Not For Love, Poised to Pounce, Bowmans earn Maryland honors

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association has honored Not For Love as its stallion of the year; Poised to Pounce as its broodmare of the year; and Tom and Chris Bowman as breeders of the year.

Not For Love, who stands at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md., earned his 10th title as the state's stallion of the year. He earned his latest honor by leading Maryland's 2012 general and juvenile sire lists by progeny earnings. The 23-year-old son of Mr. Prospector is the state's all-time career leader in both categories.

Through Tuesday, the 23-year-old son of Mr. Prospector is the sire of 559 winners from his first 14 crops, including 74 stakes winners. His progeny earnings total $62,420,559, for an average of $90,596 per starter. His career has been highlighted by runners such as Smart and Fancy, an 11-time stakes winner; multiple Grade 3 winner Presidentialaffair; and Grade 2 winner Duckhorn.

Poised to Pounce, who has produced eight winners from as many starters, was represented on the track in 2012 by Poseidon's Warrior, who captured the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. Poseidon's Warrior also finished third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational.

Poised to Pounce, bred by Katharine W. Merryman, was purchased by David and JoAnn Hayden's Dark Hollow Farm for a sale-topping $142,000 at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December sale. Now owned in partnership by the Haydens and William Beatson, the 22-year-old Smarten mare has produced six foals who have sold for a total of $605,000.

Tom and Chris Bowman earned their seventh breeder of the year award, to accompany hardware from 1995, 2005-08, and 2011.

Their runners, including four stakes winners, earned more than $2.1 million in 2012. The roster was highlighted by Maryland Million Classic Stakes winner Not Abroad, bred in partnership with Milton P. Higgins, Thomas Sutton, and Huckleberry Farm LLC, and Alpha Mike Foxtrot, who was posthumously honored as the state's champion 2-year-old male, bred in partnership with Richard W. Small.

The Bowmans also finished 2012 among the top 100 breeders nationally by earnings, among individuals and partnerships. It marked their first return to that list since appearing on it for five consecutive years from 2004-08.

The Bowmans own and operate Roland Farm in Chesapeake City, Md., and Dance Forth Farm in Chestertown, Md. Together, the farms encompass about 300 acres, where the Bowmans keep their mares and their offspring. Tom Bowman, an equine veterinarian, also co-founded Northview Stallion Station.