Gimme Da Lute Horse of the Year

PASADENA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2016) – The late Gimme Da Lute, a two-time graded winner bred and owned by the partnership of Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, was named California-bred Horse of the Year for 2015 by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.
The son of Midnight Lute was named champion at Wednesday night’s annual CTBA Awards Dinner at the Westin Pasadena, outpolling the other two finalists, California Chrome and Spanish Queen. Gimme Da Lute earlier had been named champion Cal-bred 3-year-old male and sprinter. Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes accepted the award on behalf of the winning connections.
A five-time stakes winner, Gimme Da Lute had won five consecutive stakes when he suffered a catastrophic training injury. He won six of nine career starts, including victories in the Grade II Los Alamitos Derby and Grade III Affirmed Stakes, with earnings of $627,560.
The other champions presented at the dinner:
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Tribal Rule, property of The Tribal Rule Syndicate.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings – Unusual Heat, property of The Unusual Heat Syndicate.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Two-Year-Olds by Earnings – Square Eddie, property of Reddam Racing.
Champion Freshman Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Slew’s Tiznow, property of Joseph LaCombe Stables.
Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Tribal Rule, property of The Tribal Rule Syndicate.
Champion Breeders of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.
Trainer of the Year – Craig Lewis.
Broodmare of the Year – Ashley’s Folly, owned by Estate of Alesia, BranJam Stables & Ciaglia Racing.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Female – Pacific Heat, bred by Harris Farms & Donald Valpredo.
Champion California-bred Two-Year-Old Male – Smokey Image, bred by C-Punch Ranch.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Female – Spanish Queen, bred by Jack Nakkashian, Harry Bederian & Harout Kamberian.
Champion California-bred Three-Year-Old Male – Gimme Da Lute, bred by Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram and Paul Weitman.
Champion California-bred Older Male – California Chrome, bred by Perry Martin & Steve Coburn.
California-bred Older Female – Warren’s Veneda, bred by Benjamin C. Warren.
Champion California-bred Turf Horse – Spanish Queen, bred by Jack Nakkashian, Harry Bederian & Harout Kamberian.
Champion California-bred Spinter – Gimme Da Lute, bred by Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram and Paul Weitman.
Also at the dinner, Fran’s Valentine, Nostalgia’s Star, Dave McGlothlin and Jim & Pat Thompson will be inducted into the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Hall of Fame.