Altissimo Named 2019 Ohio-Bred Horse Of The Year

The necessary COVID-19 restrictions in the state caused the cancellation of the traditional Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Awards Banquet at Darby Dan Farm in Galloway, Ohio. Hoping against hope that restrictions would be lessened as time passed, the O.T.B.O. made secondary plans to hold the event at Thistledown, but the restrictions remain in place for large gatherings.

With the help of director of racing Patrick Ellsworth, the track coordinated public recognition of the 2019 champions and their connections, blended with their “Best of Ohio Series” of divisional races.

Special thanks to trainer Richard Zielinski and Purina Feeds who had coolers embroidered for each state champion and halters personalized for Stallion and Broodmare of the year.  Here are the individuals and horses that garnered year-end awards.

Ohio Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter and Champion Handicap Horse – Altissimo: Owned by Nancy Lavrich and Ronald Zielinski, the 6-year-old gelding was bred by Nancy Lavrich and Niknar Farm LLC and is trained by Richard Zielinski. A son of Noble Causeway out of Great Going Rose by Albert the Great, Altissimo made seven starts last season with a 4-2-0 record for earnings of $307,250 pushing his career earnings to $781,638.

All four of his wins were in stakes races including the $97,000 Hockensmith at Delaware Park earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Primarily a main track sprinter, Altissimo captured the $75,000 Gendelman Memorial going 1 1/16 miles over the Belterra Park turf course. Perhaps his best effort of the season was a troubled trip in the Grade 3 DeFrancis Memorial at Laurel Park. While making a winning move, he was floated out in mid-stretch and had to take back and alter course to the inside, only to miss the top spot by three-quarters of a length in 1:08.

Owner of the Year – Ron Paolucci: His bright lime green silks were seen in winner's circles from coast to coast, but the native of Stow, Ohio wins most of his races in the state with Ohio-breds. He finished ninth in the nation with a record of 799-191-144-94 for earnings of $4,851,390 with an impressive 24 percent of his starters in the win column.

Breeder of the Year – Blazing Meadows Farm: Owned and operated by Tim and Shawna Hamm, the farm in North Jackson garnered $168,721 in breeders awards alone. The farm is also home to the graded stakes-winning National Flag in partnership with WinStar Farm. The son of the popular Speightstown, bred more mares than any other stallion in 2019 and his first foals arrived in 2020.

Stallion of the Year – Mobil: Standing at Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm in Polk, the now 20-year-old stallion is still making his mark on the state. A son of Langfuhr out of Kinetigal by Naskra, he built a reputation for himself in Canada over four seasons of racing amassing $1,877,136. A multiple graded stakes winner, he had a record of 29-12-9-1 and the Canadian champion retired to stud north of the border before moving to the Buckeye State.

His offspring have earned $12,199,580 and his current leading runner is Mobil Solution ($470,770), who was voted 2019 champion accredited handicap horse.

Broodmare of the Year – Great Goin Rose: While her career was brief, Great Goin Rose did manage to win her only two starts at two and run second in the Royal North Stakes at Beulah Park from her three trips to post. She made up for her abbreviated on-track career with an extended one in the breeding shed where she produced seven foals since 2010.

Her first foal was Uptown Gal (($140,980), winner of the Norm Barron Queen City Oaks and hitting the board in three additional Ohio stakes. Her current success story is two-time Ohio Horse of the Year and sprint champion Altissimo ($811,658). Owner Nancy Lavrich is keeping her fingers crossed for another home run. Great Goin Rose had a filly this year by first-season sire Free Drop Billy and is in-foal to Runhappy.

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly – Moonlit Mission: Owned, bred and trained by Charlie J. Williams. Chestnut filly by Shackleford – Moonlit River, by Maria's Mon; 6-4-0-0 $182,050.

Champion 2-Year-Old Male – Liberate: Owned and bred by WinStar Farm LLC and Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Bay gelding by Gemologist – Southern Silence, by Dixie Union; 5-4-0-0 $206,250.

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly – Totally Obsessed: Owned by Ron Paolucci Racing, bred by Schleprock Racing LLC, trained by Gary Johnson. Bay filly by Tale of Ekati – Dark Obsession, by Grand Slam; 16-6-2 $233,627.

Champion 3-Year-Old Male – Diamond Dust: Owned and bred by WinStar Farm LLC and Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Bay gelding by Paynter – Radiant Sky, byLeroidesanimaux; 16-8-5-1 $379,725.

Champion Handicap Mare & Accredited Female – Leona's Reward: Owned by Blazing Meadows Farm LLC and Michael Friedman, bred by Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Chestnut mare by Parent's Reward – Prime Time Dancer, by Montbrook; 48-19-7-5 $934,056.

Champion Accredited Male – Mobil Solution: Owned by Gerald Silver bred by Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm and trained by Jeff Radosevich. Bay gelding by Mobil – Perfect Solution, by Seeking the Gold; 24-7-8-5 $413,020.

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Mirth Named 2019 Pennsylvania-Bred Horse Of The Year

This year's Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association Iroquois Awards was held on Friday, June 26 via Zoom. The event virtually hosted top Pennsylvania breeders from all over in celebration of the 2019 stakes winners and champions.

