(Edited press release)
The Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners held their annual awards banquet honoring the 2006 Ohio Horse of the Year Too Much Bling and other divisional champions at Thistledown April 14.
The film “Here’s to the Winners," produced by Bob Roberts and Mark Widowski, was simulcast to Beulah Park and River Downs, with the banquet hosted by Rich Ruda and Bob Roberts. Executive director Gayle Babst announced the results of voting for the 2006 Ohio Horse of the Year and divisional champions.
Owner/trainer/breeder Tim Hamm of Blazing Meadows Farm took home his second consecutive Horse of the Year award for the impressive campaign of Too Much Bling, who he owns in partnership with Stonerside Stable. Hamm also received an award from the OTBO and The Blood Horse as the breeder of Too Much Bling, who was additionally named special recognition colt champion.
Hamm was also represented as owner and trainer of Rose Colored Lady, who was voted broodmare of the year for the second time, and as breeder of the 2-year-old filly Mini Mom, owned by Larry Lehmann.
Elisabeth Alexander took home numerous awards as owner/breeder of Cryptoquip, 3-year-old female; owner of Left Banker, stallion; breeder of Head To Toe, 2-year-old male; breeder of Runaway Julie, accredited female; and as champion Ohio owner for the second time for successfully campaigning Magna Graduate and Bridge Game.
Ronald and Richard Zielinski received awards as owner/breeder of Imahoneytoo, handicap female, who received the accredited female award in 2004. Imahoneytoo is a granddaughter of the legendary sire Honey Jay, who is a six-time Ohio stallion of the year.
Other awards are as follows: Tri Uimet, 3-year-old male (owned by Gerald Silver, bred by Harold Queen); Cat Singer, handicap horse (owned by Joe Sugar and Gene Daniels, bred by George Smith, Wil Johnston, and John Berry); Catlaunch, accredited male (owned and bred by Ron Fields of Scioto Farm Supply); Pforperfectspistol, sprinter (owned by Sharen Hunter, bred by Dr. Ted Classen); RuntotheMountain, Thoroughbred Times award, freshman sire (owned by Jerry Balo).
A special award was given to breeder Deborah Kopatz for her graded stakes winner and probable Preakness Stakes (gr. I) contender King of the Roxy, owned by Team Valor, while Linda Keifer and Becky Turner of Touch of Heaven Farm received an appreciation award for their dedication to the OTBO.
The OTBO also held their election for trustees to the board at an earlier membership meeting. Elected for three-year terms were: Gary Aiken, Ed Crothers, Patricia Hershey, Kris Nemann, and James Yaegel.