Divine Fortune, the 2013 Eclipse Award winner as champion steeplechase horse, has been named the champion Pennsylvania-bred steeplechase horse for the third consecutive year.
Bred by owner Bill Pape and trainer Jonathan Sheppard, the Royal Anthem gelding out of the Northern Fling gelding My Tombola won the $250,000 Grand National (Gr. 1) at Far Hills, N.J., and received the National Steeplechase Association’s Lonesome Glory Champions Award as the year’s top earner with $207,000. Now 11, Divine Fortune is in training for the upcoming steeplechase season.
The Pennsylvania-bred awards were based upon the recommendation of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association’s Awards Committee of Jane White (chair), Susan Meckling, Connie Nesteruk, and John Benson.
Princess of Sylmar, whose four Grade 1 victories in 2013 included the Kentucky Oaks, was selected as the Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year.