A stakes-caliber campaign in her home state and around the country earned Free Like a Girl 2022 Horse of the Year honors from the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the group announced on March 7.
Free Like a Girl was one of several equine divisional champions voted on by the LTBA board of directors, while human awards were largely based on earnings and percentages. The awards are tentatively planned to be presented on June 3 at Evangeline Downs.
A daughter of El Deal, Free Like a Girl won four of 11 starts during her 3-year-old season, racing for owners Gerald Bruno Jr., Carl Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier (who also trains the horse), and Jerry Caroom.
Her season started with a front-running 4 1/2-length score in the Louisiana Bred Premier Starlet Stakes at Delta Downs, followed by her first graded stakes attempt in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park, where she finished fourth.
Free Like a Girl made a winning return to her home state in the Louisiana Legends Soiree Stakes at Evangeline Downs, which she won by 1 1/4 lengths, followed by another graded sojourn across state lines to finish third in the G3 Iowa Oaks.
After another successful return home to win the Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Stakes at Louisiana Downs by 6 1/2 lengths, Free Like a Girl ventured outward once again, finishing second in both the G3 Charles Town Oaks and Remington Park Oaks. She then came back to Louisiana for the final four starts of her season, highlighted by a 1 1/2 length score in the Magnoila Stakes at Delta Downs.
The Breeder of the Year award, which is decided by the highest earner of breeder's awards in a calendar year, went to Brittlyn Inc., which brought in $221,442.
The High Percentage Breeder award went to Allied Racing Stables, which posted 38 percent stakes winners from starters.
Perennial leading sire Star Guitar picked up Stallion of the Year honors, with his runners earning over $2.3 million.
Following is the complete list of 2022 Louisiana divisional winners:
2-Year-Old Filly: Janet is Ready
2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Late September
3-Year-Old Filly & Horse of the Year: Free Like a Girl
3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Touchuponastar
Older Female: Net A Bear
Older Male: Who Took the Money
Broodmare of the Year: Lipstick Junky
Leading Breeder of the Year: Brittlyn Inc.
Stallion of the Year: Star Guitar
Leading Breeder By Percentage Stakes Winners: Allied Racing Stables
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