b'2020 STATE BREEDERS OF THE YEAR FloridaLive Oak StudOne of Live Oaks biggest wins as an owner/ to the Arch and the Durham Cup Stakes (G3) with Salute breeder in 2020 was also among the years mostWith Honor, both at Woodbine and both homebred horses. dramatic. The Grade 1 Forego Stakes was runSalute With Honor is by To Honor and Serve, who was under abysmal conditions at Saratoga Racecampaigned by Live Oak to six graded stakes wins, including Course, in a driving rain over a sloppy track,the Cigar Mile Handicap and the Woodward Stakes (both G1) and the farms homebred Win Win Win wasen route to career earnings of $1.8 million. Live Oak added a distanced early on, only to make up groundfifth Woodbine stakes win in 2020 as an owner when Souper late and run seven-wide to earn his first gradedSensational (Curlin) won the Glorious Song Stakes. stakes win. Live Oak Farms breeding and racing program boasts two The achievement was one of many last yearEclipse Award winners: Miesques Approval was voted the Charlotte Weber for Charlotte Webers Florida-based farm, which2006 Champion Turf Horse, an honor won by his half-brother recorded a total of five graded stakes wins in North America,World Approval in 2017. Both are out of the second-generation earning two Sovereign Awards, one for Outstanding OwnerLive Oak homebred Win Approval, who was named TOBAs and one for Older Main Track Female, which went to Souper2017 Broodmare of the Year, the same year that Live Oak Escape. The Florida-bred Medaglia dOro filly earned nearlywon TOBAs Breeder of the Year award. The farm currently $151,000, winning two graded stakes at Woodbine Racetrack,owns nearly 200 horses, including foals, horses in training, one of which was the Trillium Stakes (G3), a win that sheand stallion interests and has won more than a dozen Florida repeated this year. In 2019, Live Oaks Global Access won theBreeders awards, including 2019 Florida Breeder of the Year. Sovereign Award for Champion Three-Year-Old Male.The farm ranked 12th in owner earnings last year with more Weber also won the King Edward Stakes (G2) with Marchthan $2.3 million in purses. Teresa GenaroIndianaDeann and Greg Baer, DVMDeann Baer grew up showingDeann and her husband of 38 years started breeding Arabians and Half-Arabiansracehorses in 2007, working with foaling farms in Indiana and nationally, purely in love with theKentucky at first, swapping the Arabians for Thoroughbreds at horse and what it could do for histheir quaint farm in Columbus, Ind.Each breeding and each owner. She then met and marriedfoaling was a new learning experience for Deann.her husband, Greg Baer, DVM,Ever the student, Deann studies sales books and pedigrees raised three successful children,throughout the year and is known for having specific spots at and was ready to fill her emptyeach sale where youll find her sitting, taking dutiful notes for nest. A lunch date with a client ofthe next breeding season. She works with different consignors Dr. Baer sparked what is now anat multiple sales, noting that each consignor has a unique obsession with knowledge and aattribute that she relishes. successful small-scale breedingThe couple tries to breed to as many first- and second-year endeavor that has produced two Breeders Cup runners, astallions as they can, in an effort to take advantage of the lower dreamshe never imagined as a young equestrian. starting prices and jump on the popularity of new stallions. I had always thought that Thoroughbred breeding wasThe Baers have had success breeding to freshman stallions more of a blue blood industry and something that was out ofsuch as Commissioner and Overanalyze; the latter is the sire reach for me, financially, explainedDeann, who along withof the 2020 Indiana Horse of the Year, Piedi Bianchi, whom her husband was named the 2020 Indiana Thoroughbredthe Baers bred their mare Adore You to. Owners and Breeders Association/Indiana Breed While they support lucrative regional programs such Development Breeder of the Year. as Indiana, Arkansas and New York, the Baerspraise She started going to the Keeneland sales, watching eachKentucky farms such as WinStar, Spendthrift, Darby Dan, horse pass through the walking ring and talking withand Coolmores Ashford Studfor working with them each whomever she could to try to absorb as much information asbreeding season.possible. Looking back and thinking how much (those)farms have When I was riding Arabs, I was pretty much self-taught,helped us has just been incredible, saidDeann. I feel very and the same can be said with breedingtheres just so muchblessed that the people in this industry have shared their information, and so much to learn, it intrigued me, Deannknowledge with me like they have. You couldnt tell me Id be said. doing this 15 years ago.Megan Arszman 42 TOBA NATIONAL AWARDS DINNER/2021'