Littleprincessemma Ky Broodmare of the Year

Littleprincessemma, dam of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  , was named Kentucky broodmare of the year April 21 by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders.

Zayat Stables horses took home three awards April 21 at the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders' annual Kentucky-bred champions award luncheon held at Keeneland Racecourse. Besides Littleprincessemma, who was owned by Zayat Stables at the time she produced the Triple Crown winner, Zayat homebred American Pharoah   was honored as the Kentucky-bred Horse of the Year and as top three-year-old male. 

Current Kentucky Derby favorite Nyquist, bred by Summerhill Farm, was named the champion two-year-old male and Songbird captured two-year-old filly honors for her breeder John Antonelli. Both Nyquist and Songbird have career records of 7-for-7 and also were named the Eclipse Award winners in their respective two-year-old divisions.

Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's I'm a Chatterbox won the three-year-old filly championship. The multiple graded stakes winner is scheduled to make her 2016 debut April 22 at Keeneland in the Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III), seeking to keep her championship form going.

Honor Code  , the multiple graded stakes winner who finished third to American Pharoah in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), was named champion older dirt male for his breeders Dell Ridge Farm. He was retired after the Breeders' Cup last year to take up stud duties at Lane's End, where his sire A.P. Indy held court for decades and still lives as a pensioner.

Eclipse Award champion Beholder is the Kentucky-bred older dirt female for breeders Clarkland Farm. She rode a perfect streak of six victories in six starts last year, including an 8 1/4-length triumph over males in the Pacific Classic (gr. I).

Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Big Blue Kitten and Tepin, bred by Machmer Hall, took turf male and turf female honors, respectively. Tepin's dominance of the turf division continues so far this year, as she took off in the April 16 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland to win by 5 lengths. She won the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) last October.

Runhappy, winner of last year's TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and the Eclipse Award for champion sprinter, was also named the Kentucky-bred champion sprinter. He was bred by Wayne, Gray, and Bryan Lyster.

Demonstrative, bred by Gainsborough Farm, is 2015's champion Kentucky-bred steeplechase horse.

Air Force Blue, an accomplished son of War Front   at 2 last year, was the top horse in the "racing abroad" category for breeders Stone Farm.

A special achievement award was presented to Michael Blowen, whose dedication to provide a dignified retirement for Thoroughbreds has added immeasurable value to the Thoroughbred industry in Central Kentucky.

Four merit awards were also presented to individuals for their contributions to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Industry:

* Darley received the P.A.B. Widener Trophy for KTOB Breeder of the Year. 

* The Hardboot Breeders' Award, which honors distinctive but unsung breeders that help make up the backbone of the racing industry, was awarded to Arthur B. Hancock III.

* The Charles W. Englehard Award, which acknowledges a member of the media for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred industry, went to Sean and Joe Clancy.

* Keeneland Association was the recipient of the William T. Young Humanitarian Award, which distinguishes a person or organization in the Thoroughbred industry "who recognizes and promotes the human endeavor."

Also receiving awards were the top Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money earners in 2015 in five separate categories: the KTDF sire, earner, owner, trainer, and breeder of the year.

Candy Ride   is the sire of the year in that category for Lane's End Farm, and the earner of the year is Shes A True Beauty for SumFun Stable. Ken and Sarah Ramsey were named the owners of the year, and Michael Maker is the KTDF trainer of the year. Winstar Farm took honors for breeder of the year.