Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association

Florida-Bred Leaderboard Presented By FTBOA: Breeze On By Leads Powerful Juvenile Class For Stonehedge LLC

A good 2-year-old can do wonders for the morale of a racing or breeding operation, and Gil and Marilyn Campbell have enough to spare in both columns during this year's Gulfstream Park summer meet.

The Williston, Fla., operation campaigns five of the meet's top ten juvenile earners on Gulfstream's main track through Sept. 1, including three of the top four. The leader of that distinguished platoon of youngsters is Breeze On By, a Cajun Breeze gelding who has made $223,000 while going undefeated in his first three starts with trainer Ralph Nicks.

After winning on debut by six lengths, Breeze On By has become a dominant force in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series. On Aug. 1, the gelding led at every point of call to take the Dr. Fager Stakes by a length. Then, he won a speed duel to cement his star status on the Affirmed Stakes on Aug. 29.

Breeze On By will aim to sweep this year's division for 2-year-old colts and geldings in the In Reality Stakes on Sept. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

“If he does well and continues to improve, we'll start to think about the Breeders' Cup,” Marylin Campbell said.

Cajun Breeze, a 12-year-old son of Congrats, stands privately at Stonehedge Farm South. Breeze On By is out of the stakes-placed Fusaichi Pegasus mare Miss Primetime, who the Campbells purchased for $70,000 at the 2010 Keeneland November sale.

“This is second year at our farm,” Campbell said about Cajun Breeze. “His foals just don't give up. They're fighters and they're fast. They're good-looking horses. He only has about 16 named foals, and he's already a top 2-year-old sire in Florida.”

The Campbells also have an interest in the fast-rising Florida sire Khozan, which has paid off with the other four of Stonehedge's juveniles in the top 10 being by the resident of Journeyman Stallions. That group is led by homebred Go Jo Jo Go, who won the Desert Vixen division of the Florida Sire Stakes on Aug. 1, then finished third in the Susan's Girl Stakes on the Sire Stakes schedule on Aug. 29.

While Stonehedge currently holds a hot hand with youngsters, Campbell said she's tried to keep the operation's good fortunes in perspective.

“We've had our ups and downs like everyone,” she said. “We've been successful with 2-year-olds. Last year, we won the second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes with Liam's Lucky Charm. We do well with them.”

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Pletcher Holds Strong Hand In First Leg Of Florida Sire Stakes Series

The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, the annual centerpiece of the Spring/Summer Meet at Gulfstream Park, will get underway Saturday, Aug. 1, bringing together the brightest 2-year-old prospects sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

The $100,000 Dr. Fager and the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, both to be contested at six furlongs, will co-headline Saturday's first leg of the series that will continue Aug. 29 with the $200,000 Affirmed and the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies, both slated for seven furlongs, and Sept. 26 with the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, both to be run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

The Sept 26 Sire Stakes will also include the $150,000 Wildcat Heir for 3-year-olds and up.

The Florida Sire Stakes has a rich history dating back to 1982, when it was created by Ocala Breeder and owner Dan Lasater. The six-race series has produced six Eclipse Award champions: Awesome Feather (2010 Juvenile Filly), Big Drama (2010 Sprint), Holy Bull (1994 Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Male), Smile (1986 Sprint), Brave Raj (1986 Juvenile Filly) and Not Surprising (1995 Sprint Champion).

“The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association is excited to once again present our summer Florida Sire Stakes in conjunction with our partners Gulfstream Park and the Florida HBPA,” said Lonny Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA).

“The series will continue to offer $1.4 million over six 2-year-old-stakes, an additional $100k in 2-year-old prep race bonuses as well as the $150k Wildcat Heir for FSS eligible Florida-breds, 3-years-old and older,” he added. “The series continues to be one of the most lucrative and respected state-bred race programs in the country. Our two September finals at $400,000 each represent some of the biggest purses anywhere in 2020 which we feel is even more significant and important to Florida breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and the track during these challenging times faced throughout our world and industry,”

The Dr. Fager and the Desert Vixen are both expected to attract deep fields with likely starters trained by several high-profile trainers, including Todd Pletcher, Ralph Nicks, Eddie Plesa Jr., and Kathleen O'Connell.

