Catch Me Ridin Dirty named A.R.A.B. of Michigan’s Horse of the Year

The connections of Arabian Horse of the Year Catch Me Ridin Dirty celebrate the gelding's victory at A.R.A.B. of Michigan's High Point Awards.

Two years after a 5 1/2-length maiden score on a June afternoon in 2009, the Arabian colony at Mount Pleasant Meadows is still playing catch-up with Catch Me Ridin Dirty.

The gap got a little wider after Catch Me Ridin Dirty was honored with his second Horse of the Year title at last Saturday’s Michigan Association of Racing Arabian Breeders High Point Awards at Stanton’s Clifford Lake Inn.

The five-year-old Aransas HF gelding, who goes by the barn name “Louie” when away from the racetrack, made the most of a shortened 2010 meet, with wins in three of his four starts for earnings of $7,509.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty’s showcase win came in the July 11 Independence Open, where he led at every point of call and drew off in the stretch to win by 3 3/4 lengths over a muddy course.

Homebred in Michigan and trained by Nicole Holst, Catch Me Ridin Dirty was also named Horse of the Year as a three-year-old in 2009. Holst, who earned Trainer of the Year honors, said her gelding will return in 2011 to defend his title once again.

Jockey of the Year Nate Alcala has ridden Catch Me Ridin Dirty in all 10 of his career starts, all at Mount Pleasant. The pair won eight of those starts, including two in stakes company, to earn $19,134.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty finished the evening with additional awards for top four-year-old male and Michigan-bred male.

Leading the evening’s award-winners was Tom and Joyce Fritz’s Hickory Lane Farms, Inc. The Sidney, Mich. farm took home four equine awards, along with the prizes for top owner and breeder.

The standout horse to run under Hickory Lane’s neon green colors was three-year-old-male of the year Get R Done.

The Virgule Al Maury gelding finished a perfect two-for-two in 2010 by a combined 29 lengths. A 23-length victory in the Aug. 1 Michigan Arabian Juvenile Stakes helped Get R Done earn a Darley Award nomination for champion three-year-old colt or gelding.

Michigan-bred Get R Done is trained by Mario Fritz for owner and breeder Tom Fritz. He has amassed career earnings of $5,150.

Get R Done was a runner-up for Horse of the Year honors, along with Stars and Stripes Distaff winner Shestheone and award-winning older male Zanthus Fury.

Behind the jump is the full list of winners from Saturday’s awards and their 2010 statistics.

Holst leads award winners at A.R.A.B. year-end dinner

Catch Me Ridin Dirty, jockey Nate Alcala and trainer Nicole Holst were each well-represented in A.R.A.B. of Michigan's year-end awards.

Trainer Nicole Holst wrapped up a successful 2009 campaign by securing an armload of awards for herself and her charges at the Association of Racing Arabian Breeders of Michigan’s year-end awards dinner.

The awards were presented Jan. 9 in Mt. Pleasant.

Holst led all trainers with six awards for horses in her stable, including Horse of the Year Catch Me Ridin Dirty. She also took home two individual awards as Michigan’s champion trainer and breeder.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty earned three awards on the evening, the most of any horse. In addition to Horse of the Year, the Aransas HF gelding also picked up honors for champion three-year-old male and Michigan-Bred of the Year. His dominant meet at Mt. Pleasant also earned Catch Me Ridin Dirty national attention when he was named a finalist for the Darley Award as champion three-year-old male.

Owner Tom Fritz was also well-represented with three awards, including Owner of the Year. Fritz’s award-winning stable included the champions in both four year-old divisions – Zanthus Fury (male) and ARC Midewst Maturity Distaff Stakes winner Pachet (female).

To view the preview for the awards, including the full list of nominees in each category, click here.

A full list of winners (with pictures!) can be found behind the jump.