also campaigned Bankit, in partnership, a two-time New York-bred stakes winner and New York state champion.

Winchell, and family, make Las Vegas their home. He is the son of Verne Winchell, who had his own level of achievement in the Thoroughbred game, but Ron has far exceeded his father’s success.

While having the stellar bloodlines of Tapit, and now Gun Runner, at his disposal, the Winchell Thoroughbred banner flies high at the sales, allowing them to branch out quite a bit.

“I think our stable tends to run about 50-50 homebreds and purchases. We do it to get some outside bloodlines,” Fiske said. “We’ve picked up a few mares because we have Tapit, Gun Runner, and Silver State.

“We’re always looking outside for something. At a sale…it’s almost like we try not to buy something, but if we run across something that we really like…”

All of the horses that race solely under the maroon and white silks of Winchell Thoroughbreds are trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

“It’s been working pretty well,” Fiske said. “It was a really good year for us.” ●