Grade I winner Fun to Dream (Arrogate) was crowned California-bred Horse of the Year at the CTBA Awards dinner held Monday night. The 4-year-old filly, who is out of the Maria's Mon mare Lutess, was bred by Connie Pageler and trainer Bob Baffert and is owned by Paegler and Natalie J. Baffert. The gray filly was also named Cal-bred champion 3-year-old filly and sprinter, and her dam was named Cal-bred broodmare of the year.
“I did this, it was a crazy thing, I called Garrett O'Rourke at Juddmonte and I told him I'm going to do something really crazy, I'm sending you a mare that I claimed for $8,000,” Bob Baffert, who was voted Trainer of the Year, said. “I told Connie, we're going to breed her to Arrogate, one of the greatest horses I ever trained. And we got lucky. We talked about what to name her and it's fun to dream, that's why we're all in this business. And that's how she got her name.
“Connie sold the mare and I'm going to get crazy again and do a foal share with Justify. So, hopefully, I'll be up here in a couple of years and maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle twice.”In 2022, Fun to Dream had five wins in six starts, including the GI La Brea S., and earned $426,590. Overall, she has six wins in seven starts and earnings of $546,590.
Other 2022 Cal-bred champions:
Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Male: Giver Not a Taker (Danzing Candy)
Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Female: Sell The Dream (Munnings)
Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old: Slow Down Andy (Nyquist)
Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Female: Fun to Dream
Champion California-bred Older Male: The Chosen Vron (Vronsky).
Champion California-bred Older Female: Becca Taylor (Old Topper)
Champion California-bred Sprinter: Fun to Dream
Champion California-bred Turf Horse: The Chosen Vron
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings: Grazen (Benchmark)
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners: Grazen
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings: Grazen
Champion Sire of California Conceived 2-Year-Olds by Earnings: Stay Thirsty (Bernardini)
Trainer of the Year: Bob Baffert
Broodmare of the Year: Lutess (Maria's Mon)
Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings: Nick Alexander
Scoop Vessels Award: The Derby Room
CTBA Hall of Fame: Joe Harper, Nashoba's Key (Silver Hawk)
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