Medina Spirit (Protonico) was named Florida Breed of the Year in a vote of the Florida Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala.
Bred in Florida by Gail Rice, who was honored with a second consecutive Needles Award Monday night as the Association’s Small Breeder of the Year, and dam of the Medina Spirit Mongolian Changa (Brilliant Speed) was also named the FTBOA Broodmare of the Year in a panel vote.
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg’s Golden Palace (Uncle Mo) was the best decorated Florida stallion of the night having been named the Florida Breeding Champion 3-Year-Old, the Florida Cross-Breed Champion, and the Florida Bull-Breed Champion.
Trained by Wesley Ward, the Golden Pal became the first Florida crossbreed to win two Breeders ‘Cup events when it dominated the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. In 2020, Lady Shipman’s first pony (Shipman) won the GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint in Keeneland.
Other winners from the FTBOA Awards Gala include: Shifty She (Gone Astray), Champion Turf Female and Older Mare; Pappacap (Gunman), 2-year-old champion Colt; Faulty (Minister Valiant), 2 year old Children’s Champion; Livingmybestlife (Big Beast), 3-year-old Junior Champion; Firenze Fire (Warrior of Poseidon), Elderly Male Champion; Sound Machine (Into Mischief), Champion Female Sprinter; Khozan, Stallion of the Year; Live Oak Stud, Breeder of the Year.
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This story was posted in Top News and tagged Coolmore, Champion bred by Florida, FTBOA, Gail Rice, Golden Palace, Medina Spirit, Wesley Ward.
