The final TOC award went to Jerry Hollendorfer and George Todaro for most races won in California. The partnership, which is based primarily in Northern California, won 51 races during 2002. The two led all owners at the Bay Meadows fall 2002 meeting by money won with $159,112. Their total number of 2002 wins ranked them 28th nationally, with most of those victories coming in California.
The Thoroughbred Owners of California awarded its Owner of the Year honor to Trudy McCaffery, John Toffan, William S. Farish, and John B. Goodman, the owners of Came Home, at the TOC Annual Meeting August 16 at Del Mar. TOC also recognized Northern California owners Curt and Lila Lanning with its Chairman's Award.McCaffery, Toffan, Farish, and Goodman, who raced Came Home during 2002, received the most votes from TOC members to win the Owner of the Year award. At the TOC cocktail party and awards ceremony following the races, TOC president John Van de Kamp presented McCaffery with a bronze racehorse sporting the Came Home colors. In California last year, Came Home earned $1,624,500 while winning six of six races, including the Pacific Classic, Santa Anita Derby, and Swaps Stakes.TOC's immediate past chairman, Jack Owens, presented the Chairman's Award to Curt and Lila Lanning. Owens, in awarding them a bronze in the Lannings' yellow and tartan silks, cited their major contributions to Northern California racing. TOC Director Jim Ghidella announced TOC's Rookie of the Year winners, Lucky Ladies Stable. Friends Fay Mancuso and Elaine Gleason formed Lucky Ladies after they saw Elaine's husband, Larry, succeed in the business. Lucky Ladies in 2002 won four races with three different horses--Rapidough, Roberta's Mango, and Turkish Prize.The late Prince Ahmed bin Salman's Thoroughbred Corp. received two awards from TOC for the most purse money won ($3,163,745) and the most stakes races won (10) during 2002 in California. The Thoroughbred Corp.'s runners last year included champion 3-year-old male and Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, Norfolk Stakes winner Kafwain, and Hollywood Derby winner Johar.
