Imperial Hint is Florida-Bred Horse of the Year

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association recognized the 2018 Florida-bred champions March 11 at its annual awards banquet and gala at the Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom in Ocala, Fla.

The star of the night was Imperial Hint, who was named the FTBOA Florida-bred Horse of the Year, champion older male, and champion sprinter.

Owned by Raymond Mamone of Somerville, N.J., and trained by Luis Carvajal Jr., Imperial Hint was a multiple-grade 1 winner in 2018 having won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga Race Course and the Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park. His other wins for the year included the True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont and the Horse Races Now Sprint Stakes on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs. He was also third in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and a finalist for an Eclipse Award as North America's champion sprinter.

By Imperialism out of Royal Hint, by Lahint, Imperial Hint finished 2018 with four wins from six starts and earned $767,500. Bert and Martha Pilcher's Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, located near Reddick, Fla., bred the champion.

The 2018 2-year-old Florida-bred champion colt/gelding Garter and Tie and champion filly Cookie Dough both left their marks in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series at Gulfstream Park.

Garter and Tie, a homebred product of Fred Brei's Jacks or Better Farm located near Reddick, Fla., was a multiple stakes winner last year. The son of Brei's stallion Brooks 'n Down, who stands at Ocala Stud, won the FTBOA FSS Affirmed Stakes and the Smooth Air at Gulfstream with trainer Ralph Nicks. He was also second in both the FTBOA FSS In Reality Stakes and the FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager Stakes.

Brei's colt is the fifth foal out of Garter Belt (by Anasheed) and is half brother to three black-type performers. He won two of six starts last year and placed in three other races. Garter and Tie ended the year with $273,570 in earnings. 

Arindel's homebred Cookie Dough was a dual FSS winner, with victories in FTBOA FSS Susan's Girl Stakes and FTBOA FSS My Dear Girl  Stakes. Trained by Stanley Gold, the filly started the year with two third-place finishes against maiden special weight company before she finished sixth in the FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen in her stakes debut. She ended the year with two wins from five starts and earnings of $372,500. Cookie Dough is by Arindel's stallion Brethren  out of the Fusaichi Pegasus  mare Brooke's Valentine.

Both sophomore champions for the year were also honored with champion turf titles. World of Trouble was named the FTBOA Florida-bred champion 3-year-old colt or gelding and the FTBOA Florida-bred champion male turf horse, and FTBOA Florida-bred champion 3-year-old filly Miz Mayhem was also named the FTBOA Florida-bred champion female turf horse.

Trained by Jason Servis for Michael Dubb of Long Island, N.Y., Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables of New York City and Michael Caruso's Bethlehem Stables of Bethlehem, Pa., World of Trouble started the year by winning the $125,000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in January before he finished third in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2). After finishing fourth in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2), World of Trouble won the Quick Call Stakes turf sprint at Saratoga and the Allied Forces Stakes on the grass at Belmont Park. He then finished second in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) before he came back to win the FTBOA FSS Marion County on Tampa Bay Downs' main track.

World of Trouble finished his 2018 campaign with four wins from seven starts and earned $524,000. He is by Kantharos  out of Meets Expectations (by Valid Expectations) and was bred by Daryl and Sandy Clark's Darsan of Plantation, Fla. He was also presented by Daily Racing Form the DRF Mint Julep Cup for the best Beyer Speed Figure by a Florida-bred during the year. World of Trouble had the third-highest Beyer of all horses in 2018 with his 118 achieved in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, behind Gun Runner and Stormy Liberal at 119.

Miz Mayhem started the year in the starter optional claiming ranks but finished 2018 as a multiple-stakes winner having taken the Cedar Key Stakes and the Nicole's Dream Stakes, both at Gulfstream Park. She then traveled to Laurel Park in Maryland to win the Stormy Blues Stakes and won the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for her fourth added-money tally of 2018.

