b'2019 STATE BREEDERS OF THE YEAR LouisianaEvelyn BenoitEvelyn Benoit of Brittlyn Stables has always had faithI showed him the papers. I hugged him. I said, We in her stallion Star Guitar, and in 2019 the Louisiana- did it; we did it!she said.bred earned his first graded winner when BrittlynBenoit grew up in Louisiana, and, as she was a homebred Minit to Stardom upset the Honorable Misshorse-crazy little girl, her parents gave her Shetland Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.ponies to groom and ride. Now she turns out multiple Nobody was looking at us. The camera was onstakes winners every year from her breeding program. every horse but the Louisiana-bred, Benoit said.In addition to Minit to Stardom in 2019, Brittlyn won nobody knew me in Saratoga before that day. The nextThe Very One Stakes with the mares full sister, Wild day the newspapers were piled up in front of my door. About Star, on the turf at Pimlico Race Course.Minit to Stardoms trainer Jose Camejo had set hisI wanted to go on tour with the horses and give sights on a graded event and looked at the Honorablethem a chance to go out of state and win and give me Miss. When Benoits son, Tyron, found out the racemares for Star to breed to, Benoit said. I want to was July 24, his mothers birthday, the pair made plansadvertise door to door; lets take these horses on tour. to run. The daughter of Star Guitar then wired the fieldMy son and Jose were all for it.at 20-1. I have some really wonderful things to say about Im glad that I was able to go to New York on a bigLouisiana, and Im trying to get it out there, added stage, and she just made my year, Benoit said. SheBenoit, who makes her own commercials for Star made a stallion. She made all my dreams come true. Guitar and uses Tyrons catchy music in them. Im Still, Minit to Stardoms big victory arrived in atrying to save an industry. Thats what I really want. I bittersweet year for Benoit, as her husband, Maurice,want live racing, and I dont just want it in Kentucky passed away only a couple of weeks later. But Benoitand New York or Florida. I want it everywhere, was able to share the excitement of the Honorable Missespecially in Louisiana.Christine Oserwith him after she traveled back home to Louisiana from Saratoga.MarylandSagamore FarmOver the past century historic Sagamore Farm inable to raise a Breeders Cup winner with our team is Glyndon, Md., has built a reputation as one of thevery special for Sagamore, and for Kevin, and everyone premier breeding and training centers in the Northeastinvolved. United States.Also in 2019, Sagamore Farm-bred Blamed picked In 2007 the farm was purchased by Under Armourup the second graded stakes win of her career in the founder and CEO Kevin Plank, who has spent the pastRoyal Delta Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Trained decade working to restore the farm and build a newby Bill Mott and campaigned by Cleber Massey, the ANNE M. EBERHARDTgeneration of success. daughter of Blame has amassed more than $600,000 in While Sagamore has campaigned several top-leveltotal purse earnings. runners such as 2010 Emirates Airline Breeders CupJohn Grossis Racings Where Paradise Lay rounded Kevin Plank Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) winner Shared Account,out the Sagamore-bred stakes winners of 2019. the farm also has built a broodmare band capable ofThe Into Mischief gelding, out of Sagamore Farm producing the next generation of Maryland-bred stakeshomebred and stakes winner Walkwithapurpose, took winners.the Star De Naskra Stakes at Laurel for trainer William Among the Sagamore-bred runners to grabDowning. the spotlight in 2019 was Sharing, a Maryland- It was a great year all the way around, Rankin said. bred daughter of SpeightstownShared Account,It speaks to our team and the way they try to raise by Pleasantly Perfect. Campaigned by Eclipsehorses everyday. Obviously, you have to get lucky, but Thoroughbred Partners, Gainesway Stable, and trainedyou have to have the right people around the right by Graham Motion, Sharing won the Selima Stakesanimals and sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle. at Laurel Park and followed with a victory in theFounded in 1925 by Isaac Emerson, the Sagamore Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anitaproperty eventually was handed down through the Park to close her juvenile season.family to Emersons grandson, Alfred G. Vanderbilt. Sharing is very special to the farm with her motherVanderbilt played a critical role in Thoroughbred racing being Shared Account who won the Breeders Cup forin Maryland, eventually becoming owner and president us, said Sagamore president Hunter Rankin. To beof Pimlico Race Course. Meredith Daugherty38 TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER/2020'