FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Winners Announced for TOBA National Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced today winners for the 40th annual TOBA National Awards. The TOBA National Awards were presented across two days of ceremonies. The National Awards Luncheon was held on September 5 at Godolphin, honoring State and Canadian Breeders of 2024. The National Awards Dinner was held on September 6 at Fasig-Tipton honoring all award winners and emceed by FanDuel TV’s Scott Hazelton.

Godolphin was announced as the winner of the 2024 National Owner of the Year and 2024 National Breeder of the Year. Finalists for both categories were also honored Saturday night. National Owner of the Year finalists were Juddmonte and Klaravich Stables. National Breeder of the Year finalists were Judy Hicks and Town & Country Horse Farms.  The partnership of Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, and 4G Racing was announced as the winner of the 2024 National Small Breeder of the Year. National Small Breeder of the Year finalists also honored Saturday were William Butler and CUYATHY.

The Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year was presented to SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.  Other Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year finalists recognized for their achievements were Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby, 4G Racing and Valley View Farm and MyRacehorse.

Alan Foreman was honored with the Dr. J. David Richardson TOBA Industry Service Award. Sataves was named National Broodmare of the Year.

Like a Saltshaker was honored as Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, presented by the National HBPA. The Rood & Riddle Sport Horse of the Year went to Zealand.

2024 State and Canadian Breeders of the Year were:

  • Arizona Breeder of the Year – Fleming Thoroughbred Farm LLC (Marvin Fleming and Gerald Fleming)
  • Arkansas Breeder of the Year – McDowell Farms (Bill and Mary McDowell)
  • California Breeder of the Year – Richard Barton Enterprises (Richard Barton)
  • Canada Breeder of the Year – Adena Springs
  • Canada Small Breeder of the Year – Jesse Korona
  • Florida Breeder of the Year – Stonehedge LLC (Marilyn Campbell)
  • Indiana Breeder of the Year – Justice Farms, Inc. (Greg Justice)
  • Iowa Breeder of the Year – Poindexter Thoroughbreds, LLC (Allen Poindexter)
  • Kentucky Breeder of the Year – Godolphin
  • Louisiana Breeder of the Year – Tony Doughtie
  • Maryland Breeder of the Year – Larry Johnson
  • New Jersey Breeder of the Year – Vincent Annarella
  • New Mexico Breeder of the Year – J. Kirk and Judy Robison
  • New York Breeder of the Year – William Butler
  • North Carolina Breeder of the Year – Nancy Shuford
  • Oregon Breeder of the Year – Connie and Lee Erickson
  • Pennsylvania Breeder of the Year – Warriors Reward LLC (Donnie Brown and Tom McClay)
  • South Carolina Breeder of the Year – Franklin G. Smith Sr.
  • Texas Breeder of the Year – Danele Durham
  • Virginia Breeder of the Year – Audley Farm Equine, LLC
  • Washington Breeder of the Year – Nina and Ron Hagen

“Congratulations to all the winners of the TOBA national and state awards, as well as the finalists,” said Dan Metzger, president of TOBA. “We were honored and privileged to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the TOBA National Awards and recognize the outstanding achievements of 2024, including the incredible success of Godolphin as both National Owner and Breeder of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.”

TOBA National Awards sponsors were Platinum level sponsor FanDuel Racing as Owner of the Year sponsor.  Gold level sponsors were Godolphin as State and Canadian Breeder of the Year sponsor, BloodHorse and The Jockey Club as Small Breeder of the Year sponsors, and NTRA as Dr. J. David Richardson Industry Service Award sponsor. Silver level sponsors were Central Bank as Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year sponsor, WinStar Farm as Broodmare of the Year sponsor, Castle & Key Distillery, Daily Racing Form, Fasig-Tipton, National HBPA, Payson Park Thoroughbred Training Center, Sextant Estate Wines, and White Birch Farm (Peter M. Brant).

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, is the co-owner of BloodHorse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.

Contact: Andy Schweigardt

Senior Director of Industry Relations & Development

(859) 277-5891

andys@toba.org