Pletcher, who has maintained a stable at Gulfstream during the Spring/Summer Meet, is expected to be represented by J A G Racing and Jettany Thoroughbred Corp.'s Son of a Beast in the Dr. Fager and A I A Racing's Tamiami in the Desert Vixen. Son of a Beast, a son of The Big Beast, withstood race-long pressure to capture his June 24 debut in front-running fashion. Tamiami, a daughter of Rattlesnake Bridge, overcame a horrific start to capture her June 21 debut with a furious late run, completing six-furlongs in 1:09.1.

Son of a Beast will again be sternly tested in the Dr. Fager, which is the goal for Stonehedge LLC's Big Daddy Dave and Arindel's Gatsby. The Nicks-trained Big Daddy Dave, a son of Khozan, is coming off a 2 ¾-length romp in his May 30 debut, completing five furlongs in 58.88 seconds. Juan Alvarado's Gatsby, a homebred son of Brethren, captured his May 17 debut, upsetting Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal, who went on to finish second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot.

Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Famous Gent, a son of Big Dude who broke his maiden June 5 with a 58.87 five-furlong clocking, enters Florida Sire Stakes competition off a troubled third-place finish behind undefeated Papetu in the first juvenile allowance of the Spring/Summer Meet.

Pletcher-trained Tamiami is also expected to have some tough competition in the Desert Vixen, including trainer/owner Dan Pita's Princess Secret and Joseph Imbesi's Social Exclusion. Princess Secret romped to a four-length victory in her May 7 debut. The daughter of Khozan came back to finish second against the boys, closing to within 1 ½ lengths of Papetu after being bumped hard at the start. Steve Klesaris-trained Social Exclusion, a daughter of Gulfstream Park track-record holder Social Inclusion, turned in a dazzling debut performance while scoring a 4 ¾-length front-running victory.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC's Chance It captured last year's Dr. Fager by 3 ½ lengths. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained son of Currency Swap was upset by Stonehedge LLC's Liam's Lucky Charm in the Affirmed before impressively capturing the In Reality. Chance It went on to capture the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream in his 3-year-old debut.

Stonehedge LLC's Lenzi's Lucky Lady captured last year's Desert Vixen. Amalio Ruiz-Lozano's Ceci Valentina won the Susan's Girl, before Gary Barber's Two Sixty romped to victory in the My Dear Girl.

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Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation Named Florida Breeder Of The Year, Leading Owner

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has announced its Florida-bred Champions for 2019. Typically, the awards are presented at an annual awards gala held on the Monday prior to OBS's March auction. The event was not held this year, however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and it will not be rescheduled.

For the 16th time in FTBOA history, Charlotte Weber was honored with a Florida-bred champion that was bred by her Live Oak Stud and owned by her Live Oak Plantation, located in Ocala, as Global Access was named the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding. Live Oak Stud was also named the Florida Breeder of the Year for the third time and the Leading Owner by Florida-bred Earnings for the fourth time. She previously won the Breeder title in 2006 and 2007 and the Leading Owner title in 2011, 2016, and 2017.

During the year, Global Access won the Grade 3 Marine Stakes and Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine, the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga, and the DRF Bets Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. He was also second in the Wando Stakes at Woodbine, with thirds in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga and in the Charlie Barley Stakes at Woodbine.

By Giant's Causeway out of Daveron (Ger), by Black Sam Bellamy (Ire), Global Access won four of nine starts with a second and three thirds while earning $337,733 during 2019. Trained by Michael Trombetta, Global Access finished the year with a career bankroll of $373,402.

Another Florida-bred who took home multiple honors was Starship Jubilee, the Champion Older Female and Champion Female Turf Horse. Bred by William P. Sorren of Miami Beach, Fla., Starship Jubilee received Sovereign Awards as Canada's Horse of the Year and Champion Female Turf Horse for 2019, adding to the titles she also earned in 2017 and 2018.

Trained by Kevin Attard for Blue Heaven Farm, in 2019 Starship Jubilee won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes and her second consecutive Canadian Stakes presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2), both at Woodbine. The Canadian was not the only stake she won for the second straight time, as she also defended her title in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park. In 2019, she was also second in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes and Nassau Stakes at Woodbine and second in the Grade 3 Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs. The well-traveled mare was also third in the Grade 3 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga.

