Jimmy Rash, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — Voting for the 2025 Fonner Park champions is complete and Tennessee Moon has been named Horse of the Year.
She was also named Older Filly or Mare of the Year after having won a remarkable three stakes races at Fonner Park this season, including: the Bold Accent, the Springtime Tradition and the Al Swihart Memorial Stakes, plus a third-place finish in the Bosselman Pump & Pantry / Gus Fonner Stakes. The five-year-old mare is owned and trained by Mark Hibdon, and she earned $50,190 in her 2025 campaign in Grand Island. In 2024 Tennessee Moon was the North American leader in wins with 13 total victories.
Older Horse of the Year honors went to Komorebino Omoide who arrived from New Orleans off of graded stakes-placed efforts at the Fair Grounds. His 11-length winning romp in the Bosselman Pump & Pantry / Gus Fonner Stakes, was named the Feat of the Meet and the race was also named the Race of the Year. Komorebino Omoide, whose name roughly translates from Japanese as “memories of sunlight filtered through the trees”, is trained by Robertino Diodoro and owned by Perry Martin, who was co-owner of the wildly popular California Chrome, 2014 Kentucky Derby winner and two-time National Horse of the Year.
Other champions include Gio Warrior who was crowned Nebraska-Bred of the Meet, winning three of five starts and taking home just under $30,000 in purse money. Gio Warrior was the only unanimously chosen champion in 2025. Fayette Warrior, who tied for the most wins of any horse in North America in 2024, won Claimer of the Year. Nebraska Gold was the Three-Year-Old Colt of Gelding champion, while Oregon County won five of his six races at Fonner en route to capturing the Sprinter of the Year title.
Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak said, “Horses and people become champions from dedication and horsemanship. And for the first time in Fonner Park history, we had a trainer and jockey team up to win four consecutive championship titles. So I congratulate trainer Isai Gonzalez and his main rider, jockey Kevin Roman, for their accomplishment.” The champions are voted on annually by the Executive Council of Fonner Park as well as racing officials and other racing dignitaries.
For more information contact Chris Kotulak ckotulak@fonnerpark.com 308-201-1478
