Imperial Hint honored as top Florida-bred for 2018

Imperial Hint was honored as the Florida-bred Horse of the Year and World of Trouble took home special recognition from Daily Racing Form as the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association recognized its champions at an annual awards banquet Monday night in Ocala, Fla.

Imperial Hint was also honored as Florida's champion older male and champion male sprinter. The Imperialism horse, bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds of Reddick, Fla, and owned by Raymond Mamone, won two Grade 1 stakes in 2018: the Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga and the Vosburgh at Belmont. He also won the Grade 2 True North Stakes and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

World of Trouble, by Kantharos, was named Florida’s champion 3-year-old male and turf male on the strength of a campaign that included four stakes wins and a close runner-up effort to Eclipse Award champion Stormy Liberal in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. World of Trouble was also recognized by Daily Racing Form for recording the top Beyer Speed Figure by a Florida-bred during the year. His 118 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint was also the third-highest Beyer overall on the season, behind only Gun Runner’s 119 in the Pegasus World Cup and Stormy Liberal’s 119 in winning the Turf Sprint.

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Other equine honorees taking home multiple titles were Miz Mayhem as champion 3-year-old filly and turf female and Stormy Embrace as outstanding older female and female sprinter. Garter and Tie and Cookie Dough were recognized as the state's outstanding 2-year-old male and female, respectively.

First Dude, who led all active Florida stallions by progeny earnings in 2018, was recognized at the awards dinner as the state's stallion of the year. First Dude, who stands at Double Diamond Farms, was led on the season by Eclipse Award champion Shamrock Rose, winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

Other stallions recognized at the awards included Arindel Farm's Brethren, the state's leading juvenile sire. Arindel Farm was recognized as the Florida Owner of the Year for leading the category by earnings, led by Brethren's daughter Cookie Dough.

Ocala Stud's Uncaptured was the state's leading freshman sire. Ocala Stud, recognized as the Florida Breeder of the Year, is also home to the state's Broodmare of the Year, Almost a Valentine. The mare is the dam of three Florida-bred stakes winners in 2018, led by Grade 1 winner Patternrecognition.

Ocala Stud, which was the consignor of Patternrecognition when he sold as a juvenile, was also presented with the Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award by the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company.

Chad and Courtney Meagher of Citra, Fla., were presented the Needles Award as the state’s small breeders of the year.

Stanley Gold was recognized as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by earnings, while David Fawkes was honored as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by black-type stakes wins. Meanwhile, for the 11th time and 10th consecutive year, Kathleen O’Connell was the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by wins with 62.