Winning a stakes race is good, winning a graded stakes race is even better, and winning a grade-one stakes race is the best. For Florida-breds, this season is proving to be the perfect combination of all of that. Through August 17, Florida-breds have won 196 stakes, including 44 graded. Of that latter number, eight of those graded wins have been grade-one victories.

In comparison, Florida-breds won 51 graded races and only four grade-one races all of last season. While that still rates as a good year by any standard, 2003 is primed to exceed that and raise the bar.

And setting the pace are Peace Rules and Spoken Fur, as both have two grade-one races each. Combined, these two have equaled the number of grade-one wins notched all of last season by Florida-breds.

Peace Rules belongs to two exclusive clubs. Not only is the sophomore colt a dual grade-one winner, he is also a millionaire. Bred by Ron Chak's Newchance Farm and owned by Edmund Gann, Peace Rules has to date earned $1,859,990.

The Jules colt made national headlines in the spring on the Triple Crown trail. He won the Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 9 at Fair Grounds, followed with a victory in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 12 at Keeneland, and turned in a heart-wrenching third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Given time off after a tiring fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 17 at Pimlico, Peace Rules returned on August 3 in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) none the worse for wear. He roared to a wire-to-wire victory, defeating Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide in the process.

Spoken Fur earned her way into the elite company of grade-one winners with decisive victories in the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Belmont Park. With a shot at becoming the first filly to sweep the Triple Tiara since Sky Beauty in 1993, Spoken Fur fell just short as she finished third in the Alabama Stakes (G1) on August 16 at Saratoga.

Owned by Amerman Racing Stables, Spoken Fur was bred in Florida by George A. Smith and Dr. W. E. Johnston. The longtime partners bought Siberian Fur, the dam of Spoken Fur, for $20,000 at the 2000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's January mixed sale. The mare, in foal to Notebook at the time, had been consigned by Red Sunset Farm, agent. Spoken Fur was foaled at Joe and Helen Barbazon's Pleasant Acres Farm in Morriston.

Initially raced by Smith, Johnston, and William Ryan, Spoken Fur was sold privately to John and Jerry Amerman just prior to her Mother Goose Stakes win. To date, she has earned $648,380 this season.

Lady Tak became the sixth Florida-bred this season to win a grade-one stakes when she captured the Test Stakes (G1) on July 26 at Saratoga. As if that wasn't enough of an accomplishment, the John Franks-bred filly set a stakes record and came within a fifth of a second of Darby Creek Road's 25-year-old track record. Lady Tak turned in a stakes record time of 1:20.4 for the seven furlongs, while winning by four and a half lengths.

On her way to the prestigious win, Lady Tak defeated multiple grade-one winner Bird Town and Florida-bred grade-one winner House Party. Raced by Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Lady Tak had earlier won the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Tiffany Lass Stakes and Thelma Stakes. She has also posted seconds in the Ashland Stakes (G1) and Acorn Stakes (G1). To date, she has earned $625,350 this season with a career bankroll of $666,270.

The aforementioned House Party became a Florida-bred grade-one stakes winner with her tally in the Prioress Stakes (G1) on July 4 at Belmont Park. Bred and raced by Joseph V. Shields Jr., the sophomore gray filly took that event by three and a half lengths. She covered the six furlongs in a handy 1:09.2.

House Party notched the first graded stakes win of her still young career when she captured the Nassau County Breeders' Cup Stakes (G2). Prior to that this season, she had already scored stakes wins in the Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream Park and Legal Light Stakes at Delaware Park. She has earnings of $401,354 this season with a career total to date of $464,564.

Completing the select group of Florida-bred grade-one winners to date are Trust N Luck and Man From Wicklow.

Trust N Luck, bred by Wiest's-Heather's 2000, won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G1) on February 15 at Gulfstream Park. The odd breeder designation is comprised of Dr. Ed Wiest, his wife Cindi, their daughter Ashley, and their daughter Sarah Heather and her husband Mark. The Heathers manage the Wiests' Still Lake Farm near Fairfield. By leading Florida sire Montbrook, Trust N Luck was sold by his breeders for $200,000 at the 2002 OBS juvenile March sale.

In addition to his Fountain of Youth win, Trust N Luck was second to Empire Maker in the Florida Derby (G1) and third to Zavata in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2). He has a lifetime bankroll to date of $727,484 for owner Einar Paul Robsham.

Man From Wicklow is the only older Florida-bred to win a grade-one race this season. Bred by J. R. Cavanaugh, the six-year-old horse is also the only one to do so on the turf when he captured the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (G1) on February 16. He has also posted seconds in the Pan American Handicap (G2) and Elkhorn Stakes (G3) this season. Owned and trained by Richard A. Violette Jr., Man From Wicklow has career earnings to date of $609,395.