Post Time, owned by Ellen Charles and trained by Brittany Russell leads the list of Maryland-bred equine champions as well as Breeder of the Year that have been crowned for 2024 by The Maryland Horse Breeders Association.

The Renaissance Awards dinner, Maryland horse racing’s biggest night of the year, will take place on Friday, April 11, at 6 p.m. in the Laurel Park clubhouse, where this year’s champions will be honored. The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (MTHA) previously announced the finalists for its eight Renaissance Awards, that have become known as the “Rennys”, including Owner, Jockey, and Trainer of the Year, along with five equine categories. The winners will be revealed during the event.

Additionally, the Backstretch Workers of the Year—Cesar Cruz Salazar (Laurel Park) and Roberto Ronald Jiminez (Pimlico Race Course)—were recognized earlier in February.

Hillwood Stable’s Post Time was voted champion Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, Sprinter of the Year, and Older Male. The son of Frosted won two graded stakes including the Grade II Carter and placed in six others. The colt finished second in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap, and third in the Grade I Whitney. He earned $975,000 last year.

Post Time raced nine times and never finished worse than third while earning $975,000, the most of any Maryland-bred runner for the year. His four wins included Laurel Park’s Grade 3 General George and Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Carter in back-to-back starts going 7 furlongs. He kicked off his 4-year-old season with a win in the Jennings for state-breds in January at Laurel and recorded his final victory of the year in the Polynesian in his Laurel return in September, both while dominating his competition.

Grade 1 efforts proved the gray ranked with the best in the nation. His first trip to Saratoga yielded a closing second behind eventual Eclipse Award winner National Treasure in the Metropolitan Handicap in May. Back to upstate New York in August, he finished ahead of National Treasure when third in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney, his first start beyond a mile. Then, on racing’s Breeders’ Cup stage, he rallied from last of 13 to finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

Post Time’s dam, Vielsalm, was voted Broodmare of the Year. Post Time was bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Dr. Brooke Bowman.

Breeder of the Year for 2024 is the late R. Larry Johnson, who passed way in January. Johnson bred and owned Future Is Now, who won a pair of Grade II turf sprint stakes and was voted Maryland-bred champion Older Female as well as Turf Runner. The Great Notion filly banked more than $500,000 in nine starts last season. Johnson bred two other Maryland-bred champions of 2024.

The venerable Great Notion, who stands at the Golden family’s Northview Stallion Station, once again was chosen as Maryland-bred Stallion of the Year. He has now been granted that title every year since 2016.

The following are the other Maryland-bred racing champions as announced.

2-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Studlydoright, owned by Donald Hughes, trained by John Robb and bred by Glenangus Farm. The Nyquist colt won two stakes and finished second in the Grade III Stanford Stakes, all in New York.

2-Year-Old Filly: Shkhara Fire, bred and owned by Barak Farms and Dino’s Thoroughbreds and trained by Jose Corrales. The daughter of Friesan Fire won the Maryland Million Lassie.

3-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Mindframe, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables, trained by Todd Pletcher and bred by Larry Johnson. The Constitution colt raced only four times but finished second in the Grade I Belmont Stakes and Grade I Haskell Invitational for earnings of more than $640,000.

3-Year-Old Filly: Call Another Play, bred and owned by Larry Johnson and trained by Mike Trombetta. The Audible filly won the Weber City Miss Stakes and finished third in the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

Steeplechaser: Who’s Counting, bred and owned by South Branch Equine and trained by Sean McDermott, who rode the Vancouver gelding to victory in the Good Night Shirt hurdle stakes to begin his season. Who’s Counting also won a turf allowance race on the flat at Laurel in the summer.

WBAL Radio’s Scott Wykoff

The Renaissance Awards were established to showcase the best of Maryland’s Thoroughbred industry, highlighting the achievements of the individuals and horses that have made a significant impact on the state’s racing and breeding programs. It is a joint project of the MTHA, MHBA and The Maryland Jockey Club.

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association finalists for its eight Renaissance Awards:

OWNER OF THE YEAR
Hillwood Stable
Mens Grille Racing
No Guts No Glory Farm

TRAINER OF THE YEAR
Brittany T. Russell
Gary Capuano
John J. Robb
Michael J. Trombetta

JOCKEY OF THE YEAR
Jaime Rodriguez
J.G. Torrealba
Sheldon Russell

CLAIMER OF THE YEAR
Band Camp
No Easy Days
Suga Steve

MALE DIRT HORSE OF THE YEAR
Celtic Contender
Copper Tax
Post Time

FEMALE DIRT HORSE OF THE YEAR‍
Apple Picker
Caprice
Roanan Goddess

MALE TURF HORSE OF THE YEAR
Crabs N Beer
Fulmineo
Witty

FEMALE TURF HORSE OF THE YEAR
Bosserati
Circle Home
Future Is Now

Tickets for the Renaissance Awards are $100 per person and can be purchased at https://www.mdhorsemen.com/. Availability is limited, so attendees are encouraged to secure their seats early.

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