Championship presentation: (left to right) Paget Bennett, Sales Director Fasig-Tipton Midlantic; MHBA Director Amy Burke; co-owners/breeders Mrs. Ellen Charles, JoAnn Hayden and David Hayden; and Rachel Blakey VMD of Maryland Equine Center.
Dark Hollow Farm and Hillwood Stable’s The Factor Colt takes 90th Annual Yearling Show
MHBA Release
RESITERSTOWN, Md.—David and JoAnn Hayden nearly swept all awards at the 90th Annual MHBA Yearling Show on Sunday, July 21, at the Timonium Fairgrounds.
The Haydens’ Dark Hollow Farm came away victorious in three of the four classes. Their colt by The Factor, co-bred and owned with Ellen Charles (Hillwood Stable), was selected Grand Champion by this year’s judge, longtime bloodstock agent Rick Abbott.
It is the third consecutive year that the Grand Champion was prepared and shown by the Dark Hollow Farm crew. Charles’ Bandbox colt took top honors in 2022 and the Haydens’ Honor A. P. colt was the 2023 champion. The Haydens, long supporters of the show, have now won a combined 21 classes (solely or in partnership) in yearling show history, the first coming in 1989, and have also shown grand champions in 2014 and 2009, in the latter they swept both top prizes by also taking reserve.
Other Dark Hollow Farm winners at this year’s show came out of Class IV, an Honor A. P. filly who was named Reserve Champion, and a Great Notion colt shown in Class I, who is a half-brother to the 2023 champion, both out of the Not For Love mare Flit.
The MHBA Yearling Show is open to all yearlings eligible for Maryland-bred registration. Those shown are now eligible for the $40,000 premium award which is split annually, with $20,000 going to the exhibitors of the four show contestants who earn the most money as 2-year-olds in 2025, and another $20,000 divided among the exhibitors of the four highest-earning 3-year-old runners the next year.
Blofeld, who stands at Murmur Farm in Darlington, Md., was the recipient of the Northview Get-of-Sire trophy as the top Maryland sire of the show. In two classes he had a total of three ribbon winners, including the Class III-winning filly.
Full results of the show are below:
CLASS I
For colts and geldings foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in Maryland. (12 exhibited)
1) b.c., 3/11/23, Great Notion –Flit, by Not For Love. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm, Upperco, Md.
2) ch.c., 2/22/23, Divining Rod–Love’s Legend, by Not For Love. Owned by Jerry M. Knauer and Ted Maher, Baltimore, Md. Bred by Jerry M. Knauer.
3) dk.b./br.c., 3/26/23, Blofeld–Faze the Nation, by Cal Nation. Owned and bred by Housatonic Bloodstock LLC, Nicole Martin and Ciara Denicolo, Baltimore, Md.
4) ch.c., 4/16/23, Holy Boss–Hot Friesia, by Friesan Fire. Owned and bred by Richard F. Blue Jr., Brooklandville, Md.
5) dk.b./br.c., 1/25/23, Divining Rod–Miss Nondescript, by Mosler. Owned and bred by Country Life Farm and Miss Nondescript LLC, Bel Air, Md.
CLASS II
For colts and geldings foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in states other than Maryland (19 exhibited)
1) b.c., 4/8/23, The Factor–Silver Sides, by Bandbox. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm and Hillwood Stable LLC, Upperco, Md.
2) b.c., 3/11/23, Bolt d’Oro–Lunar Rille, by English Channel. Owned and bred by Country Life Farm and Lunar Rille LLC, Bel Air, Md.
3) dk.b./br.c., 3/5/23, Honor A. P.–Fancy Love, by Not For Love. Owned and bred by John C. Davison, Baltimore, Md.
4) b.c., 3/20/23, Union Rags–My Golden Belle, by My Golden Song. Owned by Marama Farm, Clarksville, Md. Bred by George L. Doetsch Jr.
5) gr./ro.c., 3/25/23, Honor A. P.–Dream Exchange, by Exchange Rate. Owned and bred by Northwoods Stable, Butler, Md.
CLASS III
For fillies foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in Maryland (14 exhibited)
1) ch.f., 2/26/23, Blofeld–Celtic Music, by Yarrow Brae. Owned by Marshall W. Silverman, New Freedom, Pa. Bred by Murmur Farm.
2) dk.b./br.f., 2/15/23, Irish War Cry–Get Set Go, by More Than Ready. Owned by Katharine M. Voss Revocable Trust, West Friendship, Md. Bred by Katharine M. Voss.
3) dk.b./br.f., 3/15/23, Golden Lad–Fearless Lassie, by Jump Start. Owned by Daniel McKenzie and Lianna McKenzie, Cockeysville, Md. Bred by Katharine M. Voss, Daniel McKenzie and Lianna McKenzie.
4) gr./ro.f., 3/23/23, Blofeld–Indian Sugar, by Congrats. Owned and bred by Warwick Equine Services LLC, Ellicott City, Md.
5) dk.b./br.f., 4/4/23, Divining Rod–Walking the Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy. Owned by Katharine M. Voss Revocable Trust, West Friendship, Md. Bred by Katharine M. Voss.
CLASS IV
For fillies foaled in Maryland, the produce of mares covered in states other than Maryland (14 exhibited)
1) b.f., 4/13/23, Honor A. P.–Bread and Butter, by Pure Prize. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm, Upperco, Md.
2) ch.f., 4/21/23, Known Agenda–War Value, by War Front. Owned and bred by Country Life Farm and War Value LLC, Bel Air, Md.
3) ch.f., 3/6/23, Gift Box–Access to Charlie, by Indian Charlie. Owned and bred by Hillwood Stable LLC, Washington, D.C.
4) dk.b./br.f., 4/21/23, Flameaway–Smile Big, by Big Drama. Owned and bred by James B. Steele Jr., Westminster, Md.
5) dk.b./br.f., 3/29/23, Liam’s Map–Dazzle’m, by Super Saver. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm, David and Alena Schwaber, Dorsey Brown and Arnold and Susie Davidov, Upperco, Md.
Grand Champion (winner of Class II)
b.c., 4/8/23, The Factor–Silver Sides, by Bandbox. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm and Hillwood Stable LLC, Upperco, Md.
Reserve Champion (winner of Class IV)
b.f., 4/13/23, Honor A. P.–Bread and Butter, by Pure Prize. Owned and bred by Dark Hollow Farm, Upperco, Md.
Northview get-of-sire trophy for top Maryland sire of the show: Blofeld (stands at Murmur Farm)
