Thoroughbred Breeders’ WA is proud to announce the recipients of its 2024-25 breeding awards and each one is a reflection of the dedication, talent, and passion that continues to define our industry.
There are three categories and the winners will be presented at the Thoroughbred Racing Awards hosted by RWWA on Saturday evening, August 23 at Crown Perth. These awards not only honour individual and organisational achievement – they celebrate the shared vision we all hold to elevate breeding in Western Australia to new heights.
Leading WA Sire
Playing God (Darling View Thoroughbreds)
A proven producer of top-tier performers, Playing God has once again demonstrated his dominance at stud, shaping the next generation of WA-bred champions.
WA Broodmare of the Year
Gracie May (Kristy Reynolds)
With progeny leaving a lasting mark on the racetrack, Gracie May exemplifies the foundational strength and influence of a quality broodmare.
WA Breeder of the Year
Peters Investments (Bob & Sandra Peters)
For sustained excellence in breeding and commitment to raising elite thoroughbreds, Peters Investments continues to set the benchmark for our industry.
Leading WA Sire Playing God (Blackfriars) won the WA premiership for the third year running and he finished the city season on a high with a double and a trifecta at Belmont on Wednesday.
Country God (2g Playing God – City Circle by City Place) won the first-leg in the MCA Polytrack Hcp (1400m) three weeks after breaking his maiden at Pinjarra for a Neville Parnham stable syndicate. Bred by Parnham in partnership with Yarradale Stud, Country God is the first foal from Ascot-winning mare City Circle and she has a new-season 2yo by Playing God.
Impressive Jewel (3f Playing God – Royale Harvest by High Yield) led home a Playing God trifecta in the Lawn Pride Australia Maiden (1650m) from Cantilever and Secret Intent. She races for managing part-owner and breeder David Moore (Elvira Park) and trainer Ash Maley.
The Darling View Thoroughbreds champion broke through $8 million in progeny prizemoney for the first time in 2024-25 helped by his leading earner Rope Them In ($654,890) winning the G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) at Ascot and the Bluff Knoll (1099m) in Albany.
WA Broodmare of the Year Gracie May is owned by Chittering breeder Kristy Reynolds and she is three-from-three at stud having foaled the Safeguard city winners Written Exceed (Ascot) and Graciebird (Murray Bridge) before going to another level with Maschino filly Machine Gun Gracie.
Reynolds helped educate Machine Gun Gracie as a yearling and was so impressed she bought her dam Gracie May before the filly fulfilled that potential completing a classic double in this year’s G3 WA Oaks (2400m) and G2 WA Derby (2400m) at Ascot.
Gracie May (Written Tycoon) brings South American blood to WA through her second-dam Libia (Ringaro) who won the G3 Palermo Clasico Loteria Nacional in Argentina. She will return to Maschino in September and Reynolds will gladly pay the $8,800 (inc GST) service fee knowing the younger full-sibling will be hot property especially if Machine Gun Gracie returns this season to capture more black-type at Ascot.
WA Breeder of the Year Peters Investments bred the winners of a dozen black-type events after Arcadia Park (NZ) closed the season with a double at Listed level on July 12 and 26.
First-up in 2024-25 for Bob and Sandra Peters was Midnight Blue (So You Think) in the LR Seymour Cup in October. He had won the G2 Perth Cup in 2022 sporting the cerise and white silks but was subsequently sold to Te Akau Racing for $92,500 through an Inglis Online Sale in November 2023.
London’s Image (Headwater) added the LR Burgess Queen Stakes and LR Bunbury Breeders Classic and she was followed by Diamond Scene (So You Think) LR Luckygray Stakes & LR ATA Stakes, Sentimental Hero (Al Maher) LR Allan Scahill Cup, Western Empire (Iffraaj) G3 Gold Rush & G3 Hyperion Stakes, Antique Miss (Domesday) G3 La Trice Classic & LR Detonator Stakes and Arcadia Park (Ocean Park) LR Aquanita Stakes & LR Belmont Classic.
In other results for the 2024-25 season, deceased sire I’m All The Talk (Stratum) won the 2YO Sires title with his final crop conceived at Darling View Thoroughbreds. His chief juvenile earner Talkanco claimed the G3 Gimcrack Stakes – G2 Karrakatta Plate double for managing part-owner and breeder Ian Riley (Woodbridge Thoroughbreds).
Talkanco (rails) wins the Gimcrack / Photo: Western Racepix
I’m All The Talk had won the 2YO title in 2019-20 when based at Mungrup Stud and the Great Southern nursery was in the frame again in 2024-25 with Oratorio (Stravinsky) adding a fourth WA Broodmare Sire title in the last five seasons. His mares foaled 50 individual winners of 87 races for earnings over $4.22 million.
Top of the dial was All Play (5g Playing God – Castle Keep by Oratorio) who carries the most successful current cross in WA. He completed an Ascot hat-trick in January for trainer Trevor Andrews and a syndicate of staunch stable supporters.
Lynward Park resident Bondi (Snitzel) was the Leading Third-Season Sire with 17 individual winners headed by the Mitch Patement-trained Icebergs who capped a consistent summer campaign scoring over 2200m at Ascot in February. Bondi was the WA Second-Season leader in 2023-24 when Bondi Bubbles segued from six wins in a row at Esperance to claim the $250,000 RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic at Pinjarra.
Rangeview Stud sire Long Leaf (Fastnet Rock) had already clinched the 2024-25 WA Second-Season premiership before his filly Diamond Dancer won the Reliable Asset Maintenance Hcp (1200m) at Belmont on Wednesday. Diamond Dancer was bred by Tony Patrizi (Greenfields Lodge) and races in the same colours as old warrior Valour Road who was also prepared by Simon Miller for a Des Carvell-managed syndicate.
The WA First-Season Award for 2024-25 was a no-show due to the absence of any raceday starters by freshman sires Spiritjim (Fr) and King Of Athens (USA).
