The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will honor national award winners at its 41st awards dinner Sept. 10 at The Kentucky Castle in Versailles, Ky. The following day, Sept. 11, TOBA will celebrate state and Canadian winners during a luncheon at Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles. Following are profiles of the winning breeders by state as well as a pair of Canadian honors.
Arizona
Marvin Fleming (Fleming Thoroughbred Farm)
Being No. 1 in anything is a goal most people wish for themselves. Being No. 1 for 10 consecutive years is usually unheard of, unless one is talking about Arizona's leading breeder.
Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, operated by brothers Marvin and Gerald Fleming, was named the state's top breeder for 2025, marking 10 straight years at the top.
Fleming Thoroughbred Farm, located near Wilcox, Ariz., is a 320-acre facility that features a full-service farm and stallion station, which houses, among others, Lotsa Mischief, who led all Arizona sires in progeny earnings for the fifth year in a row with $1,223,004, almost $1 million more than the runner-up, and by winners with 38.
The son of Into Mischief , out of the Tabasco Cat mare Saucy Countess, had two black-type stakes winners in 2025, both co-bred by Fleming Thoroughbred Farm.
The first, Time to Fly, recorded five wins in 11 starts, including a victory in the Iowa Stallion Stakes at Prairie Meadows. He also won the non-black-type Gene Fleming Breeders' Derby at Turf Paradise. Even though Fleming Thoroughbred Farm has won that race before, it was still important to Marvin as it was a great way to honor his late father, Gene.
It wasn't just Lotsa Mischief that brought Fleming Thoroughbred Farm to its 10th straight leading breeder title. Ez Effort finished third in the state in progeny earnings with $195,350. — Jeff Frank
Arkansas
McDowell Farm
"I know it's going to come to an end at some point, because there's a couple of larger breeders around. I better enjoy this one."
Those were the words uttered last year by Bill McDowell when he earned his record-extending 18th title as Arkansas breeder of the year by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
But McDowell and his wife, Mary, the owners of McDowell Farm near Sparkman, Ark., are all about encores and now have taken a 19th title as the state's breeder of the year for their accomplishments in 2025.
Bred in the name of Bill McDowell, Lochmoor was one of the top runners for his breeding enterprise in 2025. A son of Laurie's Rocket who previously stood at his farm, Lochmoor finished third in the 2025 Nodouble Breeders' Stakes for owner William Kennedy Jr., adding to his previous black-type victory in the 2024 Arkansas Breeders' Championship Stakes and another show finish in the Nodouble in 2024.
Lochmoor, who earned $63,003 in 2025, was produced by the Elusive Quality mare Copperelle, who was bought privately by Bill McDowell. McDowell sold both a yearling and foal out of Copperelle in private sales in 2025, following Lochmoor's strong 2024 campaign.
With $545,800 in career earnings, Lochmoor is the overall leading earner bred in the name of Bill McDowell.
Under the McDowell Farm-bred banner, Hayahlookatme, a son of Khozan , was one of its leading earners in 2025 with $67,347 and a record of 2-3-2 from 10 starts while competing at Oaklawn Park and Prairie Meadows.
McDowell Farm also gained recognition in 2025 as standing the state's second-leading sire in progeny earnings, The Big Beast, who sadly died in July. — Karen M. Johnson
California
Richard Barton Enterprises
When a program can breed two state champions as well as a horse who performed so well away from home that he resold for $800,000, that demonstrates versatility. Richard Barton Enterprises, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's California breeder of the year in 2025 for a third consecutive year, has emerged as a major force in California racing and breeding.
Ocean Bear and Mohaven, both Barton-breds, walked off with year-end California-bred championships for 2025, and they contributed to Barton leading California breeders by earnings for the third consecutive season. Express Kid represented Barton nationally when he won the $300,000 Remington Springboard Mile Stakes in Oklahoma and went on to sell in a Fasig-Tipton digital sale for $800,000.
