2011 Cal-bred Champions Announced

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 30, 2012) -- The California-bred Horse of the Year for 2011 will be announced at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, to be held Feb. 13 at the Westin Pasadena. The event will be televised on HRTV.

Finalists for horse of the year are Acclamation, Amazombie and Ultra Blend.

The business session begins at 4 p.m. with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception and a 7 p.m. awards dinner. Oaklawn Park track announcer Frank Miramahdi will be master of ceremonies. For reservations, please contact Christy Chapman at 626-445-7800 ext: 247 or email at christy [at] ctba [dot] com.

The other champions that will be presented at the dinner:
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings - "Unusual Heat," owned by The Unusual Heat Syndicate.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings - "Unusual Heat," owned by The Unusual Heat Syndicate.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Two-Year-Olds by Earnings - "Tribal Rule," owned by Ballena Vista Farm and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners - "Tribal Rule," owned by Ballena Vista Farm and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod.
Champion Freshman Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings - "Awesome Gambler," owned by Pete Walski and Terry Lovingier.
Champion Breeders of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Old English Rancho.
Trainer of the Year Award – Don Warren.
Champion California-bred Horse of the Year - TBA at Awards Dinner.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Female - "Ismene," bred by Stephen Ferraro, owned by Stephen Ferraro, trained by Bill Spawr, sired by Tribal Rule.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Male - "Rousing Sermon," bred by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, sired by Lucky Pulpit.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Female - "Teddy’s Promise," bred by Ted and Judy Nichols, owned by Ted and Judy Nichols, trained by Ron Ellis, sired by Salt Lake.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Male - "Burns," bred by Madeline Auerbach, David Abrams and Sonny Pais, owned by M. Auerbach and Alfred Pais, trained by Barry Abrams, sired by Unusual Heat.
Champion California-bred Older Male - "Acclamation," bred by Old English Rancho, owned by Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston, trained by Don Warren, sired by Unusual Heat.
Champion California-bred Turf Horse - "Acclamation," bred by Old English Rancho, owned by Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston, trained by Don Warren, sired by Unusual Heat.
Champion California-bred Older Female - "Ultra Blend," bred by BnD Chase Thoroughbreds and Elven Adams, owned by Nels Erickson, trained by Art Sherman, sired by Richly Blended.
Champion California-bred Sprinter - "Amazombie," bred by Gregg Anderson, owned by Thomas Sanford and Bill Spawr, trained by Bill Spawr, sired by Northern Afleet.

Also at the dinner, E.W. “Buddy” Johnston, and champions Brown Bess and Quicken Tree will be inducted into the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall of Fame and Oak Tree Racing Association will receive the first Frank “Scoop” Vessels Award of Merit for outstanding service to the thoroughbred industry in California.