ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 6, 2023) — Grade I winner Fun to Dream added the title of 2022 California-bred Horse of the Year to her resume, it was announced at the CTBA Awards Dinner on Monday night at Le Meridien Hotel.
Fun to Dream is by Arrogate, out of the Maria’s Mon mare Lutess, was bred by Connie Pageler & Bob Baffert, is owned by Natalie J. Baffert & Pageler and trained by Bob Baffert. She had already been named champion Cal-bred 3-year-old female and sprinter and her dam was named Cal-bred broodmare of the year.
“I did this, it was a crazy thing, I called Garrett O’Rourke at Juddmonte and I told him I’m going to do something really crazy, I’m sending you a mare that I claimed for $8,000,” said Bob Baffert, who was voted Trainer of the Year.
“I saw those guys with California Chrome and an $8,000 mare and thought, why can’t we do that? I told Connie, we’re going to breed her to Arrogate, one of the greatest horses I ever trained. And we got lucky. We talked about what to name her and it’s fun to dream, that’s why we’re all in this business. And that’s how she got her name.
“Connie sold the mare and I’m going to get crazy again and do a foal share with Justify. So, hopefully, I’ll be up here in a couple of years and maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle twice.”
In 2022, Fun to Dream had five wins in six starts, including the Grade I La Brea Stakes, and earnings of $426,590. Overall, she has six wins in seven starts and earnings of $546,590.
The other finalists for Horse of the Year were Slow Down Andy and The Chosen Vron.
Other Cal-bred champions recognized at the banquet:
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Male – Giver Not a Taker, bred by owners J. Kirk & Judy Robison, trained by Peter Miller.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Female – Sell the Dream, bred by PT Syndicate #1 LLC, owned by Edward Rusty Brown, Alan Klein & Philip Lebherz, trained by Brian Koriner.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Male – Slow Down Andy, bred by owner Reddam Racing, trained by Doug O’Neill.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Female – Fun to Dream, bred by Connie Pageler & Bob Baffert, owned by Natalie J. Baffert & Connie Pageler, trained by Bob Baffert.
Champion California-bred Older Male – The Chosen Vron, bred by Tiz Molly Partners, owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh, trained by Eric Kruljac.
Champion California-bred Older Female – Becca Taylor, bred by owner Nick Alexander, trained by Steve Miyadi.
Champion California-bred Sprinter – Fun to Dream, bred by Connie Pageler & Bob Baffert, owned by Natalie J. Baffert & Connie Pageler, trained by Bob Baffert.
Champion California-bred Turf Horse – The Chosen Vron, bred by Tiz Molly Partners, owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh, trained by Eric Kruljac.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.
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 – Bob Baffert.
Broodmare of the Year – Lutess, owned by Connie & Mike Pageler.
Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Nick Alexander.
Scoop Vessels Award – The Derby Room
CTBA Hall of Fame – Joe Harper, Nashoba’s Key.