Medina Spirit (Protonico) was named the 2021 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala.
Bred in Florida by Gail Rice, who was honored with her second consecutive Needles Award Monday evening as the Association's small breeder of the year, and Medina Spirit's dam Mongolian Changa (Brilliant Speed) was also named the FTBOA Broodmare of the Year in a vote by the board.
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) was the most decorated Florida-bred on the night having been named the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Male, Florida-bred Champion Sprinter and Florida-bred Champion Male Turf Horse.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal became the first Florida-bred to win two Breeders' Cup events when he dominated the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. In 2020, the first foal out of Lady Shipman (Midshipman) won the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint at Keeneland.
Other winners from FTBOA's Awards Gala included: Shifty She (Gone Astray), Champion Turf Female and Older Mare; Pappacap (Gun Runner), Champion 2-Year-Old Colt; Outfoxed (Valiant Minister), Champion 2-Year-Old Filly; Livingmybestlife (The Big Beast), Champion 3-Year-Old Filly; Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), Champion Older Male; Sound Machine (Into Mischief), Champion Female Sprinter; Khozan, Stallion of the Year; Live Oak Stud, Breeder of the Year.
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