Richard and Beth Barton and their daughter, Kate Barton Penner, have worked with their loyal team for years building their program, and it is paying off.
Barton-breds earned $4,240,201 in 2025, winning 163 races, with six stakes winners. As always, most of those runners competed for others because Barton is a major market breeder.
One of those is 2025 Cal-bred champion 2-year-old male Ocean Bear. A son of Bolt d'Oro —Ocean Dream, by Square Eddie, Ocean Bear didn't reach his reserve at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale, bought back for $75,000. For Barton he captured the 2025 Golden State Juvenile Stakes at Del Mar. — Tracy Gantz
Canada
Chiefswood Stables
Chiefswood Stables continues building on the momentum of its Ontario-based owner/breeder program that won the prestigious Queen's Plate Stakes with its homebred Niigon in 2004 and has bred 25 additional black-type stakes winners since then.
The family-owned and -operated farm near Schomberg, founded in 2000 by Robert Krembil, added four black-type stakes winners in 2025 and earned recognition as the year's leading Canadian breeder by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
The stable's marquee performers in 2025 were graded stakes winners Simcoe and Borealis Trail, both gelded sons out of the multiple graded stakes winner Aurora Lights.
Chiefswood bought Aurora Lights (Pulpit—Lady Lochinvar, by Lord At War) at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $800,000 from Darby Dan Farm, as agent for breeders Larry and Marianne Williams.
Simcoe became Aurora Lights' fourth winner from five to race in 2023, quickly followed by his year-younger half brother Uptown Lights, who broke his maiden the following month. Simcoe, a 6-year-old son of Uncle Mo, went on to capture two graded stakes wins in 2025 in the Bold Venture Stakes (G3) and Vigil Stakes (G3), both at Woodbine.
In 2022, Aurora Lights produced Borealis Trail (by Quality Road ) who won twice and placed twice out of six starts in 2025. He won the 2025 Ontario Derby (G3) and was runner-up in the Breeders' Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. The mare has a yearling colt by American Pharoah and produced a colt this year by Chiefswood homebred graded stakes winner and stallion Weyburn . — Eric Mitchell
CANADA (SMALL BREEDER)
Sam-Son Farm
Seeing Sam-Son Farm recognized as Canada's Small Breeder of the Year for 2025 seems a mistake, at first glance. Leading breeder, sure. But small?
Such is the destiny of the world-renowned breeding and racing operation founded by Ernie Samuel more than 50 years ago and dismantled in 2020-22 through an orderly series of dispersals. After Samuel died in 2000, his daughter Tammy Samuel-Balaz took the helm and built on the farm's success. Samuel-Balaz then died in 2008. Owners Rick Balaz (president), Mark Samuel (CEO), and Kim Samuel kept the farm going with farm manager Dave Whitford and racing manager Tom Zwiesler.
Through all the changes, Sam-Son maintained its commitment to quality and the successes followed. Sam-Son bred 51 graded stakes winners, which included 41 homebreds and 15 grade 1 winners. The legendary operation has garnered 84 Sovereign Awards, including 2019 owner and breeder of the year, and four Eclipse Awards.
Today Sam-Son has no breeding operation and one racehorse in training: Last Dawn.
The influence of Sam-Son's quality bloodlines, however, continues making an impact at racetracks around the world. In 2025, Sam-Son's breeding program was represented by graded stakes winners Gas Me Up and Mission of Joy. — Eric Mitchell
Florida
Live Oak Stud
In the years since founding Live Oak Stud in 1968, Charlotte Weber has built a decorated legacy, earning praise and accolades across the breeding and racing industry. In 2025, Live Oak Stud-bred runners made $2,889,679 in racetrack earnings across 386 starts, which included 52 victories. This is Live Oak's fifth year receiving the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Florida breeder of the year award since 2017.
