CTBA to Announce 2011 Horse of Year Feb. 13

Eclipse champions Acclamation and Amazombie, as well as multiple stakes-winning mare Ultra Blend are the finalists for the 2011 California-bred Horse of the Year.

The winner will be announced at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s annual meeting and awards dinner, to be held Feb. 13 at the Westin Pasadena. The event will be televised on HRTV.

The business session begins at 4 p.m.(Pacific), followed by a 6 p.m. cocktail reception and a 7 p.m. awards dinner. Oaklawn Park track announcer Frank Miramahdi will be master of ceremonies. For reservations, please contact Christy Chapman at 626-445-7800, ext. 247, or e-mail at christy@ctba.com.

The CTBA has announced its other champions for 2011. The list follows.

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings: Unusual Heat, owned by The Unusual Heat Syndicate.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings: Unusual Heat.
Champion Sire of California Conceived 2-Year-Olds by Earnings: Tribal Rule, owned by Ballena Vista Farm and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners: Tribal Rule.
Champion Freshman Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings: Awesome Gambler, owned by Pete Walski and Terry Lovingier.
Champion Breeders of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings: Old English Rancho.
Trainer of the Year: Don Warren.
Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Female: Ismene (Tribal Rule), bred by Stephen Ferraro, owned by Stephen Ferraro, trained by Bill Spawr.
Champion California-bred 2-Year-Old Male: Rousing Sermon (Lucky Pulpit ), bred by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.
Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Female: Teddy's Promise (Salt Lake), bred by Ted and Judy Nichols, owned by Ted and Judy Nichols, trained by Ron Ellis.
Champion California-bred 3-Year-Old Male: Burns (Unusual Heat), bred by Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Sonny Pais, owned by M. Auerbach and Alfred Pais, trained by Barry Abrams.
Champion California-bred Older Male: Acclamation (Unusual Heat), bred by Old English Rancho, owned by Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston, trained by Don Warren.
Champion California-bred Turf Horse: Acclamation.
Champion California-bred Older Female: Ultra Blend (Richly Blended), bred by BnD Chase Thoroughbreds and Elven Adams, owned by Nels Erickson, trained by Art Sherman.
Champion California-bred Sprinter: Amazombie (Northern Afleet ), bred by Gregg Anderson, owned by Thomas Sanford and Bill Spawr, trained by Bill Spawr.

Also at the dinner, E.W. “Buddy” Johnston, and champions Brown Bess and Quicken Tree will be inducted into the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall of Fame. Oak Tree Racing Association will receive the first Frank “Scoop” Vessels Award of Merit for outstanding service to the Thoroughbred industry in California.