Ronald Ellerbee’s Midland Man has been named the 2013 Texas Champion Claimer after winning an online poll among all accredited Texas-breds with three or more claiming victories at Texas racetracks last year. The award is presented by the Texas Thoroughbred Association to honor the hard-working claiming horses who fill the majority of races every day. Nearly 300 votes were recorded through the Texas Thoroughbred Association’s website at www.texasthoroughbred.com.
Bred by the late Clarence Scharbauer Jr. and sired by Valor Farm stallion Early Flyer, Midland Man won three of five starts last year with two victories at Lone Star Park and one at Retama Park. He was conditioned by Allen Milligan. All told, Midland Man has compiled a record of 40-10-5-6 with earnings of $87,871. The now 8-year-old gelding broke his maiden at first asking in June 2008 at Lone Star and since then has run in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Illinois.
Midland Man and his connections will be honored at the TTA Annual Conference and Awards Banquet at Lone Star Park on June 14 along with the other Texas Champion horses and horsemen.