Starship Jubilee is by Indy Wind out of the Forest Wildcat mare Perfectly Wild, and she finished the year with three wins, three seconds, and a third from seven starts, with earnings of $604,929. She finished the year with $1,171,387 in career earnings.

Once again in 2019, the Florida-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding title went through the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series at Gulfstream Park.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds' Chance It garnered the title after winning the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Dr. Fager and the $400,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes In Reality, while finishing second in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed.

By Currency Swap out of Vagabon Diva, by Pleasantly Perfect, Chance It was bred by Bett Usher of Ocala, Fla., and finished the year with three wins and two seconds from five starts, with earnings of $384,150.

K P Dreamin was named the Florida-bred Champion 2-Year-Old Filly based on her two third-place finishes in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita and in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Trained by Jeff Mullins for Karl Pergola, K P Dreamin was bred in Florida by Peter Vegso's Ocala-based Vegso Racing Stable. She is by Union Rags out of Litigating, by Point Given and she finished the year with one win and two thirds from five starts, with earnings of $132,260.

William Stiritz's Wildwood's Beauty used the Florida Sire Stakes program for older horses and Florida-bred stakes to catapult herself to the title as the Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Champion Female Sprinter.

During the year, the Scott Becker trainee won the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes and FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Ivanavinalot at Tampa Bay Downs and the Sheer Drama Stakes and Sunshine Million Distaff Stakes at Gulfstream Park. She was also second in the Florida Sire Stakes City of Ocala at Tampa Bay Downs and in the Florida Sire Stakes Wildcat Heir at Gulfstream Park, while amassing a record of four wins and five seconds from 10 starts. She racked up $327,895 in earnings in 2019 and finished the year with career revenues of $355,395.

Bred by Philip and Karen Matthews of Ocala, Wildwood's Beauty is by Kantharos out of Miss Propitious, by J P's Gusto.

In the stallion categories, Journeyman Stud's Khozan was Florida's Leading Juvenile Sire and Leading Freshman Sire, while Ocala Stud resident Adios Charlie was Florida's Stallion of the Year.

Khozan had 44 runners, 19 winners, and three black type stakes horses for progeny earnings of $1,275,632, and Adios Charlie progeny acquired $3,753,347 from 106 runners, 65 winners, and three black type stakes winners.

Khozan was represented by his leading money earner and stakes-winner Liam's Lucky Charm ($233,800), while multiple graded stakes-winner Jean Elizabeth was the leading money earner for Adios Charlie with $264,888.

Kathleen O'Connell and Saffie Joseph, Jr., tied with 58 Florida-bred wins at Florida tracks while O'Connell was also the Leading Florida Trainer of Florida-breds by black type stakes wins with six, and Joseph was the Leading Florida Trainer by Florida-bred earnings with $1,977,046.

It was the 12th time O'Connell has won or shared the title as the Leading Florida Trainer by wins (2003, 2009-2018) and the first time Joseph has won a Florida-bred title in either category. O'Connell has won or shared the Florida black type wins title twice before in 2013 and 2017.

The Joe O'Farrell Memorial Award presented by Ocala Breeders' Sales Company went to William A.T. and Lyn Rainbow's The Acorn as the original consignor of Starship Jubilee, the year's top Florida-bred graduate of OBS.

Sally J. Andersen of Ocala was presented the Needles Award as Florida's small breeder of the year. Andersen bred multiple stakes-winner Anyportinastorm, and recorded earnings of $843,513 as a breeder of Florida-breds. Andersen was presented a John Deere Riding Mower 330 as the Needles Award winner.

In June, the FTBOA recognized Imperial Hint as the Florida-bred with the top Beyer Speed Figure during 2019, as awarded by the Daily Racing Form. Imperial Hint logged an electrifying 114 Beyer while setting a Saratoga track record for six furlongs in 1:07.92 in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes.

Imperial Hint is trained by Luis Carvajal, Jr., for Raymond Mamone, and he was bred in Florida by Bert and Martha Pilcher's Shade Tree Thoroughbreds in Fairfield.

Horse Capital Television is partnering with the FTBOA and will air a special awards edition honoring each champion and their connections. The event will premiere on Wednesday, July 15 at 8 p.m. on https://www.facebook.com/HorseCapitalTV/ and https://www.horsecapitaltv.com/.

The re-aired show will be available on www.ftboa.com, The Florida Horse Twitter page and the FTBOA Facebook page.

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