Reisterstown, Md.—The winners of the sixth annual Renaissance Awards, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, will be announced starting next week. Awards will be given for the top Maryland owner, trainer, jockey, dirt horses, turf horses, claimer, Maryland stallion, broodmare and breeder, as well as the champion Maryland-breds of 2022. 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. 27 through Saturday, March 4, each afternoon at 1 p.m. on Maryland Thoroughbred social media platforms. 

The announcement schedule is as follows:

Monday, Feb. 27 - Maryland-bred Champion 2-year-olds (male, female), 3-year-olds (male, female)

Tuesday, Feb. 28 - Maryland-bred Champion Older Male/Older Female, Turf Runner, Sprinter, and Steeplechaser

Wednesday, March 1 - Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, Broodmare of the Year, Stallion of the Year, Breeder of the Year

Thursday, March 2 - Maryland Jockey of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Owner of the Year

Friday, March 3 - Maryland Dirt Male/Dirt Female, Turf Male/Turf Female and Claimer

Saturday, March 4 - Special recognition of Pimlico and Laurel Backstretch Employees of the Year

To keep up with all of the post highlighting finalists and winners, 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: Coffeewithchris (bred by Thomas J. Rooney, owned by John E. Salzman Jr., Fred Wasserloos and Anthony Geruso), Johnyz From Albany (bred and owned by Charles J. Reed), Post Time (bred by Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Dr. Brooke Bowman, & Milton P. Higgins III, owned by Hillwood Stable LLC)

Maryland-bred champion 2-year-old filly: Blind Spot (bred by Country Life Farm & Your Flame in Me LLC, owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC and Stefania Farms LLC), Chickieness (bred by Jagger Inc., owned by Morris E. Kernan Jr. and Jagger Inc.), Malibu Moonshine (bred by Dr. Ronald Harris Parker, owned by Happy Face Racing Stable) 

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old male: Alottahope (bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman & Dr. Brooke Bowman, owned by No Guts No Glory Farm), Joe (bred and owned by The Elkstone Group LLC), Vance Scholars (bred by Anchor & Hope Farm Inc., owned by Steven T. Newby)

Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old filly: Divine Huntress (bred by Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Ricky L. Buckley & Joshua Dreiband, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Long Valley Stables LLC), Luna Belle (bred by Fred A. Greene Jr., Deborah Greene & Hamilton Smith, owned by Deborah S. Greene and Hamilton A. Smith), Mama G's Wish (bred and owned by No Guts No Glory Farm)

Maryland-bred champion older male: Cordmaker (bred by Robert T. Manfuso and Katharine M. Voss, owned by Hillwood Stable LLC), Knicks Go (bred by Angie Moore, owned by Korea Racing Authority), Whereshetoldmetogo (bred by David H. Wade, owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Ten Strike Racing, Michael E. Kisber and BTR Racing Inc.)

Maryland-bred champion older female: Fille d'Esprit (bred by Sweet Spirits Stables LLC, owned by C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm), Malibu Beauty (bred and owned by ZWP Stable & Non Stop Stable), Miss J McKay (bred by Linda Oliff Rohleder, owned by Oakwood Stables, Cheyenne Stable LLC and Christophe Clement)

Maryland-bred champion turf runner: Can the Queen (bred by Carol Ann Kaye, owned by Joanne Shankle), Field Pass (bred by Mark Brown Grier, owned by Three Diamonds Farm), Miss J McKay (bred by Linda Oliff Rohleder, owned by Oakwood Stables, Cheyenne Stable LLC and Christophe Clement)

Maryland-bred champion sprinter: Eastern Bay (bred by Nancy Lee Farms, owned by Built Wright Stables LLC), Fille d'Esprit (bred by Sweet Spirits Stables LLC, owned by C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm), Whereshetoldmetogo (bred by David H. Wade, owned by Madaket Stables LLC, Ten Strike Racing, Michael E. Kisber and BTR Racing Inc.)

Maryland-bred champion steeplechaser: Awesome Adrian (bred and owned by Nancy Reed), Fleeting Atte (bred by South Branch Equine LLC, owned by Ciarrai Bloodstock LLC), Road to Oz (bred by R. Larry Johnson, owned by Holwood Stable), Who's Counting (bred and owned by South Branch Equine LLC)

Maryland-bred Horse of the Year: Fille d'Esprit (bred by Sweet Spirits Stables LLC, owned by C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm), Knicks Go (bred by Angie Moore, owned by Korea Racing Authority), 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: Hillwood Stable LLC, R. Larry Johnson, The Elkstone Group LLC

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

Jockey of the Year: Angel Cruz, Horacio Karamanos, Jevian Toledo

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

Broodmare of the Year: Heavenly Moon, Onearmedbandit, Slow and Steady, Tanca

Stallion of the Year: Blofeld, Golden Lad, Great Notion

Maryland Male Dirt Horse of the Year: Cordmaker, Eastern Bay, Post Time

Maryland Female Dirt Horse of the Year: Fille d'Esprit, Luna Belle, Swayin to and Fro

Maryland Male Turf Horse of the Year: English Tavern, Joe, Justwaveandsmile 

Maryland Female Turf Horse of the Year: Can the Queen, Coconut Cake, Spun Glass

Maryland Claimer of the Year: Eastern Bay, Swayin to and Fro, The Wolfman

Pimlico Backstretch Employee of the Year: Ricardo Martinez

Laurel Backstretch Employee of the Year: Martin Haiber