Multiple grade 1 winner Tiz the Law was remotely crowned the 2019 New York-Bred Horse of the Year April 6 by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders.
The NYTB was unable to host the annual awards banquet at the Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., as originally planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but forged ahead with divisional title announcements Monday, with the backing of their sponsor, the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, and partners. The 2019 New York-bred champions were announced on the NYTB's website and social media channels, and a microsite was launched to host a video presentation produced by PM Advertising featuring the top performances of all nominees and showcasing the winners.
Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law, a blaze-faced son of Constitution , was named the 2019 Horse of the Year on the strength of his juvenile campaign, which was highlighted by a victory in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Tiz the Law was also the unanimous choice of voters as the 2019 champion 2-year-old male. At 3, Tiz the Law is 2-for-2, winning the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. He sits atop the leaderboard for entry into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), rescheduled for Sept. 5.
Chester and Mary Broman were named the state's top breeders in 2019 for the fourth straight year and seventh time overall. The couple previously won the award as outstanding breeders in 2004, 2011, 2014, and 2016-18. In 2019 the Bromans, whose name is synonymous with New York breeding excellence, won 82 races, 13 stakes, and earned $3,775,911. The couple is represented by no fewer than four divisional champions in 2019, led by dual New York champion Pauseforthecause, who took home the hardware for champion older dirt female and champion female sprinter.
Linda Rice was the top trainer of New York-breds in 2019, an honor she received six times previously in the last decade (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017). Last year Rice won 76 races with New York-breds, collected seven New York-bred stakes wins, and earned $4,234,018. She trains Newly Minted, the Broman-bred 2019 champion 3-year-old filly.
Jockey Manny Franco finished the year with the most New York-bred wins and earnings, breaking a six-year streak when one or the other of the Ortiz brothers took home the hardware (Jose in 2014-15 and Irad, Jr. in 2013 and 2016-18). Franco compiled 94 New York-bred wins, won seven stakes on Empire State-breds, and earned $6,346,925. Franco is the regular rider of Tiz the Law, aboard for every start after the colt's winning Saratoga Race Course debut.
The 2019 New York-Bred Horse of the Year and all divisional champions were chosen by a ballot of New York turf writers, handicappers, chart callers, and racing analysts conducted by NYTB.
A Commemorative Awards Program, written and produced by ST Publishing, the team behind the Saratoga Special and This is Horse Racing, is in the mail to all NYTB members and currently available on thisishorseracing.com.
New York's 2019 honorees:
New York-Bred Horse of the Year & Champion 2-Year-Old Male
Tiz the Law (Constitution—Tizfiz, by Tiznow )
Breeder: Twin Creeks Farm
Owner: Sackatoga Stable
Trainer: Barclay Tagg
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly
Critical Value (Bodemeister —See the Forest, by Forestry)
Breeder: Marshall Gramm and Clay Sanders
Owner: Ten Strike Racing
Trainer: Jeremiah Englehart
Champion 3-Year-Old Male
Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown —Marilyn Monroan, by Tapit )
Breeder: Hot Pink Stables and Sand Dollar Stables
Owner: Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable
Trainer: Mike Maker
Champion 3-Year-Old Filly
Newly Minted (Central Banker —Newbie, by Bernardini )
Breeder: Chester and Mary Broman
Owner: Beach Haven Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Linda Rice
Champion Older Dirt Male
Mr. Buff (Friend Or Foe —Speightful Affair, by Speightstown )
Breeder: Chester and Mary Broman
Owner: Chester Broman Sr. and Mary Broman
Trainer: John Kimmel
Champion Older Dirt Female and Champion Female Sprinter
Pauseforthecause (Giant's Causeway—Spritely, by Touch Gold)
Breeder: Chester and Mary Broman
Owner: Chester Broman Sr. and Mary Broman
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Champion Turf Male
Gucci Factor (Gio Ponti —Shoo In, by Dynaformer)
Breeder: Highclere
Owner: Castleton Lyons
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Champion Turf Female
Fifty Five (Get Stormy —Soave, by Brahms)
Breeder: Empire Equines
Owner: Peter Brant
Trainer: Chad Brown
Champion Male Sprinter
Build to Suit (Dominus —Aspen Mountain, by Chief Seattle)
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm
Owner: Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence
Trainer: Chad Brown
New York Broodmare of the Year
Tizfiz (Tiznow—Gin Running, by Go For Gin), dam of Tiz the Law
New York-Bred Trainer of the Year
Linda Rice
New York-Bred Jockey of the Year
Manuel Franco
New York Breeder of the Year
Chester and Mary Broman
