Robert Manfuso and Katharine Voss's homebred colt by Noble Mission (GB) was named Grand Champion at the 83rd annual Maryland Horse Breeders' Association Maryland-bred Yearling Show Sunday in Timonium. The show was judged by Eclipse Award-winning trainer Dale Romans.
“I was very impressed with the whole event,” said Romans. “It was a lot more stressful than I expected because you could feel the importance for everybody. But it was a lot of fun. I know how much work goes into raising a horse so you take it seriously and make a good decision. The pride of the Maryland breeder is second to none. It's very impressive.”
The grand champion, from the Group 1 winner's first crop, is out of graded stakes winner Island Bound (Speightstown).
“The colt just has that smooth Northern Dancer-type look that I like in a horse,” Romans said. “He's a young horse, so he's got time to grow up.”
Romans's reserve champion was a Bullsbay half-sister to GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss).
“The filly, she's big and strong, correct, moved well–just looked like class,” said Romans. “It was very close to decide which one was going to be the champion and which one was going to be the reserve.”
It was the first time since 2009 that the same farm exhibited the top two ribbon winners, when Dark Hollow Farm accomplished the feat. Longtime supporters of the show, Manfuso and Voss had also done it before, in 1992.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
