The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's Iroquois Awards, honoring the top Pennsylvania-bred Thoroughbreds of 2019, was held via Zoom Friday night.
The big winner of the night was Grade I victress Mirth (Colonel John), who took home Horse of the Year, Older Female and Turf Female. She wired both the GI Rodeo Drive S. and GIII Robert J. Frankel S.
Top 2-year-old filly went to stakes winner Weed Wacker (Artie Schiller) and the leading juvenile colt was Newstome (Goldencents), a three-time stakes winner. The leading sophomores were stakes-winning filly Gotta Be Strong (Strong Mandate) and GSP Parsimony (Dominus), who captured the Curlin S. in Meydan.
MGSW Prince Lucky (Corinthian) took home top older male and dual graded victor Pumpkin Rumble (English Channel) was named leading turf male. Pennsylvania's best sprinters last year were Bronx Beauty (Liaison), a three-time stakes winner in 2019, and Midtowncharlybrown (Uptowncharlybrown), who captured a pair of black-type events.
The steeplechase category went to Senior Senator (Domestic Dispute). PA-Preferred Female was awarded to Imply (E Dubai), who also took home leading breeding fund recipient, and the PA-Preferred Male was Midnightcharly (Uptowncharlybrown). Mirth's dam DI's Delight (French Deputy) was named top broodmare.
Leading total breeding fund recipient was Northview Stallion Station; Leading overall breeder of PA-breds was Blackstone Farm; Leading stallion was the late Jump Start; and OTTB went to Fairly Obvious. Bettina Jenney took home the lifetime achievement award and the award of merit went to Touch of Kindness Sanctuary.
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