Hong Kong's equal top rated horse D B Pin was crowned Horse of the Year at the 37thAnnual Group One dinner held by the Waikato Branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association on Friday night.
The Darci
Brahma gelding was bred by Willie and Karen Calder and attained the mantel of
Hong Kong's equal top-rated horse after his victory in the Gr.1 Centenary
Sprint Cup (1200m) for trainer John Size.
A $200,000 by bloodstock agent John Foote out of The Oaks Stud's 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling, D B Pin has won six of his 14 career starts and has accrued more than HK$16.6 million in stakes.
The awards dinner also acknowledged this season's 16 Group One winners bred by members of the branch along with naming the recipients of Young Achiever of the Year and Personality of the Year.
Valachi Stud Yearling Manager Sam Kinnerley was awarded the title of Young Achiever of the Year and was overjoyed with her acknowledgement.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Bloodstock agent and China Horse Club's racing and bloodstock manager Michael Wallace was named personality of the year.
The Waikato agent experienced the highlight of his career to date when Justify, a horse he selected as a yearling in association with Mick Flanagan and Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock, won America's famed Triple Crown.
2018 NZTBA Waikato Branch Group One Awards
Horse of the Year: D B Pin
Personality of the Year: Michael Wallace
Young Achiever of the Year: Sam Kinnerley
Group One Winners:
Name: Aloisia (NZ)
Breeding: Azamour x Queen Boudicca
Breeders: Michael Hall, Jason & Kelly Price
Race: Gr.1 Caulfield Thousand Guineas (1600m)
Name: Avantage
Breeding: Fastnet Rock x Asavant
Breeders: Willie & Karen Calder
Race: Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m)
Name: Beauty Generation (NZ)
Breeding: Road to Rock x Stylish Bel
Breeders: Nearco Stud Limited
Races: Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m), Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Mile (1600m), Gr.1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m).
Name: D B Pin (NZ)
Breeding: Darci Brahma x Pins 'n' Needles
Breeders: Willie & Karen Calder
Race: Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m)
Name: Devise (NZ)
Breeding: Darci Brahma x Doneze Girl
Breeders: The Oaks Stud
Race: Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m)
Name: Embellish (NZ)
Breeding: Savabeel x Bling
Breeders: Waikato Stud Ltd
Race: Gr.1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m)
Name: Grunt (NZ)
Breeding: O'Reilly x Ruqqaya
Breeders: Trelawney Thoroughbreds Ltd
Race: Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m)
Name: Hasahalo (NZ)
Breeding: Savabeel x Halloween
Breeders: Mrs Isabel O'Shea and Waikato Stud
Race: Gr.1 NZ One Thousand Guineas (1600m)
Name: Hiyaam (NZ)
Breeding: High Chaparral x Mazarine
Breeder: Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
Race: Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m)
Name: Ladies First (NZ)
Breeding: Dylan Thomas x Just Polite
Breeder: Go Bloodstock NZ Ltd
Race: Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m)
Name: Lizzie L'Amour (NZ)
Breeding: Zabeel x Sabia
Breeder: Mrs Lorna Moore
Race: Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m)
Name: Saint Emilion (NZ)
Breeding: Mastercraftsman x Roseario
Breeder: Mrs Robyn Horton
Race: Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m)
Name: Savvy Coup (NZ)
Breeding: Savabeel x Eudora
Breeder: Waikato Stud Ltd
Group One: Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m)
Name: Stolen Dance (NZ)
Breeding: Alamosa / Songbird
Breeder: Brian Rogers & Jenna McLeod
Race: Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m)
Name: Sword of Osman (NZ)
Breeding: Savabeel x Bunyah
Breeder: Mrs Joan Egan
Race: Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m)
Name: Vin De Dance (NZ)
Breeding: Roc de Cambes x Explosive Dancer
Breeder: Explosive Breeding Ltd
Race: Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m
