b'2019 STATE BREEDERS OF THE YEAR South CarolinaFranklin G. Goree Smith Sr.Franklin G. Goree Smith Sr. has left his mark onhorse is sold, that typically happens off the track the South Carolina breeding industry. The longtimebased on its racing performance.horseman, who turns 77 Aug. 14, was the top breederWe dont have the pedigrees to sell in the market. in his state again in 2019, the eighth time he has doneI wish we did, he said. Since were in it the way we so over the last 10 years. are, it works out OK, and we have a lot of fun doing He doesnt seem likely to slow down, not withit. stallion Done Talking (Broken VowDixie Talking,His aim is to try to develop young racing by Dixieland Band) off to a good start at stud.prospects, the kind that appeal to owners in the He stands at his Elloree Training Center in Southprivate or claiming marketplace, regardless of Carolina, where he joined Straight Talking (Dixielandpedigree.BandGin Talking, by Allens Prospect) on theWe cant afford to sit on them (until theyre) 3- or roster. 4-year-olds. We want to get them there at 2, capitalize Many of Smiths top performers from 2019andon that, he said. They have a little more value.midway through 2020are progeny of Done TalkingBeyond his skill at managing his own stable, out of mares he owns. outside clients seek his expertise. Smith continues Sweet Home Dixie (Done TalkingOverdue Slew,to break young horses before racing, in addition to by Slew City Slew) closed out 2019 with four winshis homebreds. This year, Smith estimates he had in a row, followed by another score Jan. 10 at Laurelapproximately 135 racehorses at Elloree, roughly 30 Park, a win that gave Smiths brother, Hamilton, aof which were his. He also has about 20 broodmares. milestone 2,000th training victory Horses broken at Elloree have gone on to graded Im tickled to death that it turned out like that,stakes success, both in 2019 and 2020. Arklow, Mr Goree Smith said. When it was getting closer, I wasFreeze, and Sallys Curlin are three examples of his hoping something like that would happen. programs graduates.Byron KingSmith runs a breed-to-race operation, and if a TexasRoy W. CobbIn 2019 Roy W. Cobb raked in the dough with hisWeve had horses in Texas probably 20, 25 years, homebred Mr Money Bags. The Texas-bred geldingrecalled Cobbs wife, Erma, adding, We first started was named the Lone Star States Horse of the Yearout with cutting horses and then went to racing. and top 3-year-old male after he registered six wins,The pair resides on their 75-acre farm near Mineral including five stakes, from nine starts and earnedWells, Texas. She remembered, Mr Money Bags is $328,470. named from a slot machine because thats where we Mr Money Bags kicked off 2019 with a 51/2-lengthwere the night he was born and thats what we were romp in an allowance-level win at Delta Downs.playingmy husband was playing (the) Mr. Money Moving to Sam Houston Race Park, he tallied back-to- Bags slot machine.back wins in the Jims Orbit Stakesa division of theOf Mr Money Bags success, Erma Cobb mused, It Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes Series was pretty incredible. We raised Mr Money Bags as a and the Groovy Stakes. The son of Silver City finishedbaby, and I have twin 13-year-old boys. They played off the board in a graded stakes at Churchill Downswith him like a kid. He was justhe was like one of before heading to Lone Star Park where he strolledtheir friends. And so, seeing him go from that to what home first in the Texas Stallion Stymie Division Stakeshe developed into was pretty amazing, actually.by 111/2 lengths. They like to watch him run, Cobb continued. We After finishing sixth in the Iowa Derby at Prairiewent when he won the Derby down at Zia Park in Meadows, Mr Money Bags got a well-deserved break.New Mexico. He was a champion that day. He ran a In late October the handsome gray eked out a nosefantastic race.victory in the Roadrunner Stakes at Zia Park, followedShe noted, My husband has had one other horse by a neck triumph in the $250,000 Zia Park Derby.that has done real well in the racing industry, but Mr He kicked off his 2020 campaign with a 63/4-lengthMoney Bags has not done as well as him yet; he may be triumph in the Stonerside Sprint Stakes at Samon his way. Roy Cobb bought future multiple grade 1 Houston.winner Kip Deville early in his career.Carly Silver46 TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER/2020'