Two-Year-Old Filly: CAPRICE
Dk B, F, foaled March 21, 2022 / Golden Lad – Grand Folly, by Street Cry (IRE)
Bred by Gregory & Caroline Bentley
Six wins and a second in seven starts, Caprice won her debut by nearly 14 lengths and followed with five stakes wins – three at Laurel, including the Smart Halo and Gin Talking against open company, and two at Delaware Park. Earning more than $330,000, she ranked as the top-earning PA-Bred 2-year-old of 2024 and was tied for first in the nation by number of wins for a juvenile.
Tw0-Year-Old Male: THE BOY’S WARRIOR
B, G, foaled April 5, 2022 / Warrior’s Reward – Inciarte, by Broken Vow
Bred by Warrior’s Reward LLC
The son of retired PA sire Warrior’s Reward dazzled in his debut at Presque Isle in August, won the Whistle Pig Stakes at Parx next out by 9 lengths, and returned to Presque Isle to win the Mark McDermott Stakes by 4 lengths. His only loss came when second in the Pennsylvania Nursery in his first attempt beyond 6 furlongs.
Three-Year-Old Filly: CARMELINA
B, F, foaled April 1, 2021 / Maximus Mischief – Complete St., by St Averil
Bred by Lilith E. Boucher
The well-traveled filly made nine starts at seven different tracks and was the richest state-bred 3-year-old filly in 2024, earning $136,000. She won the Penny Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs and was second in the Busher Stakes at Aqueduct and Malvern Rose at Presque Isle Downs.
Three-Year-Old Male: UNCLE HEAVY
B, C, foaled May 2, 2021 / Social Inclusion / Expect Wonderful, by Tiz Wonderful
Bred by Barbara Reid
Winner of the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in his 3-year-old debut, the son of former PA sire Social Inclusion tackled graded company the majority of the year. He finished fourth in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby after a third-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx.
Older Female: NEECIE MARIE
B, F, foaled May 6, 2020 / Cross Traffic – Lode Lady, by Posse
Bred by Jon A. Marshall
The richest PA-Bred runner of 2024, Neecie Marie earned just shy of $900,000 in six starts – an average per start of nearly $150,000. She was relentless when rallying to win the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes in her first start of the year in May in New York. She went over the million-dollar mark with a dramatic rally to take Kentucky Downs’ Grade 3 Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon Stakes in September. Her season included a second in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Saratoga and a third in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs.
Older Male: I’M VERY BUSY
Dk B, C, foaled April 25, 2020 / Cloud Computing – Two Kisses, by Kissin Kris
Bred by Glenn E. Brok LLC & Mark Toothaker
Racing solely in graded company, the son of Cloud Computing came out hot when finishing a fast closing second after a trouble trip in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January. He broke through for his first stakes win when taking the Muniz Memorial Classic-G2 at Fair Grounds in March. While off the board in the Manhattan at Saratoga in June, his final start of the year, he was beaten a total of 4 lengths in the hotly contested Grade 1. With $377,000 in earnings, he ranked as the richest PA-Bred male runner of 2024.
Female Sprinter: ROSES FOR DEBRA
Gr/Ro, M, foaled February 23, 2019 / Liam’s Map – Essential Rose, by Bernardini
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC
In her first four starts of the year, all sprint stakes, Roses for Debra rexorded two wins – the Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland and Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes, the latter in track record time – and ran twice at Saratoga, missing by a head when second in the Grade 2 Intercontinental, and finishing third in the Smart N Fancy.
Male Sprinter: OUR SHOT
CH, G, foaled April 30, 2019 / Kantharos – Fleetheart, by Northern Afleet
Bred by Dr. S. Mark Rayburg Inc.
Racing at distances from 5 to 6 furlongs, he concluded his season with his first stakes victory in Keeneland’s Grade 2 Woodford Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs in October. Other outings included missing by a head when second in Saratoga’s Harvey Pack Stakes and finishing just a little over a length behind the winners in the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland and Big Daddy Stakes at Turfway Park in his first two starts of the year.
Turf Female: NEECIE MARIE
B, F, foaled May 6, 2020 / Cross Traffic – Lode Lady, by Posse
Bred by Jon A. Marshall
The richest PA-Bred runner of 2024, Neecie Marie earned just shy of $900,000 in six starts – an average per start of nearly $150,000. She was relentless when rallying to win the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes in her first start of the year in May in New York. She went over the million-dollar mark with a dramatic rally to take Kentucky Downs’ Grade 3 Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon Stakes in September. Her season included a second in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Saratoga and a third in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs.
Turf Male: I’M VERY BUSY
Dk B, C, foaled April 25, 2020 / Cloud Computing – Two Kisses, by Kissin Kris
Bred by Glenn E. Brok LLC & Mark Toothaker
Racing solely in graded company, the son of Cloud Computing came out hot when finishing a fast closing second after a trouble trip in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January. He broke through for his first stakes win when taking the Muniz Memorial Classic-G2 at Fair Grounds in March. While off the board in the Manhattan at Saratoga in June, his final start of the year, he was beaten a total of 4 lengths in the hotly contested Grade 1. With $377,000 in earnings, he ranked as the richest PA-Bred male runner of 2024.
PA-Preferred Female: DONTLOOKBACKATALL
Dk B, F, foaled February 4, 2020 / Peace and Justice – Celtic Arch, by Arch
Bred by A1A Racing
A three-stakes win streak, from 5 to 6 furlongs on the turf, got started in the License Fee at the Belmont at the Big A meet in May, followed by Parx’s Power by Far in June and culminating in the Grade 3 Caress Stakes at Saratoga in July. The daughter of former PA sire Peace and Justice also finished second in the $1.5 million Exacta Systems Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes-G2 at Kentucky Downs.
PA-Preferred Male: SMOOTH B
B, H, foaled February 2, 2025 / Weigelia – Katarica Disco, by Disco Rico
Bred by St. Omer’s Farm & WynOaks Farm LLC
Back-t0-back victories at Parx in the Marshall Jenney Handicap and Turf Monster Stakes propelled Smooth B past the million-dollar mark in career earnings. The son of PA sire Weigelia also finished third in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico.
Broodmare of the Year: ESSENTIAL ROSE
Dam of Roses for Debra & Rosie’s Alibi
Owned by Blackstone Farm LLC
From six PA-Bred foals of racing age, Essential Rose is the dam of four winners, two being 2024 stakes performers: Roses for Debra, winner of the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters (while setting a new track record) and Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway Stakes; and Rosie’s Alibi, winner of the Princess of Sylmar Stakes. Combined, the two have 26 lifetime starts, 13 wins, won or placed in 10 stakes, and earned over $1 million.
Horse of the Year: NEECIE MARIE
B, F, foaled May 6, 2020 / Cross Traffic – Lode Lady, by Posse
Bred by Jon A. Marshall
The richest PA-Bred runner of 2024, Neecie Marie earned just shy of $900,000 in six starts – an average per start of nearly $150,000. She was relentless when rallying to win the Grade 3 Beaugay Stakes in her first start of the year in May in New York. She went over the million-dollar mark with a dramatic rally to take Kentucky Downs’ Grade 3 Light & Wonder Ladies Marathon Stakes in September. Her season included a second in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Saratoga and a third in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs.
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