The 2025 season was highlighted by her gelding Bring Theband Home. The son of Into Mischief won back-to-back stakes at Saratoga Race Course, highlighted by his victory in the Troy Stakes (G2T). Also, Sam-Son-bred Old Chestnut was a grade 3 winner for owner Bruno Schickedanz in 2025.
The farm is home to more than 100 horses, including broodmares, foals, yearlings, horses in training, and retirees. There is also a cattle division on the farm.
Weber, who strictly breeds to race, has campaigned many of her top homebreds over the years, headed by 2017 champion turf male World Approval. She also bred and raced 2006 champion turf male Miesque's Approval, and 2020 Forego Stakes (G1) winner, Win Win Win .— Olivia Newman
Indiana
Greg Justice
A respected horseman with more than 40 years of industry experience, 68-year-old Greg Justice is a Kentucky resident who leads Justice Farm near Lexington. But much of Justice's success has come just north of the Bluegrass State.
His well-accomplished Indiana-breds recently earned him a sixth Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association award for his breeding achievements in Indiana.
Justice's first award came in 2015, due in part to a horse he bred, Cindy Patrick's Daddy Justice, making more than $156,000 in earnings that season, putting Justice's sire Lantana Mob on the map.
Justice currently stands two stallions: Harry's Holiday, based at Breakway Farm near Dillsboro, Ind.; and Ethereal Road , who stands at his Justice Farm near Lexington. His veteran sire Lantana Mob died last year.
In 2025, Justice Farm earned $397,990 in breeders' awards and $149,885 in stallion owner awards.
Last year, Justice was the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Program's breeder of the year for the fifth year in a row. Justice Farm was also named the program's stallion owner of the year, a title also earned in 2022 and 2023.
In 2025, Justice's star was Spirited Justice, champion Indiana-bred 2-year-old filly. Trained by Tomas Medina, Spirited Justice won the Back Home Again Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and accumulated a 3-2-0 record and $132,686 in earnings in five starts last year. — Jessica Licausi
Iowa
H. Allen Poindexter
It's a long way from Iowa to East Asia and the Middle East. Yet H. Allen Poindexter-bred horses make it look easy.
Chancheng Glory, bred in the Hawkeye State by Poindexter, has competed at the highest levels in Hong Kong and Korea. On Jan. 31, 2025, the gelding won the Centenary Vase Handicap (G3) at Sha Tin Racecourse; on Sept. 7, the son of Mor Spirit ran second by a half-length in the Korea Cup (G3) at Seoul Racecourse.
Another Poindexter-bred stakes winner figured as a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender early in the year. On Jan. 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack, Cyclone State—bred by Poindexter in Iowa—made his 3-year-old debut in the Jerome Stakes. He prevailed in the race by 3 1/2 lengths for owners Gold Square, George Messina, and Michael Lee. In his next start, Cyclone State ran in the Saudi Derby (G3) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse; he finished ninth. The son of McKinzie is out of Poindexter's homebred grade 3-placed stakes winner Chanel's Legacy (by Dominus).
Poindexter Thoroughbreds also had notable success in the sales ring last year. Judy Pryor spent $92,000 to purchase a yearling filly, sired by 2012 Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy, at the 2025 Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Fall Mixed Sale. Consigned by Iowa State University as agent, the filly—eventually named Ethelyn—was the highest-priced horse to go under the hammer at the sale. Her registered breeders were Iowa State University and H. Allen Poindexter. — Carly Silver
Kentucky
Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation took a big step toward the 2025 Kentucky Breeder of the Year and its fourth straight national breeder of the year award from the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association during about a 24-hour period in the first weekend in May.
In terms of its 2025 state breeder award, the big wins during that stretch, appropriately, arrived in Kentucky at Churchill Downs delivered by a pair of homebreds. On May 2 trainer Brad Cox sent out Good Cheer to a 2 1/4-length victory in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and on the next day Racing Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott saddled Sovereignty to a 1 1/2-length score in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The sweep of the two races marked the first time in 73 years that a homebred for the same owner had won both races in the same year. Calumet Farm pulled off the sweep in 1952 with Real Delight and Hill Gail.
