Charles Fipke's Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid), dam of champion Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) and Grade I winner Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song), was named 2017 Broodmare of the Year at the KTOB's Kentucky-Bred Champions Awards Luncheon at Keeneland.
“As a breeder, Broodmare of the Year is about as significant as it can get other than having something like Gun Runner,” Fipke said. “It is the ideal. We are very lucky to get that. It's not me that does it though, it's the broodmare!”
Winner of the 2006 GI Kentucky Oaks, Lemons Forever was purchased by Fipke for $2.5 million at the 2007 Keeneland November sale. The 15-year-old mare has seven foals with her top produce being MGISW Forever Unbridled, who was named 2017's top older mare after a perfect season that culminated in a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The bay, who was named KY-bred champion older female, was retired after finishing a respectable fifth in the Mar. 31 G1 Dubai World Cup and will now be bred to Medaglia d'Oro. Lemons Forever has a juvenile filly named Lemon's Medaglia (Medaglia d'Oro) and recently foaled another filly by the same stallion.
“Just over the weekend she foaled out a beautiful Medaglia filly,” Fipke said. “The filly has unusually long legs, weighs about 140 pounds and is bred similarly to Rachel Alexandra. She has a very distinct face just like Rachel, so we still have more ammo to come! We are just very, very fortunate to be associated with such a great broodmare.”
Reigning Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) also took home Kentucky-Bred Horse of the Year and KY-bred champion older dirt male for his sensational 2017 season during which he won four Grade Is, including the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.
The full list of KY-bred champions (with breeders) is as follows:
- Broodmare of the Year: Lemons Forever
- Horse of the Year & Older Dirt Male: Gun Runner (Besilu Stables)
- 2-Year-Old Male: Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) (WinStar Farm)
- 2-Year-Old Filly: Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) (Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding)
- 3-Year-Old Male: West Coast (Flatter) (CFP Thoroughbreds)
- 3-Year-Old Filly: Abel Tasman (Quality Road) (Clearsky Farms)
- Older Dirt Female: Forever Unbridled (Charles Fipke)
- Turf Male: Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) (Nancy C. Shuford)
- Turf Female: Lady Eli (Runnymede Farm Inc. & Catesby Clay)
- Sprinter Male: Roy H (More Than Ready) (Ramona S. Bass LLC)
- Sprinter Female: Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) (Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC)
- Racing Abroad: Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) (Clearsky Farms)
- Steeplechase Horse: Mr. Hot Stuff (WinStar Farm)
Four merit awards were presented to individuals for their contributions to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Industry:
- P.A.B. Widener Trophy for KTOB Breeder of the Year: Clearsky Farms
- Hardboot Breeders' Award (pays tribute to distinctive, but unsung breeders): Don M. Robinson
- Charles W. Engelhard Award (acknowledges a member of the media for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred Industry): Anne Eberhardt Keogh & Enzina Mastrippolito
- William T. Young Humanitarian Award (distinguishes a person or organization in the Thoroughbred industry “who recognizes and promotes the human endeavor”): Central Kentucky Riding for Hope
Also receiving awards were the top Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) money earners in 2017 in five separate categories.
- KTDF Sire of the Year: Kitten's Joy (Ramsey Farm)
- KTDF Earner of the Year: Res Ipsa (Deborah V. Wilson)
- KTDF Owner of the Year: G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.
- KTDF Trainer of the Year: Ian Wilkes
- KTDF Breeder of the Year: Calumet Farm
Recipients of the 2017 KTOB Kentucky-Bred Champion awards were voted on by the full membership of KTA/KTOB while the KTDF category leaders were tabulated using purse money won at KY racetracks in 2017. KTOB merit award recipients were voted on by the KTA/KTOB Board of Directors.
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