b'2019 STATE BREEDERS OF THE YEAR New MexicoJ. Kirk and Judy RobisonLongtime New Mexico owners/ two daughtersAmy and Jill. Since moving to El Paso, Texas, in breeders J. Kirk and Judy Robison1973, Kirk has made his living in the restaurant and real estate enjoyed a banner year in 2019 asbusiness; he is chairman and CEO of Pizza Properties. their runners earned $977,712,Kirk Robison partners with Fred Alexander of A&A Ranch with 30 wins from 169 starts,in Anthony, N.M., in stallions Diabolical and Marking. Both pushing their career earnings tostallions stand at A&A, which is where the Robisons board 13 $17,697,771. mares. They also have seven mares in California and a couple in Among the Robisons bestKentucky. In addition to their homebreds, the Robisons buy a performers in 2019 was homebredhandful of yearlings each year.Fast Gator, a multiple stakes- Primarily racing New Mexico-breds and Cal-breds, the winning New Mexico-bred byRobisons average 20 to 25 runners in their racing stable. They Diabolical, out of Gator Prowl. The 5-year-old mare is trainedhave horses with trainers Peter Miller, Steve Asmussen, Joel by Joel Marr and has current earnings of $378,065 with eightMarr, and Todd Fincher.wins in 12 starts. In 2019 she won the La Coneja Stakes atOne of the graded stakes winners campaigned by the Sunland Park and Lincoln Handicap at Ruidoso Downs.Robisons is grade 2 winner Vertical Oak. After the daughter The other stakes winner of 2019 bred by the Robisons wasof Giant Oak retired with earnings of $773,095, the Robisons also a homebred in African Heat, who captured the La Senorabred her to top sire Into Mischief and sold her at the 2019 Stakes at Sunland Park. Fasig-Tipton November sale for $700,000 to Stonestreet J. Kirk Robison first fell in love with Thoroughbred racingThoroughbred Holdings.as a boy during childhood visits to Santa Anita Park with hisThe Robisons consider racing and their nine grandchildren father. Born in Dalhart, Texas, he and his family moved totheir favorite hobbies. The couple is engaged with community California when he was 2. In the late 1990s Robison bought hisand art organizations and has been recognized for their first Thoroughbred, and the passion has never faded. leadership and generosity in both pursuits.After marrying his college sweetheart, Judy, the couple hadCynthia McFarlandNew YorkChester and Mary BromanThe formula for successBeach Haven Thoroughbreds Newly Minted, who was bred that has earned Chester andby the Bromans, was voted champion 3-year-old filly after Mary Broman Sr. acclaim aswinning five of eight starts and earning $419,613. Trained New Yorks top breeders forby Linda Rice, she is a daughter of Central Banker out of the the last four years does notBernardini mare Newbie.involve just quantity or simplyThe Bromans homebred Pauseforthecause was voted both quality. champion female dirt runner and female sprinter after winning Its taken both. three of nine starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Included in In being named the Empirethose victories is a win against open company in the Garland States top breeders for aof Roses Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. By Giants Causeway, fourth straight time in 2019 Pauseforthecause is out of the Touch Gold mare Spritely, whom and seventh time overalltheChester Broman bought for $850,000 from the Lanes End husband and wife team saw horses bred by them account for 81consignment at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale.victories14 in stakeswith ritzy earnings of $3,743,166. Operating out of their 300-acre Chestertown Farm near As for quality, included in those totals are three New York- Chestertown, N.Y., the Bromans were also New Yorks top breds who were named 2019 champions of their respectivebreeders in 2004, 2011, and 2014 prior to their current four-year divisions. streak.The trio is topped by a horse they retained and raced, Mr.Besides their considerable success at New York Racing Buff. A 5-year-old gelding in 2019 when he was champion olderAssociation tracks, they reached the pinnacle in the sport in dirt male, Mr. Buff won five of his nine starts while earning2017 when they won the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Sprint $455,750. A son of Friend Or Foe out of the Speightstown(G1) with homebred Bar of Gold, who triumphed at 66-1 odds.mare Speightful Affair, Mr. Buff scored five wins, all in stakes,The Bromans also raced grade 1-winning homebreds including a victory in the years premier stakes for New York- Artemis Agrotera and Friends Lake, who won the 2004 Florida breds, the $306,450 Empire Classic Handicap at Belmont Park. Derby (G1), as well as Highway Star, a daughter of Girolamo In addition to racing for the Bromans, both Friend Or Foewho earned $1,326,813 in a career that featured 23 starts and 10 and Mr. Buff were trained by John Kimmel. wins for trainer Rodrigo Ubillo.Bob Ehalt42 TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER/2020'