For the third consecutive year, Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs has been voted the outstanding breeder of the year. Stronach’s operation also took home the trophy in 2000 and now joins Juddmonte Farms as the only breeders to win the award four times.
In 2006, Adena Springs led all breeders by money earned for the fourth consecutive time. Adena bred 472 horses that entered the starting gate, and they made 3,043 starts.
From those starts, they garnered 510 victories, finished second 405 times, and finished third 390 times. They amassed $13,146,955 in earnings and surpassed the $12,451,348 earned by Adena-bred horses in 2005.
The two best runners in 2006 bred by Adena also turned out to be horses campaigned by Stronach. Spun Sugar (by Awesome Again ) won the Apple Blossom and Go for Wand Handicaps (both gr. I) and earned $487,200, while Royal Challenger (by Touch Gold) won the Breeders’ Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, and earned $431,956. Barracuda Boy, Malakoff, and Silver Whistle also ran under the Adena banner and won grade III races, while fellow grade III winners Orchid Princess and Yankee Monarch earned their victories for owners Linda Klein and Establo Rocmac, respectively.
(Article appears in the January 27, 2007 issue of The Blood-Horse)