Grade 2 winners of 2025 bred by Godolphin in Kentucky include Lawrence Roman and David Jacobson's Banishing, Jupiter Stable's Phileas Fogg, and homebreds Bella Ballerina, First Mission , Think Big, and Verity. Grade 3 winners of 2025 bred by Godolphin in Kentucky include Joseph Schumer's Cornishman, as well as homebreds East Avenue, Knightsbridge, Pondering, and Ragtime. — Frank Angst
Louisiana
Keith Hernandez
As president of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Keith Hernandez has helped guide the state's thriving breeding program. Now, as a recipient of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Louisiana breeder of the year award with his father Earl and business partner John Duvieilh, he's leading by example, showcasing their breeding operation.
Things took off for Earl and Keith Hernandez when they claimed a son of Majestic Light named Rail for $12,500 at Fair Grounds Race Course in December 1994. The next year as a 6-year-old, Rail became a stakes winner, which combined with his pedigree, led to a stud career.
Their breeding operation continues in full swing. Hernandez has 16 broodmares. Hernandez and his partners advance their operation by buying mares, claiming racehorses, obtaining foal shares, and getting involved with the ownership of stallions.
Hernandez and his partners are also breeding stakes winners or racing them. Geaux Sugar, bred by the partners, won the 2025 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint and King Creole stakes last year for Single Malt Stable and trainer Keith Bourgeois.
Another, Highly Wicked, notched four wins in a row, three in stakes, from March through July for the partners as breeders and owners. The homebred daughter of Wicked Strong has added multiple stakes in 2026. — Jessica Licausi
Maryland/Virginia
R. Larry Johnson
R. Larry Johnson, who died Feb. 4, 2025, was a titan in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred breeding world. His legacy endures through his Legacy Farm near Bluemont, Va., now managed by daughter Tracy Mulroy. In fact, two 2025 Johnson-bred graded winners trace to his foundation mare Ran's Chick (by The Big Boss) and her daughter, Special Kell (by Parfaitement). Johnson earned a title as 2025 breeder of the year in both Maryland and Virginia; his Virginia-breds totaled $861,273 in earnings, highlighted by Jamestown Stakes winner Doubting Thomas, also the state's top 2-year-old male.
Owned and co-bred by Johnson, Special Kell won the 1991 Very Subtle Breeders' Cup Handicap. Her daughters include Star Kell (by Star de Naskra), granddam of 2025 Maryland Horse of the Year and champion older male Mindframe , and Magical Meadow (by Meadowlake), granddam of 2025 Virginia-certified older filly and mare of the year and Maryland-bred champion grass mare Future Is Now.
Johnson-bred Mindframe sold to eventual owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables for $600,000 as a yearling. Unraced at 2, he ended up placing in the 2024 Belmont Stakes (G1) in just his third start. Mindframe became a world-class runner in 2025, capturing the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) and the 7-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G1).
Mindframe stretched his speed later in the summer, defeating champion Sierra Leone by a length in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster Stakes (G1). Mindframe then unseated his jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1); he then closed out his racing career with a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). After a season earning more than $1.4 million, he entered stud at historic Claiborne Farm in 2026. — Carly Silver
New Jersey
Bright View Farm (Christine Connelly) and Gregory Kilka
The past several years have seen New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno dominate the sprint division. His 2025 Eclipse Award—which came on top of multiple championships for Garden State-breds—has been icing on the cake for co-breeders Christine Connelly (who owns Bright View Farm near Chesterfield, N.J.) and Gregory Kilka.
