Mucho Unusual is California Horse of the Year

Grade 1 winner Mucho Unusual was named California-bred Horse of the Year for 2020 during the March 15 annual awards presentation by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Mucho Unusual is a 5-year-old mare by Mucho Macho Man , out of the Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, was bred by owner George Krikorian and is trained by Tim Yakteen.

She has career earnings of $862,715, of which $317,333 were earned in 2020 when she scored her greatest career triumph in the Sept. 26 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. She also won the Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Dec. 27. The former California Cup Oaks winner has won or placed in nine graded stakes.

The other finalists for Horse of the Year, in alphabetical order, were Bulletproof One and Warren's Showtime.

The following Cal-bred champions also were recognized during the teleconference.

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Male: Tie between Big Fish and Good With People. Big Fish, bred by George Krikorian, owned by Legacy Ranch, trained by David Hofmans; Good With People, bred and owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, trained by Peter Miller

Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Female: Governor Goteven, bred and owned by Templeton Horses, trained by Walther Solis

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Male: El Tigre Terrible, bred by Martin Bach, owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig, trained by Peter Miller

Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Female: Warren's Showtime, bred by Benjamin Warren, owned by Benjamin and Sally Warren, trained by Craig Lewis

Champion California-bred Older Male: Galilean, bred by Bar C Racing Stables; owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, William Sandbrook, John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, and Derrick Smith; trained by John Sadler

Champion California-bred Older Female and Champion California-bred Turf Horse: Mucho Unusual, bred and owned by Krikorian, trained by Yakteen

Champion California-bred Sprinter: Tie between Fashionably Fast and Sneaking Out. Fashionably Fast, bred by Harris Farms; owned by Harris Farms, Per Antonsen and John Nicoletti; trained by Dean Pederson. Sneaking Out, bred and owned by KMN Racing, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer

Reddam Racing's Square Eddie swept the following champion sire categories for California conceived-foals: Champion Sire of California-Conceived Foals by Earnings, Champion Sire of California-Conceived Foals by Number of Winners, Champion Sire of California-Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings, and Champion Sire of California-Conceived 2-Year-Olds by Earnings

Trainer of the Year: Steve Miyadi

Broodmare of the Year: Warren's Veneda, property of Benjamin Warren

Champion Breeder of California-Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings: Reddam Racing