by Jeff Lowe

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders honored Better Than Honour, the dam of Belmont Stakes (G1) winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, as Broodmare of the Year on Wednesday at Keeneland Race Course.

Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine Stable and John Sikura own Better Than Honour in partnership. The 12-year-old Deputy Minister mare out of Blush With Pride, by Blushing Groom (Fr) is the only broodmare to produce consecutive Belmont winners.

Rags to Riches, by A.P. Indy, completed that double in 2007 while becoming the first filly to win the Belmont since 1905. Jazil, a son of Seeking the Gold, performed his part with a rallying victory in the 2006 Belmont that was his lone stakes triumph.

Jazil began his stud career in 2008 at Shadwell Farm in Lexington. Rags to Riches retired from racing this season after earning champion three-year-old filly honors last year.

Better Than Honour also is the dam of the winning Storm Cat mare Teeming and the three-year-old Mineshaft colt Casino Drive, who won his only race in Japan on February 23 and is scheduled to prep for this year’s Belmont with a start in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) on May 10.

Foxfield bred Better Than Honour in Kentucky. Trainer John Kimmel purchased her on behalf of Robert Waxman for $750,000 in the 1997 Keeneland July yearling sale. She won the 1998 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) and finished second in the ’99 Acorn Stakes (G1) and Mother Goose Stakes (G1).

Sikura sold Better Than Honour privately to Skara Glen Stables after Teeming, her first foal, brought $1.5-million as a weanling in the 2001 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Skara Glen bred Jazil and Rags to Riches and sold them as yearlings for $725,000 and $1.9-million, respectively. BBA Ireland bought Better Than Honour in foal with the Mineshaft colt for $2-million in the 2005 Keeneland November sale.

Sikura reacquired her privately with Southern Equine after Jazil’s Belmont victory.

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders also honored breeder William O’Neill and broadcaster Randy Moss with individual awards. O’Neill received the Hardboot Breeders Award, which pays tribute to distinguished but unsung breeders.

Moss, the racing analyst for ESPN, garnered the Charles W. Engelhard Award for outstanding coverage of the Thoroughbred industry.

Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable was the P.A.B. Widener Trophy Recipient as Kentucky breeder of the year.

The Kentucky Owners and Breeders also named its 2007 Kentucky-bred champions:

Turf female—Precious Kitten (by Catienus), bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey;

Two-year-old filly—Indian Blessing (Indian Charlie), bred by Hal and Patti Earnhardt;

Two-year-old male—War Pass (Cherokee Run), bred by Cherry Valley Farm

Steeplechaser—McDynamo (Dynaformer), bred by Nathan Fox, Richard Fox, and Richard Kaster

Three-year-old filly—Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), bred by Skara Glen Stables

Racing Abroad—Peeping Fawn (Danehill), bred by Barnett Enterprises

Turf male—English Channel (Smart Strike), bred by Keene Ridge Farm

Sprinter—Midnight Lute (Real Quiet), bred by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines, and Marjac Farm

Handicap female—Hystericalady (Distorted Humor), bred by Abbott Properties

Handicap male—Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr), bred by James Hines Jr.

Horse of the year and three-year-old male—Curlin (Smart Strike), bred by Fares Farm

Sire of the year—Storm Cat, Overbrook Farm

Breeder of the year—Overbrook Farm

Earner of the year—Save Big Money, Tomisue Hilbert and John Menard;

Trainer of the year—Steve Asmussen

Owner of the year—Ken and Sarah Ramsey

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer