Puca, the dam of 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage and last year's Belmont and Haskell stakes (both G1) winner Dornoch , was named the 2024 Broodmare of the Year at the April 11 Kentucky Thoroughbred Association's Kentucky-breds Awards Dinner.
Graded stakes-placed on the racetrack for trainer Bill Mott, Puca sold to Grandview Equine, the breeders of both Mage and Dornoch, for $475,000 at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale in 2018. After Mage's Derby victory, Puca headed to the auction ring again, this time at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where John Stewart went to $2.9 million to secure the daughter of Big Brown for his budding breeding operation, Resolute Farm.
Puca's last foal bred under Grandview banner, Baeza, has recently caused a stir in the racing world with his game second-place finish to Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism in the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Thorpedo Anna was honored as KTA's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old female following a stellar campaign in 2024 that saw the Fast Anna filly capture five grade 1 races. Judy Hicks bred Thorpedo Anna, a daughter of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves, and remains a partner in the filly's racing career with Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, and Magdalena Racing. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna was voted the 2024 Horse of the Year at this year's Eclipse Awards, becoming just the seventh female in racing history to capture racing's most coveted prize.
2024 KTA Kentucky-bred Champions:
- Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old female: Thorpedo Anna
- Champion 3-year-old male: Sierra Leone
- Champion older dirt male: National Treasure
- Champion older dirt female: Idiomatic
- Champion male sprinter and champion male turf horse: Cogburn
- Champion turf female: She Feels Pretty
- Champion female sprinter: Soul of an Angel
- Champion horse racing abroad: City of Troy
- Champion 2-year-old male: Citizen Bull
- Champion 2-year-old female: Immersive
- Champion steeplechase horse: Snap Decision
- Broodmare of the Year: Puca
- Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund owner of the year: Godolphin
- KTDF trainer of the year: Steve Asmussen
- KTDF earner of the year: Goliad
- KTDF sire of the year: Twirling Candy
- P.A.B. Widener Trophy: Godolphin
- William T. Young Humanitarian Award: Stable Recovery
- Hardboot Breeders' Award: Alex and Sarah Rankin
- Charles W. Englehard Award: Caton Bredar