At the 2020 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, Kilka purchased Book'em Danno's dam, Adorabella (by Ghostzapper), for $14,000. Adorabella is out of the stakes-placed Arch mare Alydorable; at the time, Adorabella was carrying a foal by Fast Anna. Bred by Bright View and Kilka, the resulting filly was the cleverly named Girl Trouble, a two-time stakes winner.
For the 2021 season, Adorabella was bred to dual Woodford Stakes (G2T) winner Bucchero , who raced for a partnership whose members included Kilka. The resulting foal was, of course, Book'em Danno. Eventually gelded, Book'em Danno campaigns under the banner of Atlantic Six Racing.
At 2 in 2023, he earned honors as New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year, champion sprinter, and champion 2-year-old male.
Book'em Danno repeated his success at 3, garnering plaudits as the Garden State 2024 Horse of the Year, champion sprinter, and champion 3-year-old.
But his best season yet came in 2025, earning him the aforementioned divisional championship and his third straight title as New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year and champion sprinter, as well as champion older male. — Carly Silver
New Mexico
Fred Alexander
Fred Alexander and his wife, Linda, stand New Mexico's perennial leading sire Marking at their A & A Ranch alongside other stallions, but the farm's success last year extended well beyond the stallion barn.
Propelled by the accomplishments of Antonios Mark, bred by Fred Alexander and now campaigned by trainer Jose Gonzalez Jr. for owner Andy Banegas, along with the performances and earnings of numerous other horses he bred either independently or in partnership, Alexander earned Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association New Mexico breeder of the year honors for 2025. Antonios Mark also was named the state's champion older horse/gelding.
Alexander was named New Mexico breeder of the year for the second time in three years.
Few breeders have had a greater influence on New Mexico's Thoroughbred industry in recent years than the Alexanders, who have spent nearly three decades building A & A Ranch into one of the state's premier breeding operations. They previously stood accomplished New Mexico sire Desert God at the farm and raised Rose's Desert there. That daughter of Desert God later produced 2024 Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador , who now stands at Lane's End in Kentucky.
Located near Anthony, N.M.—about 20 miles north of Sunland Park, the latter of which is in Southern New Mexico across the state line from El Paso, Texas—A & A Ranch has become a fixture in the regional breeding landscape through its influential stallion roster and consistent presence at New Mexico's premier yearling sales.
Marking, New Mexico's leading sire each year since 2023, again topped the state's general sires list in 2025, while fellow A & A Ranch stallion Sporting Chance ranked third. Through the end of July 2026, the A & A pair occupied the top two stallion spots in New Mexico by progeny earnings.
Antonios Mark is a 6-year-old gelded son of Marking out of the Lawyer Ron mare Bekat Bekat. The mare has since become the producer of multiple stakes runners. — Byron King
New York
Mallory and Karen Mort
Mallory and Karen Mort have been raising and breeding horses in New York for more than 40 years. Based at Gallagher's Stud near Ghent, N.Y., they've been instrumental to the farm's success. But in 2025, they made their own name, thanks to half siblings Rhetorical (by Not This Time ) and Sterling Silver (by Cupid ).
Sterling Silver came first, a product of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor, purchased by the Morts in 2015. In foal to Midnight Lute, Sheet Humor cost $14,000, and while her first few foals for the Morts yielded little in the way of either profit or wins, Sterling Silver changed all that. Though she sold for only $13,000 in 2020, her success in races for state-breds provided the Morts with a steady influx of breeders' awards. In her 39-race career, she won or placed in 13 stakes races for New York-breds.
Two years after Sterling Silver was born, Sheet Humor foaled a colt by Not This Time ... before, as Mallory Mort likes to say, he was Not This Time. The colt sold for $320,000 to Maverick Racing and Siena Farm at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale of Preferred New York-Breds, by far the highest sale price for any horse they'd bred. Named Rhetorical, he broke his maiden on debut by 5 lengths. After winning two of his first three starts, he was sold privately to Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable, and Wachtel Stable.
