OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFrom a Maryland Horse Breeders Association release

For the third time in the past five years. a yearling exhibited by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss was selected as champion of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association’s (MHBA) Maryland-bred yearling show, held for the 81st time on Sunday, June 28 at the Timonium Fairgrounds horse show ring in Timonium, Md. The three-win feat marks the retirement of the Foxharbor Farm Challenge Trophy, which has been presented to the owner of the champion yearling since 2011.

Leading bloodstock agent Donato Lanni judged 79 yearlings in four classes and selected Manfuso and Voss’ filly by E Dubai as his top pick. The winner of Class IV (for fillies conceived in states other than Maryland) is the second foal out of the unraced Bluegrass Cat mare To Give from a family with long ties to Manfuso. The E Dubai filly represents the third generation bred in partnership by Manfuso, descending from the mare Emmaus. Her second dam, Impart, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner and champion sire Wiseman’s Ferry, who was also bred by Manfuso in partnership.

Lanni was asked to select a champion and reserve champion from his four class winners, and noted it was a tough decision. “The champion is well-balanced and athletic, and showed herself really well,” he said.

Manfuso and Voss previously exhibited the grand champion of the show in 2011, a colt by Corinthian named Distiller, and in 2012 with a Thewayyourare colt named Idiosyncratic. Manfuso and Voss yearlings have won at least one class at the show in eight of the past 10 years.

Manfuso retired the show’s first challenge trophy, the Blarney, in 1999, nearly 40 years after it was first presented. The Chanceland Challenge trophy was awarded from 2000 until Cary Jackson of Foxharbor Farm took permanent possession in 2010.

Lanni pinned Bonita Farm’s homebred filly by Etched (winner of Class III for fillies conceived in Maryland) as reserve champion. “She’s raw, athletic, and looks like a big, two-turn filly,” Lanni commented. The dark bay out of Bay of Bengal (by Rakeen) is a half-sister to seven winners; her second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Calipha.

Lanni described his experience at the show as “checking off an item on the bucket-list – it was an amazing experience, an honor, and harder than expected.” He added, “People take it seriously and brought good horses.”

The leading Maryland sire of the show was Etched, a son of Forestry who stands at Bonita Farm in Darlington, Md., and whose oldest foals are 2-year-olds. Etched took title to the Northview Stallion Station Challenge Trophy by having two ribbon winners, his other a second in Class I for Maryland-sired colts and geldings.

All yearlings who entered the show ring are now eligible for the $40,000 premium award, which will be split and distributed twice, with $20,000 going to the exhibitors of the four show contestants who earn the most money as 2-year-olds during 2016, and another $20,000 divided among the exhibitors of the four highest-earning 3-year-old runners the next year.

 

Complete results follow:

Class I. For colts and geldings foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in Maryland. (17 exhibited):

  1.  gr./ro.c., 03/25/2014, Street Magician—Indian Head Penny, by Waquoit. Owned by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Chestertown, Md. Bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and R. Larry Johnson;
  2. ETCHY SKETCHY, dk.b./br.c., 04/01/2014, Etched—Perfect Colours, by Accelerator. Owned and bred by Emancipated Woman LLC (Dennis Bartos), North Potomac, Md.;
  3. b.c., 04/21/2014, Friesan Fire—Lucky Dance, by Kafwain. Owned and bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss, West Friendship, Md.;
  4. dk.b./br.c., 04/16/2014, Not For Love—Parlez, by French Deputy. Owned and bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss, West Friendship, Md.;
  5. ch.c., 04/28/2014, Orientate—The Ruler’s Sister, by Horatius. Owned and bred by Rebecca Davis and Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Chestertown, Md.

Class II. For colts and geldings foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in states other than Maryland (23 exhibited):

  1. RYE TALKING, b.c., 05/15/2014, Broken Vow—Smooth Talking, by Dixie Union. Owned and bred by Skeedattle Associates, Clarksville, Md.;
  2. dk.b./br.c., 04/17/2014, Scat Daddy—Roadtohanna, by Not For Love. Owned and bred by Sagamore Farm, Glyndon, Md.;
  3. b.c., 03/16/2014, Tapizar—High Moment, by High Yield. Owned and bred by Dorsey Brown and Richard Palmer, Butler, Md.;
  4. b.c., 03/06/2014, Flatter—Starsonhershoulder, by Quiet American. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Davidov, Upperco, Md.;
  5. ch.c., 03/19/2014, Trappe Shot—Piano Bar, by Carson City. Owned and bred by Robert T. Manfuso, West Friendship, Md.

Class III. For fillies foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in Maryland (25 exhibited):

  1. dk.b./br.f., 04/22/2014, Etched—Bay of Bengal, by Rakeen. Owned and bred by Bonita Farm, Darlington, Md.;
  2. ROSETTA RED, ch.f., 03/27/2014, Redeemed—Heavenly Moon, by Mojave Moon. Owned and bred by Fred Greene Jr., Deborah Greene and Hamilton Smith, Laurel, Md.;
  3. b.f., 05/18/2014, Not For Love—Extreme Fourteen, by Louis Quatorze. Owned and bred by Rosalee Davison Revocable Trust, Baltimore, Md.;
  4. BRICE’S FIRE, b.f., 05/14/2014, Friesan Fire—Vee Vee Star, by Norquestor. Owned by Country Life Farm and Ma and Pa Fillies LLC, Bel Air, Md. Bred by Estate of A. Brice Ridgely;
  5. b.f., 03/09/2014, Louis Quatorze—Eugenius, by Century City (Ire). Owned and bred by Mr. and Mrs. Brett Principe, Owings Mills, Md.

Class IV. For fillies foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in states other than Maryland (14 exhibited):

  1. dk.b./br.f., 03/10/2014, E Dubai—To Give, by Bluegrass Cat. Owned and bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss, West Friendship, Md.;
  2. dk.b./br.f., 03/05/2014, Gemologist—Plum, by Pure Prize. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm, Upperco, Md.;
  3. b.f., 02/28/2014, To Honor and Serve—Pearly Beach, by Tiznow. Owned by Glenangus Farm LLC, Baltimore, Md. Bred by Huckleberry Farm LLC;
  4. dk.b./br.f., 04/06/2014, Baltimore Bob—Expected Pleasures, by Allen’s Prospect. Owned and bred by Robert Gerczak, White Stone, Va.;
  5. b.f., 05/03/2014, Stay Thirsty—Buffgirl, by Quiet American. Owned and bred by Hillwood Stables LLC, Washington, D.C.

 PHOTO GALLERY

Maryland Horse Breeders Association yearling show. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Maryland Horse Breeders Association yearling show. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Maryland Horse Breeders Association yearling show. Photo by The Racing Biz.