Bentornato is Florida-bred Horse of the Year
Ocala, FL—Bentornato is the 2025 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association board of directors and announced at the FTBOA Awards Gala held Monday night at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala.
Florida-bred Bentornato – ©Benoit
Bentornato won the $1.84 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) on November 1, becoming the sixth Florida-bred winner of the race with Eillo in 1984, Precisionist (1985), Smile (1986), Cherokee Run (1994) and Big Drama (2010). He is the 30th Florida-bred winner of a Breeders’ Cup race. He also won the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes (Listed) in September, earning $1,190,350 in his two starts in 2025 and was an Eclipse Award finalist in the Champion Male Sprinter division.
Bred by Susan and Charles Chu’s Tanma Corporation, Bentornato finished 2025 with career earnings of more than $2.3 million for owners Leon King Stable Corporation and Julia C. and Michael Iavarone. The Iavarones purchased 25% for $1 million at the Keeneland Championship Sale at Del Mar a few days before the Breeders’ Cup. Bentornato is by Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister out of the Put It Back mare Her Special Way.
The 2025 FTBOA Breeder of the Year as voted by the FTBOA board is presented for the seventh time to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud. Live Oak Stud had previously been honored as FTBOA Breeder of the Year in 2006, 2007, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2025 her homebreds earned $2,889,679 from 386 starts with 65 wins, 52 second and 68 thirds.
Weber’s Live Oak Plantation was also Florida’s Leading Owner in 2025, topping the Florida-bred earnings list with $3,120,3521 from 259 starts with 45 wins, 50 seconds and 36 thirds. This is the eighth time Live Oak Plantation has garnered the title as Florida’s Leading Owner following 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024.
For a record sixth consecutive year, Khozan is Florida Stallion of Year with progeny earnings of $6,303,290. He earned the titles in 2020 ($3,521,813), 2021 ($3,671,794), 2022 ($4,513,950), 2023 ($6,292,158) and 2024 ($5,679,578).
Khozan was represented in 2025 by the winners of seven stakes and his leading earner with $203,120 was Dear Dad. Jasper Robusto, Hurricane Nelson, Khozalite and Shaq Diesel were among his stakes winners in 2025. He is property of Al Shaqab Racing and Stonehedge LLC.
Khozan stood the 2025 season at Ocala Stud.
Leinster was the state’s leading freshman sire and leading juvenile sire in 2025 with progeny earnings of $832,731 from nine winners and 22 starters. His leading money earner was multiple stakes winner and Group 2-placed Lennilu, who banked $216,489 on the year. Leinster was also represented by stakes-placed runners Monster, Squire and Bronze Bullet. Leinster stood at Pleasant Acres Stallions in 2025.
Other Florida-bred champions recognized are Champion 2-Year-Old Male Camigol, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Ground Support, Champion 3-Year-Old Male Macho Music, Champion 3-Year-Old Filly G W’s Girl, Champion Older Female and Champion Female Sprinter R Disaster, Champion Turf Male Reef Runner and Champion Turf Female Queen Maxima.
Her Special Way, the dam of Bentornato, is the 2025 Florida Broodmare of the Year. She is currently owned by Michael Sucher’s Champion Equine.
The 2025 Joseph M. O’Farrell Memorial Award presented by Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company went to Keiber Rengifo’s Golden Rock Thoroughbreds and Stuart Morris. Morris consigned FTBOA Horse of the Year Bentornato to the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale. Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consigned him to the 2023 OBS March Sale.
Ashley and Vincent Mirarchi’s Rivermont Farm in Ocala was presented the 2025 Needles Award, recognizing an accomplished small breeder in Florida. Among the star Rivermont Farm homebreds in 2025 were Jasper Robusto, a multiple stakes winner in Japan. Rivermont-bred runners accounted for $805,410 in earnings last year.
Return to the April 21 issue of Wire to Wire
