NEWS
Racehorse Owners Association honors Fantastic Light
Posted: Thursday, December 13, 2001
Godolphin Racing's Fantastic Light, who capped his globetrotting career with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), was selected as Europe's Horse of the Year by a poll of 6,500 members of the Racehorse Owners Association.The honor is the second major year-end trophy earned by the five-year-old son of Rahy, following his selection as Cartier Horse of the Year for Europe on November 14.
Fantastic Light, who secured his second Emirates World Series Racing Championship crown with his Breeders' Cup victory, won four of six starts with two seconds in 2001. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Fantastic Light also won the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-G1), Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1), and Tattersalls Gold Cup Stakes (Ire-G1).
Also chosen by the owners group as best older horse, Fantastic Light will enter stud in 2002 at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Dalham Hall Stud near Newmarket, England. He retires as the leading European-based money winner of all time, with career earnings of $7,486,957.
Dual European Derby winner Galileo (Ire) was named champion three-year-old after winning five of seven starts during his sophomore campaign. The son of Sadler's Wells won the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1), Irish Derby (Ire-G1), and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Eng-G1) for owners Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier and trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Galileo was also retired after an unsuccessful attempt in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and will stand the 2002 season at Coolmore Stud near Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland.
Magnier and Tabor won the award as outstanding owners for 2001 and their Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Johannesburg was named champion two-year-old colt. Johannesburg was undefeated in seven starts, including four Group/Grade 1 wins, for $1,002,892 in earnings.
Champion two-year-old filly honors went to Jaber Abdullah's undefeated Queen's Logic, winner of the Shadwell Stud Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-G1). The daughter of Grand Lodge won all four of her starts in 2001, including the Lowther (Eng-G2) and Queen Mary (Eng-G3) Stakes.
Juddmonte Farms' Banks Hill (GB), who crushed the field in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), was named champion three-year-old filly. The daughter of Danehill won three of seven starts with three seconds in 2001, including the Coronation Stakes (Eng-G1).
Other winners included Nice One Clare (handicapper), York (racecourse), David Samuel (new flat owner), Scart Stud (new jump owner), First Gold (steeplechaser), Lady Rebecca (hurdler), Best Mate (novice chaser), Baracouda (novice hurdler), and Gunner Welburn (hunter chaser).
