By Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 2, 2026) — Lovesick Blues was half a world away when he was named the 2025 California-bred Horse of the Year March 2. The 8-year-old gelding is in Dubai preparing for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), which is currently scheduled for March 28.
Owner/trainer Librado Barocio said that he was originally scheduled to leave later in the week for Dubai to oversee Lovesick Blues’ training. But with all of the uncertainty in the Middle East, Barocio didn’t know when he could get to Dubai or when he could arrange for Lovesick Blues to return, depending on what happens with the Dubai Golden Shaheen and other races slated for the Dubai World Cup (G1) program.
Lovesick Blues, winner in 2025 of the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) and Siren Lure Stakes, had already been voted champion Cal-bred older male and champion Cal-bred sprinter. He was honored along with all of the other Cal-bred divisional champions at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association annual awards banquet, held at Le Meridien hotel near Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Lovesick Blues, 3-year-old female champion Om N Joy, and multiple stakes winner Man O Rose were the three finalists for Cal-bred Horse of the Year. Other champions honored included Ocean Bear, 2-year-old male; Mohaven, 2-year-old female; Speedy Wilson, 3-year-old male; Majestic Oops, older female; and Kings River Knight, turf. In addition, jockeys Chris McCarron, Mike Smith, and Gary Stevens were inducted into the California Hall of Fame during the banquet.
Nick Alexander bred Lovesick Blues, a son of Grazen, who received two leading California sire awards at the banquet, and Queenofhercastle, named California Broodmare of the Year. Barocio bought Lovesick Blues privately from Alexander in mid-2023.
“He has done a phenomenal job with this horse,” Alexander said of Barocio.
“What an honor,” said Barocio in accepting the awards. Barocio attributed his ability with older horses to his late father’s work ethic. “He worked hard every day. He taught me to believe and dream. He gave me the opportunity to go chase my dreams. One thing I’ve learned from it all is with love and caring about something—I really love Lovesick Blues.”
Barocio then quickly assured the crowd that Lovesick Blues is doing fine in Dubai.
“I get reports every morning,” Barocio said. “He’ll go to the track, and the gentleman that I have with the horse has a GoPro. He’s taking the horse to the track at 4:30 in the morning, and, believe it or not, there are missiles over his head being intercepted. I said, ‘What about the horse?’ And he said, ‘He doesn’t care. He just keeps going.’ He’s an iron horse.”
Lovesick Blues most recently finished fifth in the Feb. 14 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) in Saudi Arabia. He has started 44 times, beginning at age 2 in 2020, with nine wins, 11 seconds, and eight thirds and total earnings of $890,000.
Other Cal-bred champions recognized at the banquet:
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Male – Ocean Bear, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, owned by Richard Barton and trained by George Papaprodromou.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Female – Mohaven, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, owned by Legacy Ranch and trained by John Sadler.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Male – Speedy Wilson, bred by owner Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D’Amato.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Female – Om N Joy, bred by Jerry & Connie Baker, owned by Jerry & Connie Baker, Michael Golovko and Terrence Scanlan and trained by Aggie Ordonez.
Champion California-bred Older Male – Lovesick Blues, bred by Nick Alexander, owned by Mia Familia Racing Stables and trained by Librado Barocio.
Champion California-bred Older Female – Majestic Oops, bred by William Dory, Sandy Dory, Gary Kropp & Janet Kropp, owned by Sublime Stables and Janet Kropp and trained by Dan Ward.
Champion California-bred Sprinter – Lovesick Blues, bred by Nick Alexander, owned by Mia Familia Racing Stables and trained by Librado Barocio.
Champion California-bred Turf Horse – Kings River Knight, bred by Old English Rancho, owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, The Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth Tevelde and trained by John Sadler.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Two-Year-Olds by Earnings – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.
Trainer of the Year – Steve Knapp.
Broodmare of the Year – Queenofhercastle, property of Nick Alexander.
Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Richard Barton Enterprises.
CTBA Hall of Fame – Chris McCarron, Mike Smith, Gary Stevens.