Speed boat beach was named the 2023 Florida Thoroughbred Horse of the Year in voting by the Florida Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association board of directors and announced at the April 15 FTBOA Awards Gala at the Cultural Center Circle Square in Ocala.
Bred by Richard Heysek’s Caperlane Farm and owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Speed Boat Beach was also named Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Champion Sprinter men after winning the Malibu Stakes (G1) and finishing second in the competition. Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) at Santa Anita Park in 2023.
Heysek was also awarded the Needles Award, recognizing the Florida Small Thoroughbred Breeder of the Year.
2023 FTBOA Florida Breeder of the Year and Florida Top Breeder by Florida Breeder Earnings Award to Stonehedge by Marilyn Campbell. Stonehedge runners earned a total of $3,338,867 with 103 wins on the year. Among her top runners in 2023 is one ranked as a bet winner Dean delivers and repeat winners Me and Mr. C. .
Arindel was named top owner by Florida native earnings with $1,691,906 in 2023. Arindel was represented by three Florida-bred black type winners for the year clapton , Octane And reaper .
khozan is the 2023 Florida Stallion of the Year with progeny earnings of $6,292,158. This is the fourth year in a row that Khozan leads the Florida sire in progeny earnings as he has totals of $3,521,813 in 2020, $3,671,794 in 2021 and $4,513,950 in 2022. Khozan was also named 2023 Champion Juvenile Sire with 2-year-old progeny earnings. is 1,568,577 USD.
Only one Montbrook (2002, 2003, 2008, 2009) and Heir to the wildcat (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014) has multiple Florida Stallion of the Year titles. Khozan is the only Florida stallion to be honored four consecutive years since 1991.
Khozan’s biggest earner of the season was the bet winner Misty night . She earned $378,800 for three wins and two seconds in seven starts, including a win in the Delaware Oaks (G3).
The resident stallions at Journeyman Stud have swept the 2023 stallion classes as St. Patrick’s Day was named Champion Freshman Male with progeny earnings of $425,985.
Other Florida hybrid champions
The 2023 Bruce Campbell Award was presented to trainer Jena Antonucci from Florida, the first woman to train a Triple Crown race winner on her bike Arcangelo to win the Belmont Stakes (G1). The Bruce Campbell Award is presented by The Florida Horse magazine for outstanding achievement, when deemed appropriate, to individuals or groups who have brought honor and prestige to the Florida Thoroughbred industry.
The truly and truly purebreds of Stuart Morris and Ruben M. Sanchez have been awarded the 2023 Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award, presented by Ocala Breeders Sales to consignors of Speed Boat Beach, the top Florida breed of the year has graduated from an OBS auction.
Saffie Joseph Jr. has been recognized as Florida’s top trainer for the Florida breed by earnings and is tied with Kathleen O’Connell and Jose D’Angelo as the top Florida trainer by Florida breed wins. Joseph also tied Jose D’Angelo as Florida’s top coach by winning in the black.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
