Miesque's Approval and his owner and breeder, Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Stud, were the big winners at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's awards banquet Sunday night in Ocala. Miesque's Approval was honored as the 2006 Florida-bred Horse of the Year, and Weber was the Breeder of the Year.
An 8-year-old son of Miesque's Son, Miesque's Approval also was recognized as the Florida-bred champion older male, grass horse, and sprinter. His dam, Win Approval, was the Broodmare of the Year.
Weber thanked Miesque's Approval's trainer, Marty Wolfson, "everybody at the farm, and all those that are behind the scenes" for "my special year," and, she added, "I'm not going to stop now."
Miesque's Approval was North America's champion male on turf last year, when he captured five of his seven races and earned $1,906,405. He ended the season with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Netjets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
"I want to thank Miesque's Approval because he's a very special horse to work around," Wolfson said. "He has a wonderful disposition and a very, very interesting personality. He has brought myself, and my wife, and Live Oak so many highlights of our lives."
Other Florida-bred champions were Take D'Tour, older female, Green Vegas, 2-year-old male; Meadow Breeze, 2-year-old filly; Sweetnorthernsaint, 3-year-old male; and Bushfire, 3-year-old filly.
Halo's Imagewas the Stallion of the Year; Trippiwas the leading juvenile sire; and Three Wonderswas the leading freshman sire.
Also honored were Centaur Farms, with the Needles Award; Azpurua Stable (for Buzzard's Bay), with the Joe O'Farrell Memorial Award; Samuel Gordon, with the Bruce Campbell Award; Edward Plesa Jr, as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by earnings and stakes wins; Kirk Ziade, as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by wins; and Roldvale Ltd. and Gold Group International, as the leading owners by Florida-bred earnings.