Rhetorical (Not This Time) earned New York-bred Horse of the Year honors and led a strong evening for his breeders Mallory and Karen Mort Monday evening during the New York Thoroughbred Breeders' Inc.'s Annual Awards Ceremony held Monday night at the Hall of Springs at the Saratoga Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs.
Bred by the Morts and campaigned by Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable, Rhetorical won four of five starts and earned $863,800 in 2025. His victories included the GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland Race Course and the West Point Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. In addition to Horse of the Year honors, Rhetorical also earned Champion Turf Male honors.
The Morts were also selected by the NYTB board as New York Breeder of the Year and their former Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor was named Broodmare of the Year. Sheet Humor also produced Sterling Silver (Cupid), who was bred by the Morts and took home honors as Champion Older Dirt Female for owner Mark Anderson.
The full list of 2025 honorees includes:
- New York-Bred Horse of the Year and Champion Turf Male: Rhetorical
- Champion 2-Year-Old Male: Arctic Beast (Yaupon)
- Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Iron Orchard (Authentic)
- Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Mo Plex (Complexity)
- Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Champion Female Sprinter: Usha (Tiz the Law)
- Champion Older Dirt Male: Bank Frenzy (Central Banker)
- Champion Older Dirt Female: Sterling Silver (Cupid)
- Champion Turf Female: Awesome Czech (Mendelssohn)
- Champion Male Sprinter: Whatchatalkinabout (Dialed In)
- Broodmare of the Year: Sheet Humor (Distorted Humor)
- New York-Sire of the Year: Bucchero, standing at Ironhorse Stallions
- New York-Sired Horse of the Year: Bank Frenzy
- New York-Bred Trainer of the Year: Linda Rice
- New York-Bred Jockey of the Year: Manny Franco
- New York Breeders of the Year: Mallory and Karen Mort
- New York-bred Program Lifetime Achievement Award: Marlene Brody
- New York Farm Manager of the Year: Gregg Falk (Chestertown Farm)
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