Broodmare of the Year: Cast Your Ballot

Every Thoroughbred breeder or student of bloodlines has a favorite candidate for annual broodmare honors. Each spring for many years The Blood-Horse MarketWatch editors have reviewed leading dams from the previous year and presented a MarketWatch Broodmare of the Year award. Two years ago we opened the polling to our readers, making the award representative of more Thoroughbred industry voices.

Decisive winners emerged in 2009 and 2010. Aletta Maria—dam of grade I winners Cetewayo and Dynaforce and seven other stakes winners or black type-placed horses—was last year’s clear winner with 31% of the ballots, about 10 points clear of the runner-up. In 2009 the results were similar, with Justenuffheart—producer of champion Dreaming of Anna and graded scorers Lewis Michael and Justenuffhumor—garnering 32% of all votes.

For 2011’s award we present an expanded roster of candidates. Some of the names are repeat nominees, while others enter consideration for the first time this year.

Mares featured in the past two years whose progeny continue to shine include Aurora, Chipeta Springs, Kelli’s Ransom, Private Feeling, and Weekend Storm. Their profiles are available to MarketWatch subscribers in the 2009 and 2010 archives and are reproduced in the PDF report (available here for free!). New profiles this year include:

• Binche, by Alan Porter
• Born Gold, by Ann Ferland
• Carson Jen, by Eric Mitchell
• Gabriellina Giof (GB), by Avalyn Hunter
• Get Lucky, by Tom Hall
• Lady Shirl, by Christine Wittmer
• Liable, by Anne Peters
• Pretty Discreet, by Ian Tapp
• Riveting Drama, by Scot T. Gillies
• Vertigineux, by Evan Hammonds

Please enjoy the broodmare profiles presented in the free report and review the associated data charts. When you have settled on a single mare you believe deserves the leading broodmare award, place your vote below—but be aware, the poll closes April 17.

Download the free report today:  MarketWatch Broodmare of the Year