Zayat Stables named TOBA's owner of the year

On September 10, Zayat Stables was named owner of the year in 2015 by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association at its annual awards dinner. Held at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky., the dinner honored the previously announced state and regional award winners, as well as honoring Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Godolphin as national breeder of the year and Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds as national small breeder of the year.

Zayat Stables in 2015 campaigned homebred American Pharoah, American racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978. American Pharoah, by Pioneerof the Nile, won seven of eight starts at 3, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and earned $8,288,800 while trained by Bob Baffert. Zayat also was recognized as the Southern Region owner of the year.

Also at the dinner, TOBA honored Littleprincessemma, dam of American Pharoah, as the national broodmare of the year.

Godolphin was honored with the national breeder award after having previously been announced as the breeder of the year for Kentucky. The Papieses were previously announced as winners of best breeder in Illinois.

Following is the complete list of national, regional, and state award winners for 2015.
National owner of the year: Zayat Stables
National breeder of the year: Godolphin
National small breeder of the year: Richard and Karen Papiese
Eastern region owner of the year: Stonestreet Stables
Midwestern region owner of the Year: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey
Southern region owner of the Year: Zayat Stables
Western region owner of the Year: Reddam Racing
Arizona: Triple AAA Ranch
Arkansas: McDowell Farm
California: Reddam Racing
Canada: Tall Oaks Farm
Florida: Jacks or Better Farm
Illinois: Richard and Karen Papiese
Indiana: Justice Farms
Iowa: Poindexter Thoroughbreds
Kansas: Pam M. Davis
Kentucky: Godolphin
Louisiana: Set-Hut
Maryland: Dance Forth Farm
Massachusetts: Langdon Wilby and Mary Beth Reis
Michigan: Campbell Stable
Minnesota: Curtis A. Sampson
New Jersey: Holly Crest Farm
New Mexico: A&A Horse Farm
New York: Eklektikos Stable
North Carolina: Chandley Farm
North Dakota: Backhaus & Sons
Ohio: 3 Clovers Farm & Blazing Meadows Farm
Oregon: Oakhurst Thoroughbreds
South Carolina: Franklin G. Smith Sr.
Texas: Runaway Farm
Virginia: Keswick Stables
Washington: Coal Creek Farm