In 2025 Rhetorical went undefeated in his first four starts, including Keeneland's Turf Mile Stakes (G1T). He ended his sophomore campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), and a record of 4-0-0 from five starts, with earnings of $863,800.
Both Rhetorical and Sterling Silver earned New York-bred champion honors for 2025; Rhetorical was voted Horse of the Year and champion turf male, Sterling Silver champion older dirt female. Their dam Sheet Humor was honored as Broodmare of the Year, while the Morts received the award for breeders of the year. — Teresa Genaro
North Carolina
Nancy Shuford
Nancy Shuford, who died June 21 at her home in Hickory, N.C., at 79, has been honored as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association North Carolina breeder of the year. She was also so honored for 2024 and 2022.
She is remembered by her family and friends for her remarkable spirit and almost inexhaustible energy along with a life rich in humor, joy, and a gift for making lifelong friendships.
Shuford grew up with horses and always had a deep love for them. She attended Chatham Hall and later the University of North Carolina. After her husband Alex finished business school in New York, they moved back to his hometown in North Carolina and purchased a 250-acre dairy farm with no fencing.
Shuford was attracted to the commercial side of the breeding business.
For more than 50 years, Shuford built Rock House Farm into one of the country's most accomplished breeding operations, and earned repeated recognition from TOBA and the North Carolina Thoroughbred Association. TOBA honored her as North Carolina Breeder of the Year seven times between 2012 and 2025.
Since 1983, she bred 13 black-type stakes winners, led by six graded stakes winners. Her breeding program's most accomplished runner is three-time grade 1 winner and multimillionaire Beach Patrol. The son of Lemon Drop Kid out of Bashful Bertie won the 2016 Secretariat Stakes (G1T) along with the Arlington Million XXXV Stakes (G1T) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) in 2017. She also bred grade 2 winners Pretty N Cool, Texas Wedge, Dancinginherdreams, and Stuff and Things, along with grade 3 winner Speed King.
Speed King kicked off 2025 with a win in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The son of Volatile competed in two other graded stakes, including a sixth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1). — Eric Mitchell
Ohio
T/C Stable
Although a breeding operation based in Kentucky, T/C Stable has found a special niche for a handful of their mares in the Ohio market and has been executing that strategy to perfection. Yet, 2025 still went even better than could have been expected, which led to the family operation begun by Dr. Ruel and Lisa Cowles and continued by sons Larmon and Joe being honored as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Ohio breeder of the year.
The headliner from their breeding program was the impressive Silent Rule. The daughter of Street Boss out of the winning Candy Ride mare Modern Lady went a perfect 6-for-6 in her 4-year-old campaign with a trio of stakes wins, extending her career record to 10-for-10.
Silent Rule was honored with a trio of Ohio-bred championship honors for her season, taking Horse of the Year, champion older mare, and champion female sprinter for owner John Hoctel. T/C Stable also bred Ohio's champion 3-year-old filly Lo Bug, who was campaigned by Howlett Racing and trainer Richard Zielinski.
Ruel Cowles moved to Lexington in 1980 to work as a veterinarian for the original Spendthrift Farm. The family then opened their own farm around 1984 near Winchester, Ky., where he began breeding horses while owning his own private veterinary practice.
With Larmon and his wife, Cristina, now at the helm, their Kentucky operation has made space for about three to five mares foaling in Ohio a year over the last decade. — Sean Collins
Oregon
Dr. Rodney Earl Orr
Dr. Rodney Earl Orr, who died in August 2025 at age 75, achieved just about every dream he set his sights on. Those included becoming a doctor, raising a family, and owning a farm and some horses.
By the mid-1980s, Orr was able to realize his equine dream and acquired his first horse. That led to decades of breeding good runners, epitomized by grade 1 winner and top California sire Smiling Tiger, Eclipse Award winner She's a Tiger, and—more recently—graded winner Time to Dazzle and multiple stakes winner Joe Shiesty.
