b'2020 STATE BREEDERS OF THE YEAR ArkansasBill & Mary McDowell, McDowell FarmsIn what would be a difficultstakes winners in Bye Bye J and Matapan, both 4-year-olds year, McDowell Farm maintainedin 2020.its usual excellence in securing theRacing for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Bye Bye J captured state breeder award for 2020 forthe $125,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders Stakes against the 15th time since 2001. other state-breds at Oaklawn Park. The daughter of Bill McDowell, who operatesUncapturedRed Pine, by Awesome Again also scored in the farm near Sparkman,open company in the $50,000 Saylorville Stakes for fillies Ark., with his wife Mary, saidand mares at Prairie Meadows. Bye Bye J sold for $21,000 maintaining that consistencyas a short yearling at the 2017 Ocala Breeders Sales Co. meant a lot to him in 2020.January Mixed Sale; purchased by Frank Bertolino, P.A. Beyond the challenges faced byEverard agent, from the McDowell consignment, Perrone the industry and the country,Sales agent.McDowell also lost his father, Donald McDowell, whoRacing for Adriel Gonzalez, Matapan rallied to victory founded the farm in 1972. in the Molly Brown Stakes at Arapahoe Park. The daughter I do have a lot of pride in that. It is pride in my dad,of MajesticperfectionKombat Lake, by Meadowlake who passed away last year, in starting this farm, Billwon four of her 10 starts in 2020 and earned $107,662. McDowell said. I just kind of grew up in the horseGonzalez acquired Matapan through a 2019 claim. As a business and have followed in my dads footsteps. yearling she sold for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Reduced purses at Oaklawn Park in 2020 would prove aSelect Yearling Sale for De Meric and Hubert Guy after challenge, as McDowell Farm horses earn about half theirbeing consigned by Select Sales.money there, but McDowell knows it could have beenAs a breeder, McDowell Farm welcomed 20 foals in 2021, worse. He credits the Hot Springs, Ark., track with beingand its farm delivered another 55. In 2021 McDowell Farm one that found a way to keep racing going in a difficultstood stallions High North, Gentlemens Bet, Tekton, and year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Double Irish, who is perennially among the leading sires in As a breeder McDowell Farm boasted a pair of 2020Arkansas and finished fourth in 2020. Frank AngstCaliforniaGeorge KrikorianGeorge Krikorian, who opened his chain ofManNot Unusual), and the homebred wound up Krikorian Premiere Theatres some 40 years ago,winning the 2020 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1) and the Robert enjoyed a smash hit of a season in another majorJ. Frankel Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita.endeavorhis Thoroughbred breeding operation A self-made man, Krikorian insists on planning the in 2020. His multitude of star performers landedmatings for all of his 50 broodmares. His acumen led to him the coveted role of California Breeder of theadditional 2020 stakes winners Big Fish, who won the Del Year. Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes; Big Sweep, who proved victorious Headlining his productions of 2020 were fourin the 2020 Echo Eddie Stakes at Santa Anita and that years horses he bred that won stakes in the GoldenFleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar; and Ringleader, who took the State. The story begins with Krikorians first grade2020 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn Park.1 winner, Hollywood Story, who is now a broodmare atIm always thrilled anytime something good happens, Starwood Farm outside Lexington, Ky. Starwood, namedKrikorian said upon being notified of his TOBA honor. in part for Hollywood Story, is where the mare foaled a sonWe had a good year in regard to these stakes wins. Im just of Honor Code eventually named Honor A.P. After sellinglucky. I do enjoy looking for mates for my mares, and weve the ridgling for $850,000 to CRK Stable, Krikorian washad some good fortune in that respect. Im no pedigree delighted when Honor A.P. took the 2020 Runhappy Santaexpert, but Im always trying to find the best stallion that Anita Derby (G1). I think will give my mares the chance to produce a good When you get a horse like Honor A.P., there are norunner.regrets selling, said Krikorian. Im just tickled that heKrikorian is the son of a trainer and grew up just a mile turned out to be the horse that he looked like he was goingfrom Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H., where he first got to be. Honor A.P. today stands at stud at Lanes End Farmacquainted with going to the racetrack. Today, he splits in the Bluegrass. time between Southern California and his Kentucky farm.Krikorian kept the filly Mucho Unusual (Mucho MachoLenny Shulman38 TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER/2021'