THE BROCK TALK

Brock Sheridan

Editor-in-Chief

Florida Equine Communications

SERITA HULT PHOTO

On behalf of everyone at The Florida Horse, Florida Equine Publications and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, we want to extend our most sincere wishes for a happy and prosperous 2023.

Looking back at 2022, Florida breeders can again be proud of producing 89 stakes winners of which 22 were graded, through Dec. 24 and of much more.

Tami Bobo and Tristan de Meric’s Simplification became the 121st Florida-bred to start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) where he finished a late-closing fourth behind longshot winner Rich Strike. He also was the second Florida-bred Derby starter for breeder France Weiner and her late husband Irwin, who also bred Closing Argument, the second-place finisher behind Giacomo in the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

Simplification (Dirt Mile) was among the seven Florida-breds who this year started in a Breeders’ Cup race at Keeneland, bringing the total number of Floridabred starters to 387 in the history of that prestigious event. Florida-breds Golden Pal (Turf Sprint) and C Z Rocket made their third appearances in a Breeders’ Cup race this year with C Z Rocket proving the most successful among the Sunshine State natives with a second-place finish to Elite Power in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Willy Boi (Sprint), Delight (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Speed Boat Beach (Juvenile Turf Sprint) and Atomically (Juvenile Filles) completed the Florida contingent.

CSLR Racing Partners’ Awesome Strong became the fourteenth juvenile to sweep a division of the Florida Sire Stakes with victories in the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Dr. Fager, the $200,000 FTBOA Affirmed and the $400,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes In Reality. Bred in Florida by John B. Penn and from the first crop by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew, Awesome Strong joins Smile (1984), Naked Greed (1991), Seacliff (1995), Nancy’s Glitter (1997), Express Tour (2000), Sir Oscar (2003), Aclassysassylassy (2004), Big Drama (2008), Jackson Bend (2009), Awesome Feather (2010), Fort Loudon (2011), Scandalous Act (2013) and Three Rules (2016) on the illustrious list of those who have taken all three races in their respective divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes in a single year.

For the third consecutive year, Journeyman Stud stallion Khozan took the title as the leading sire in Florida with nearly $4.4 million in progeny earnings as of Dec. 20 in 2022. Led by Hot Peppers, who won the Grade 3 Victory Ride and was second to Chi Town Lady in the Grade 1 Test, Khozan is the first stallion in Florida to win the state’s leading sire title in three consecutive years going back to at least 1991.

In 2022, 14 stallions based in Florida had progeny earnings of more than $1 million ahead of Maryland with 13, Louisiana (11), Pennsylvania (10), New York (9) and behind only Kentucky and California (20).

Florida breeders can also take pride in Girvin becoming a top five first crop sire (as of Dec. 20) nationally and the leading freshman sire in Florida. Girvin, who stood the 2022 season at Ocala Stud, brags of nearly $1.9 million in progeny earnings in 2020 (through Dec. 20), led by Atomically, winner of the $400,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl.

Although Girvin moves to Kentucky for the 2023 season, there are plenty of Florida breeders with Girvin 2-year-olds, yearlings, weanlings and mares-in-foal who have much to look forward to in the coming years due to the young stallions’ early success with Florida mares.

Ocala Stud’s Awesome Slew ($962,181 as of Dec. 20) and Bucchero ($590,795 as of Dec. 20), who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, helped make an exciting list of