Orr received his first Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Oregon breeder of the year award in 2014, the year She's a Tiger was honored as the Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old filly of 2013. Posthumously, he repeats in 2025, when represented by Time to Dazzle and Joe Shiesty.
Orr's Unbridled's Song mare Staria was sent to Not This Time when the now-leading stallion was standing for just $12,500 in 2020. The resulting filly was then sold at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $310,000 to Tracy Farmer. Time to Dazzle has since become a multiple graded stakes winner, earning her biggest win to date in the 2025 Franklin Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs during a campaign in which she compiled a 1-2-1 record in six starts, all stakes, and $443,550 in earnings.
Joe Shiesty was foaled in Kentucky in 2021, a son of Air Force Blue—Ready to Unleash, by More Than Ready. The colt sold as a short yearling at the 2022 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale for $16,000.
Campaigned by the partnership of Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills, and Donald Coomes, Joe Shiesty continues to perform well on the Kentucky circuit.
He won the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill at 4 in 2025 and at Keeneland ran third in the Woodford Stakes (G2T). Joe Shiesty finished the season at Turfway Park, where he scored back-to-back stakes wins, in the 2025 Holiday Cheer Stakes and 2026 Big Daddy Stakes.
Orr bred She's a Tiger and Smiling Tiger out of the Cahill Road mare Shandra Smiles, and both became grade 1 stakes winners. —Tracy Gantz
Pennsylvania
Warrior's Reward (Donny Brown and Tom McClay)
Highly regarded in both business and equine industries, longtime Pennsylvania natives Donny Brown and Tom McClay have become leading contributors to the state's breeding program.
McClay—who owns and operates Warrior's Reward with Brown, his business partner—is honored to achieve back-to-back Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association leading breeder awards for the state of Pennsylvania.
McClay and Brown were first-time recipients of the award in 2024, when three of their homebreds—Candy Reward, The Boy's Warrior, and Twilight Dancer—all won stakes races.
McClay and Brown's foundation sire, Warrior's Reward, after whom the syndicate is named, helped write the story. The son of Medaglia d'Oro moved from Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky to WynOaks Farm near Delta, Pa., in 2019, where he quickly climbed the state's sire rankings.
Warrior's Reward was the leading general sire in Pennsylvania for 2023, when his first state-bred 3-year-olds hit the track, and has ranked among the state's leading sires since.
After the 2024 breeding season concluded, Brown and McClay pensioned Warrior's Reward. He was relocated to Kentucky, where he now resides at Old Friends Equine near Georgetown, Ky.
Pennsylvania offers sizable awards to breeders and stallion owners, and McClay and Brown collected. Warrior's Reward earned state-leading breeder awards of $677,968 last year, coupled with stallion awards of $213,552.
This brought their total of awards to $891,520, highest of any breeder in the state.
The 2025 racing season for Warrior's Reward was highlighted by continued production from the Brandon Kulp-trained Candy Reward, who won the Princess of Sylmar Stakes and the H.B.P.A. Stakes, both at Presque Isle Downs near Erie, Pa. She was named the state's champion older female. — Jessica Licausi
South Carolina
Franklin G. Smith
Franklin G. Smith, who died Aug. 1, acquired his first horse more than a half century ago. This decades-long passion for the racing and breeding industry is seen daily through the work that is done at Smith's Elloree Training Center near Elloree, S.C., a full-service breeding, foaling, and training empire he built.
Smith's commitment to shining a light on South Carolina's contribution to the Thoroughbred world is recognized again with him being named the state's leading breeder, an honor he has held for 14 of the past 15 years.
Smith was represented as a breeder by 11 winners in 2025, including the durable and reliable Miss Fussy Pants, a daughter of Done Talking—a sire favored by Smith and who has stood at Elloree Training Center. She reached the starting gate for 15 starts to compile a record of 3-5-1 for earnings just shy of $70,000.
