Two-Year-Old Filly: MORNING MATCHA
B, f, foaled February 13, 2019, Central Banker – Home Ice by Iam the Iceman
Bred by Crane Thoroughbred Services LLC
Her busy seven-start season saw her hit the board in all her starts while traveling from Monmouth Park to Saratoga, Presque Isle Downs, Parx, and Aqueduct. She led all juvenile PA-bred runners for the year with nearly $250,000 in earnings while finishing second in Aqueduct’s $500,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes and Presque Isle’s Finest City Stakes.
Two-Year-Old Male: DANCE CODE
B, c, foaled March 29, 2019, Honor Code – Dancinginthestreet by Street Boss
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC
The leading PA-bred juvenile male by earnings in 2021, he banked nearly $160,000 with three wins at Parx, including the Parc Juvenile Stakes against open company, and a third-place finish in Saratoga’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes.
Three-Year-Old Filly: LEADER OF THE BAND
B, f, foaled May 6, 2018, Bandbox – Catsuit by Sir Cat
Bred by SMD, Ltd.
Facing graded stakes company three times in her seven starts at 3, she won Monmouth Park’s Monmouth Oaks-G3 by 2 lengths and was third in Delaware Park’s Delaware Oaks-G3, and finished second in the Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx while leading all sophomore fillies with earnings of over $280,000.
Three-Year-Old Male: BEREN
B, c, foaled April 8, 2018, Weigelia – Silmaril by Diamond
Bred by Susan C. Quick & Christopher J. Feifarek
Racing at least once a month from January through November, he won seven times, five in stakes – the Gold Fever and Paradise Creek (by 10 3/4 lengths) at Belmont Park, the Crowd Pleaser (by 9 1/2 lengths) and Parx Summer Sprint (by 6 1/2 lengths) at Parx, and the Danzig at Penn National – and was caught late when second in the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley Race Course. He topped all PA-bred 3-year-old runners with just shy of $470,000 in earnings from 12 starts.
Older Female: CHUB WAGON
B, m, foaled March 23, 2017, Hey Chub – Takin The Plunge by Lion Heart
Bred by Joe-Dan Farm Inc & George Chestnut
The richest PA-bred of 2021 with $487,400, she led all state-breds by wins for the year when scoring in eight of her nine starts, and was second in her only loss. She won six stakes, four straight, starting with the Unique Bella at Parx (by 7 1/2 lengths), Skipat and Shine Again at Pimlico, and Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park. After a second in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial at Parx, she romped by 4 in the Roamin Rachel and finished the season in the Plum Pretty in her first start beyond a mile.
Older Male: THE CRITICAL WAY
DK B/, g, foaled March 21, 2014, Tizway – Critical Facyor, by Star de Naskra
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC
Making seven straight stakes appearances, he won three, was second once, and third twice while sprinting on the turf in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. His biggest victory came in the Grade 3 Parx Dash in which he dueled three wide throughout and battled to a thrilling nose victory in a three-horse finish. Other stakes wins came in Tampa Bay’s Turf Dash and Monmouth’s Wolf Hill, and in his first graded attempt he was third in Keeneland’s Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes.
Female Sprinter: CHUB WAGON
B, m, foaled March 23, 2017, Hey Chub – Takin The Plunge by Lion Heart
Bred by Joe-Dan Farm Inc & George Chestnut
The richest PA-bred of 2021 with $487,400, she led all state-breds by wins for the year when scoring in eight of her nine starts, and was second in her only loss. She won six stakes, four straight, starting with the Unique Bella at Parx (by 7 1/2 lengths), Skipat and Shine Again at Pimlico, and Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park. After a second in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial at Parx, she romped by 4 in the Roamin Rachel and finished the season in the Plum Pretty in her first start beyond a mile.
