Baltimore, Md.—The fifth annual Renaissance Awards, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and Maryland Jockey Club, will be celebrated virtually this year as the top Maryland owner, trainer and jockey, Maryland stallion, broodmare and breeder, as well as the champion Maryland-breds of 2021 will be presented online next week. Special awards will be presented to Pimlico and Laurel Backstretch Employees of the Year.

The Renaissance Awards were created to recognize the best of Maryland racing and breeding from the previous year. Champions and industry award winners will be announced Monday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, March 5, each evening at 7 p.m., via Facebook Premiere on the Maryland Horse Breeders Association's Facebook page: Maryland Thoroughbred (Facebook.com/MarylandTB).

The announcement schedule is as follows:

Monday, Feb. 28 - Maryland-Bred Champion 2-Year-Olds (colt/gelding and filly), 3-Year-Olds (colt/gelding and filly)
Tuesday, March 1 - Maryland-Bred Champion Older Male/Older Female, Turf Runner and Sprinter
Wednesday, March 2 - Maryland-Bred Horse of the Year
Thursday, March 3 - Maryland Jockey of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Owner of the Year
Friday, March 4 - Maryland Broodmare of the Year, Stallion of the Year, Breeder of the Year
Saturday, March 5 - Special recognition of Pimlico and Laurel Backstretch Employees of the Year

To keep up with all of the feature posts highlighting finalists this week, be sure to follow our social media accounts:

Facebook: Facebook.com/MarylandTB
Instagram: @marylandtb
Twitter: @marylandtb

The following are finalists in the award categories.

Award finalists (listed alphabetically)

Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old male: Cynergy's Star (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Skeedattle Associates; owned by Bonuccelli Racing); Joe (bred and owned by The Elkstone Group LLC); Local Motive (bred by Wasabi Ventures Stables LLC, Greenspring Mares LLC and Bowman and Higgins Stable; owned by Bird Mobberley LLC)

Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old filly: Buff My Boots (bred by Hope Hill Farm; owned by Bird Mobberley LLC); Luna Belle (bred by Fred A. Greene Jr., Deborah Greene and Hamilton Smith; owned by Deborah S. Greene and Hamilton A. Smith); Runup (bred and owned by James McIngvale)

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old male: Alwaysinahurry (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Quin Bowman and Rebecca Davis; owned by Mopo Racing); Exculpatory (bred by Anchor & Hope Farm Inc and Finn's Nickel, LLC; owned by Grace Merryman); Jaxon Traveler (bred by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau; owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner)

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old filly: Malibu Beauty (bred and owned by ZWP Stable and Non Stop Stable); Princess Kokachin (bred by Nancy M. Rizer and Eric A. Rizer; owned by Eric A. Rizer); Street Lute (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Dr. Brooke Bowman; owned by Lucky 7 Stables)

Maryland-bred champion older male: Aloha West (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners); Cordmaker (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Hillwood Stable LLC); Field Pass (bred by Mark Brown Grier; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Knicks Go (bred by Angie Moore; owned by Korea Racing Authority)

Maryland-bred champion older female: Hello Beautiful (bred by Hillwood Stables, LLC; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, LLC); Kiss the Girl (bred by Classic Thoroughbred XII; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Miss J McKay (bred by Linda Oliff Rohleder; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables, Tony Weintraub and Brandon M. Dalinka)

Maryland-bred champion turf runner: Field Pass (bred by Mark Brown Grier; owned by Three Diamonds Farm); Grateful Bred (bred and owned by Gordon Keys); Somekindofmagician (bred by Earl Barnhart; owned by Bell Gable Stable LLC)

Maryland-bred champion sprinter: Aloha West (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss; owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners); Hello Beautiful (bred by Hillwood Stables, LLC; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, LLC); Whereshetoldmetogo (bred by David H. Wade; owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Ten Strike Racing, Michael E. Kisber and BTR Racing, Inc.)

Owner of the Year: Bird Mobberley LLC, Robert D. Bone, Hillwood Stable LLC

Trainer of the Year: Dale Capuano, Brittany Russell, Mike Trombetta

Jockey of the Year: J.D. Acosta, Jorge Ruiz, Sheldon Russell, Jevian Toledo

Breeder of the Year: Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Angie Moore & Sabrina Moore, Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss

Broodmare of the Year: Hello Now, Island Bound, Only Me

Stallion of the Year: Golden Lad, Great Notion

Pimlico Backstretch Employee of the Year: Julio Garcia

Laurel Backstretch Employee of the Year: Antoinette Charles Orellana