Following is the complete list of winners from Friday's ceremony.

Horse of the Year, Older Female, Turf Female – Mirth

Bred by Barlar LLC

Mirth didn't make her stakes debut until June of her 4-year-old season in her 13th career start. Three months later, she was a Grade 1 winner. She won Santa Anita's Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles while leading at every call in 1:58.47, wrapped up the year with a score in the G3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes, and in between, set the pace in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf before giving way late to be beaten less than six lengths. She won or placed in seven of 11 starts for the year and earned $347,281.

2-Year-Old Filly – Weed Wacker

Bred by Triple Threat Stables LLC

A winner first time out, a stakes winner in her second start and outfinishing all but Pennsylvania-bred champion juvenile colt Newstome in her third start, Weed Wacker dominated her own division. She won the Mrs. Henry D. Paxson Memorial Stakes at Presque Isle Downs by 3 1/4 lengths after a 2 3/4-length maiden win.

2-Year-Old Colt – Newstome

Bred by Equivine Farm

A stakes winner at Presque Isle Downs in the Mark McDermott by three lengths, and at Laurel Park in the James F. Lewis III against open company, Newstome had three wins from five starts for the year and concluded his season with a third-place finish in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes.

3-Year-Old Filly – Gotta Be Strong

Bred by Scott Naylor

A busy season saw the bay filly win or place in 11 of 14 starts. Tops among her five wins was Penn National's New Start Stakes in which she rallied from last to win in the final strides. She also finished third in the Alma North Stakes at Laurel Park.

3-Year-Old Colt – Parsimony

Bred by Maria Montez Haire

Starting at least once a month through November in 2019, Parsimony made starts at Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park, Keeneland, Los Alamitos and Del Mar. Four times he was sent out in graded stakes, and finished second to champion Game Winner in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby. He was also second in the Cinema Stakes and finished in the top three in nine of his 16 starts at three.

Older Male – Prince Lucky

Bred by Daniel W. McConnell Sr.

The richest Pennsylvania-bred runner of 2019, Prince Lucky kicked off his 4-year-old season with dominating back-to-back stakes scores in the G3 Hal's Hope, winning by six lengths, followed by the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile by nearly five lengths. Racing exclusively in stakes, he added a win in the State Dinner Stakes at Belmont in July and turned in a game performance to just miss when second in the G2 Kelso Handicap.

Turf Male – Pumpkin Rumble

Bred by Smart Angle

Making his first start of the season in late June, the veteran Pumpkin Rumble made five starts, four in graded stakes company, and won twice – defending his title in Woodbine's G3 Valedictory Stakes by more than five lengths, and taking his only start away from his base in Canada in Parx Racing's Alphabet Soup Handicap. He also finished third in the G2 Nijinsky and G3 Dominion Day Stakes.

Female Sprinter – Bronx Beauty

Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

Six starts, all stakes. Three wins at three different tracks. Bronx Beauty flew home in the Penn Ladies Dash at Penn National in 1:08.57 for six furlongs; battled home to win the Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park; and proved tough when taking Monmouth Park's Regret. She was also third in the Roamin Rachel at Parx.

Male Sprinter – Midtowncharlybrown

Bred by Godric LLC

A two-time stakes winner in the tough sprint division, Midtowncharlybrown shot to the lead and flew home in the Chocolate Town Sprint at Penn National, and followed with a gutsy performance in the Banjo Picker Sprint at Parx Racing while turning back multiple challengers.

Steeplechaser – Senior Senator

Bred by Charles C.D. McGill

The timber star made history by winning the Maryland Hunt Cup for a third time, the first horse to do so in 36 years, and also accounted for his third consecutive Grand National Timber Stakes.

Pennsylvania-Preferred Female – Imply

Bred by Barlar LLC

2019 earnings: $240,980

Won Lyphard Stakes at Penn National, Northern Fling Stakes at Presque Isle Downs and Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx Racing.

PA-Preferred Male – Midnightcharly

Bred by Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC and Godric LLC

2019 earnings: $267,888

Won Lyman Handicap at Parx Racing; 2nd Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National, Banjo Picker Sprint Stakes at Parx Racing; 3rd Chocolate Town Sprint Stakes at Penn National

Broodmare – Di's Delight

Owned by Barlar LLC

A stakes-placed daughter of French Deputy owned by Barlar since being purchased in November 2011, she has five Pennsylvania-bred foals of racing age, all winners, three of them stakes performers. Two were stakes winners in 2019 – Grade 1 winner and Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year Mirth and the Jump Start filly Vault, who won or placed in seven of eight starts.

Leading Breeding Fund Recipient (horse) – Imply

Bred by Barlar LLC

$307,170

Leading Total Breeding Fund Recipient – Northview Stallion Station Inc.

$434,751

Leading Overall Breeder of Pennsylvania Breds – Blackstone Farm LLC

$2,151,160

Leading Stallion – Jump Start

$251,650

Lifetime Achievement Award – Bettina Jenney

OTTB – Fairly Obvious

Bred by Ghost Ridge Farm

Award of Merit – Touch of Kindness Sanctuary

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