Male Sprinter: BEREN
B, c, foaled April 8, 2018, Weigelia – Silmaril by Diamond
Bred by Susan C. Quick & Christopher J. Feifarek
Racing at least once a month from January through November, he won seven times, five in stakes – the Gold Fever and Paradise Creek (by 10 3/4 lengths) at Belmont Park, the Crowd Pleaser (by 9 1/2 lengths) and Parx Summer Sprint (by 6 1/2 lengths) at Parx, and the Danzig at Penn National – and was caught late when second in the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley Race Course. He topped all PA-bred 3-year-old runners with just shy of $470,000 in earnings from 12 starts.
Turf Female: CARAVEL
GR/RO, m, foaled March 1, 2017, Mizzen Mast – Zeezee Zoomzoom by Congrats
Bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman
Racing exclusively in turf stakes in her seven outings in 2021, including facing males in Grade 1 company, she won three stakes in a row, topped by Saratoga’s Grade 3 Caress Stakes after capturing the Goldwood Stakes at Monmouth Park by over 4 lengths and Pimlico’s The Very One Stakes. Against males she finished third after setting the early fractions in the Grade 1 Highlander at Woodbine. Winning or placing in five of seven starts, she launched her season with a third in Belmont Park’s License Fee Stakes.
Older Male: THE CRITICAL WAY
DK B/, g, foaled March 21, 2014, Tizway – Critical Facyor, by Star de Naskra
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC
Making seven straight stakes appearances, he won three, was second once, and third twice while sprinting on the turf in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. His biggest victory came in the Grade 3 Parx Dash in which he dueled three wide throughout and battled to a thrilling nose victory in a three-horse finish. Other stakes wins came in Tampa Bay’s Turf Dash and Monmouth’s Wolf Hill, and in his first graded attempt he was third in Keeneland’s Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes.
PA-Preferred Female: VAULT
B, m, foaled May 3, 2016, Jump Start – Di’s Delight by French Deputy
Bred by Barlar LLC
The richest runner in 2021 for her late sire Jump Start, she recorded five top-two finishes from eight starts, for earnings of $267,000. Her signature victory was the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park; placings included seconds in Parx Racing’s Mrs. Penny Stakes and Plum Pretty Stakes.
PA-Preferred Male: BEREN
B, c, foaled April 8, 2018, Weigelia – Silmaril by Diamond
Bred by Susan C. Quick & Christopher J. Feifarek
Racing at least once a month from January through November, he won seven times, five in stakes – the Gold Fever and Paradise Creek (by 10 3/4 lengths) at Belmont Park, the Crowd Pleaser (by 9 1/2 lengths) and Parx Summer Sprint (by 6 1/2 lengths) at Parx, and the Danzig at Penn National – and was caught late when second in the Steel Valley Sprint at Mahoning Valley Race Course. He topped all PA-bred 3-year-old runners with just shy of $470,000 in earnings from 12 starts.
Broodmare of the Year: ZEEZEE ZOOMZOOM
Owned by Elizabeth M. Merryman
Dam of Caravel & Witty
Two of the first three foals out of Lizzie Merryman’s winning daughter of Congrats are 2021 PA-bred stakes winners Caravel and Witty, both finalists for Iroquois Awards. Caravel became a graded stakes winner in 2021 when taking Saratoga’s Grade 3 Caress and was Grade 1-placed. Witty won the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes.
Horse of the Year: CHUB WAGON
B, m, foaled March 23, 2017, Hey Chub – Takin The Plunge by Lion Heart
Bred by Joe-Dan Farm Inc & George Chestnut
The richest PA-bred of 2021 with $487,400, she led all state-breds by wins for the year when scoring in eight of her nine starts, and was second in her only loss. She won six stakes, four straight, starting with the Unique Bella at Parx (by 7 1/2 lengths), Skipat and Shine Again at Pimlico, and Dashing Beauty at Delaware Park. After a second in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial at Parx, she romped by 4 in the Roamin Rachel and finished the season in the Plum Pretty in her first start beyond a mile.