Ben's Cat received a fourth consecutive Maryland-bred Horse of the Year title, the only horse to accomplish the feat in the more than 50-year history of the awards. Also named champion older male, sprinter and turf runner, King Leatherbury's multimillionaire had a record 17 titles to his name over five seasons, including five turf championships. During his 8-year-old campaign he recorded his fifth Mister Diz Stakes win as well as three-peats in the Parx Dash (two of them graded), Jim McKay Turf Sprint and Fabulous Strike.
n Numbers were a theme in the statistical issue. A few highlights: 134 Mid-Atlantic-breds won stakes in 2014, with Down Town Allen leading the way with five wins; 20 won graded stakes -- four in Grade/Group 1 company: Real Solution, The Big Beast, Divine Fortune (steeplechase) and El Capitan (in Mexico); 46 stallions standing or having completed their careers in the region sired 100 stakes winners during the year. Leading the way with 10 was the region's leading sire, Northview's Jump Start, who stood in Pennsylvania.
n The 50th anniversary of Jay Trump's win in the Grand National at Aintree was celebrated with a variety of photos by Maryland Horse photographer Peter Winants. The Maryland-bred timber great and future racing Hall of Famer was owned by Mary Stephenson, bred by Pennsylvanian Jay Sensenich, foaled at Samuel Pistorio's farm near Ellicott City, and trained and ridden by Crompton "Tommy" Smith.
n Twenty-three Mid-Atlantic-bred 3-year-olds were nominated to the Triple Crown. One was a filly: Curlin's daughter Stellar Wind, bred by Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, owned by Hronis Racing and trained by John Sadler.
Winner of her second start at 2 in December at Laurel for owner Barbara Houck, who purchased her for $86,000 out of Marshall Silverman's consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic September yearling sale, Stellar Wind was sold privately and had yet to start at 3 when nominations were due. She didn't run in the Triple Crown races but had a stellar year, resulting in an Eclipse Award for top 3-year-old filly.