Spencerian, a stakes-winning daughter of Irish War Cry out of the Straight Talking mare Cursive bred by Smith, was not a winner in 2025, but added to her accolades by finishing third in the $100,000 What A Summer Stakes at Laurel Park. The Maryland-bred continues to race this year and as of mid-July had already scored a victory as a 6-year-old for owner Larry E. Rabold and trainer Hugh I. McMahon. Spencerian began her career racing for Smith under the care of Smith's brother, Hamilton Smith, who is based at Laurel Park.
Another winner bred by Smith out of Cursive in 2025 was Looking for Water, a daughter of Divining Rod.
One of Smith's prolific broodmares is Theatricality, a daughter of Purim out of the Theatrical broodmare Theatrical Review. Last year, Theatricality progeny who were winners at the races were Walk Away Joe and Fabia, both by Done Talking. Walk Away Joe is an earner of more than $300,000. Fabia won two races in 2025. — Karen M. Johnson
Texas
Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere
Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere have spent four decades involved with horses in different capacities, starting off focused on Arabians. They also had a business where they exported horses for international clients, which began to give them exposure to Thoroughbred yearlings and broodmares.
Investigating the different bloodlines that passed through their care gave them an idea of what they preferred in a Thoroughbred's pedigree, conformation, and behavioral traits. That led to their Texas farm, northeast of Dallas, incorporating a Thoroughbred broodmare band.
Fifteen years later, that broodmare band culminated with honors as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Texas breeder of the year for the first time.
The star of the year from their program was undoubtedly Charlene's Dream, a 4-year-old daughter of Qurbaan trained by Ed Moger Jr. who would win the Beverly D. Stakes (G2T) at Colonial Downs and Gallorette Stakes (G3T) at Pimlico Race Course, as well as a runner-up finish in Churchill Downs' Mint Julep Stakes (G3T).
Her success was honored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association as the filly was named the state's Horse of the Year and champion older mare. Her dam, Clara Kelly, was honored as broodmare of the year, and the Moreau-Sipieres as breeder of the year.
In addition to Charlene's Dream, the Moreau-Sipieres were represented in 2025 by stakes-placed Global Holiday and Take My Picture. — Sean Collins
Washington
Frederick and Debra Pabst
Blue Ribbon Farm's Frederick (Rick) and Debra (Debbie) Pabst enjoyed a busy night in February when the Washington Thoroughbred community gathered to honor its champions.
Their ties to a number of state winners pointed to the commitment they've made for decades to racing and breeding in the Evergreen State.
Homebred Precise Timing was named Washington's champion turf horse of 2025 behind a season in which the daughter of Dialed In earned a grade 3 placing with a third-place finish in the Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park while trained by John Sadler. Jockey Antonio Fresu was up for that race. Also honored was Washington champion 2-year-old filly Subtle Shimmer, who won a maiden claiming race on debut at Emerald Downs and followed with a pair of placings in a race run under stakes conditions and another under allowance conditions. Bred by the Pabsts, the daughter of Conveyance was campaigned in 2025 by Ty Leatherman, Addison Evans, and trainer Justin R. Evans.
Alternation , a multiple graded stakes winner who stands at Blue Ribbon Farm, was honored as Washington's leading sire. The aforementioned Conveyance, who died in 2023 after standing at Blue Ribbon Farm, finished second. Alternation, a son of Distorted Humor—Alternate, by Seattle Slew, stood the 2026 season for $3,500.
Blue Ribbon Farm also bred and consigned the highest-priced Washington Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Yearling and Mixed Sale yearling colt of 2025. The son of Conveyance—Find Your Spot, by Nationhood, was purchased for $67,000 by Nancy J. McPhee.
In 1973 the Pabsts began acquiring the Buckley, Wash., property that would become their now 70-acre and highly successful Blue Ribbon Farm.
In 2017 they were inducted into the WTBOA Hall of Fame. — Frank Angst
