Coolmore Repeats as Top Breeder in Challenge Series

Coolmore has won the John Deere Award as outstanding breeder of the 2017 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The organization, which was earning its second straight John Deere Award, was represented by Breeders' Cup Challenge winners Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the 2-year-old filly Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Coolmore-bred runners earned 44 points by winning four Grade/Group 1 races, and capturing one Group 3 race in the series.
“We congratulate Coolmore for repeating as winners of the John Deere Award, highlighted by the strength of its outstanding runners in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series in Ireland and France,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. “In addition to Coolmore, we would like to recognize all of the breeding programs which participated in the competition, and thank John Deere and NTRA Advantage for their sponsorship of this award.”
The John Deere Award, presented by Breeders' Cup Limited and NTRA Advantage, is designed to recognize the contributions of breeders to the Breeders' Cup program. The award winner is determined by the breeder who received the highest number of graded/group stakes first-place finishes in the 81 Breeders' Cup Challenge races and the 13 Breeders' Cup World Championships races held this year. NTRA Advantage and John Deere will award a John Deere TS Gator Utility Vehicle to Coolmore.
“We are very honored to again win this prestigious award from John Deere as the outstanding breeders of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and the Breeders' Cup World Championships,” said Coolmore representative Dermot Ryan. “We are equally proud of the winning performances by Happily, Hydrangea, Nelson and Rhododendron, horses which we have bred and raced against top-flight competition in this series.”
Besilu Stables, breeders of Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the GI Stephen Foster H. and the GI Whitney S., finished tied for second with Godolphin, which bred GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro). Both Besilu and Godolphin runners earned a total of 30 points apiece.