ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2026) — The 2025 California-bred Horse of the Year will be announced at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting Monday, March 2 at Le Meridien Hotel in Arcadia.
Finalists for Horse of the Year are, in alphabetical order: Lovesick Blues, Man O Rose and Om N Joy.
Other Cal-bred champions to be 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.