Cluster of Stars Named NY Horse of the Year

Cluster of Stars, an undefeated multiple grade II winner for Harvey Weinstein's Turtle Bird Stable, was voted the 2013 New York-bred horse of the year. 

Honors for the year's top New York breeder went to Patricia S. Purdy of Ivy League Farm in Ithaca, who bred London Bridge, winner of the Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. II) and the first state-bred to win a race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The announcements were made at the awards banquet of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders April 1 at the Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs. The New York Breeding and Development Fund sponsored the event. Richard Migliore, former leading New York jockey and currently a broadcast analyst for the New York Racing Association and The Jockey Club Tour on Fox, emceed the awards program.

Cluster of Stars, who also carried off the honors for champion female sprinter and champion older female, was bred by Michael McPoland and Sean Finn and foaled at Rockmount in Saugerties. Retired in November undefeated in seven career starts, the daughter of Greeley's Galaxy won four stakes races, headed by back-to-back victories in the Distaff Handicap (gr. II) at Aqueduct Racetrack and Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park. 

Other multiple winners on the evening were Patricia Generazio's Del Mar Oaks (gr. I)-winning homebred Discreet Marq, who was voted champion 3-year-old filly and champion turf female, and Gerald and Susan Kresa's homebred King Kreesa, who carried home the honors for champion turf male and champion older male. Discreet Marq and King Kreesa were finalists for Horse of the Year.

The divisional champions and horse of the year were chosen by a ballot of New York turf writers, handicappers, and racing analysts conducted by the NYTB. A complete list of equine and human honorees follows:

* Champion 2-year-old male: Wired Bryan

* Champion 2-year-old filly: Artemis Agrotera

* Champion 3-year-old male: Notacatbutallama

* Champion 3-year-old filly: Discreet Marq

* Champion turf male: King Kreesa

* Champion turf female: Discreet Marq

* Champion male sprinter: Palace

* Champion female sprinter: Cluster of Stars

* Champion older male: King Kreesa

* Champion older female: Cluster of Stars

* Champion steeplechase horse: Sunshine Numbers

* Horse of the year: Cluster of Stars

* New York broodmare of the year: Babyurthegreatest (dam of Cluster of Stars)

* New York-bred trainer of the year: Linda Rice

* New York-bred jockey of the year: Irad Ortiz, Jr. 

* New York breeder of the year: Patricia S. Purdy