Owned and bred in Florida by Laurie Plesa of Plantation, and trained by her husband Edward Plesa Jr., Miz Mayhem won six of 10 starts while picking up $275,705 in earnings. She is by Bridlewood Farm stallion Yesbyjimminy out of Forest Retreat, by Forest Camp.

Dr. Matt and Lona Vuskovich's Matalona Thoroughbreds of Gainseville, Fla., saw their Florida-homebred Stormy Embrace become a multiple champion titleholder as she was named the champion older female and champion female sprinter.

The chestnut mare started the year winning four of five races including victories in an overnight handicap at Tampa Bay Downs in March, the Musical Romance Stakes and the Princess Rooney Stakes both at Gulfstream.

During the year, the Kathleen O'Connell-trained daughter of Circular Quay out of Stormy Allure (by Stormy Atlantic ) won four of eight starts with earnings of $300,020.

The 2018 Florida Stallion of the Year was First Dude , who stands at Donald R. Dizney's Double Diamond Farm near Ocala. He was the leading active Florida sire by total progeny earnings with $4,918,031. He was represented by 89 winners, which included eight black-type-stakes winners and two black-type-stakes-placed runners. Among his progeny in 2018 were Eclipse champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose, who also won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs; and grade 3 winners Mom's On Strike and Skye Diamonds, who won a grade 2 stakes in 2017.

Other stallions recognized at the gala were Uncaptured  as the leading Florida freshman sire, and Brethren as the leading Florida juvenile sire.

Uncaptured had progeny earnings of $584,829 and was represented by 26 runners, eight winners, and three black-type-stakes winners, including Schuylerville Stakes (G3) winner Catherinethegreat and FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen Stakes winner Capture Your Dream. Uncaptured is the property of John Oxley and stands at Ocala Stud.

Brethren finished the year with progeny earnings of $2,217,856 and was represented by 43 juvenile runners, 19 juvenile winners, two blacktype-stakes winners and three black-type-stakes-placed horses. His best runner was Cookie Dough. Brethren stands at Arindel.

The Joe O'Farrell Memorial Award was presented by Ocala Breeders' Sales and went to Ocala Stud, the original consignor of grade 1 stakes winner Patternrecognition, who was also bred by the Ocala nursery. He was consigned to the 2015 OBS April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training where the son of Ocala Stud resident Adios Charlie  sold for $420,000 to L.R.K. Patternrecognition races for Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence. The honor had additional meaning as it was named decades ago in honor of the farm's patriarch Joseph O'Farrell, who was one of the creators of the 2-year-olds-in-training sale concept. The farm is now run by the second and third generations with Michael O'Farrell and his sons David and Joseph.

Gold was recognized as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by earnings with $2,133,034. It was the third time he has been honored in that category.

David Fawkes was honored as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by black-type stakes wins with eight. It was the first time Fawkes was so honored.

For the 11th time and 10th consecutive year, O'Connell was the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by wins with 62.

The Florida Broodmare of the year as named by the FTBOA board of directors was Ocala Stud's Almost a Valentine, the dam of three 2018 Florida-bred black-type stakes winners including Patternrecognition, winner of the Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) and the Kelso Handicap (G2); double stakes-winner Florida Fuego (by Kantharos) and Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes winner Lovesick. 

Chad and Courtney Meagher of Citra, Fla., were presented the Needles Award as the state's small breeders of the year. The Meaghers recorded $333,531 in Florida-bred earnings during the year and as breeders were represented by 30 starters that posted three wins, three seconds, and four thirds. Leading the way for the Meaghers was Florida-bred graded stakes winner Mom's On Strike. It was the first time the Meaghers have been presented with the Needles Award.

The Florida Owner of the Year was Arindel, who led all owners by Florida-bred earnings with $2,430,499. Arindel's runners posted 40 wins, 41 seconds, and 56 thirds in 308 starts led by champion 2-year-old filly Cookie Dough. It was the first time Arindel, which is located near Ocala, was recognized as the Florida Owner of the Year.

The 2018 Florida Breeder of the Year was Ocala Stud, who took home the trophy in this category for the fifth time in nine years.