2025 NATIONAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR FINALIST

2025 NATIONAL AWARDS

2025 NATIONAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Coteau Grove Farm
By Olivia Newman

Louisiana natives Keith and Ginger Myers have transformed Coteau Grove Farms from an elite regional powerhouse into a nationally respected name in Thoroughbred breeding. The Myerses, who established Coteau Grove in 2008, had their best year overall in 2025, finishing 17th nationally among breeders, with 78 wins totaling $3,738,553.

Their commercial breeding farm near Sunset, La., is currently home to 142 horses, including a band of approximately 55 broodmares.

Coteau Grove's adviser, Andrew Cary, handles the mating of all the mares and is responsible for the mating that produced multiple graded stakes winner and Louisiana superstar, Touchuponastar. The Star Guitar gelding has earned more than $2 million on the track and won 21 of his 29 starts.

Touchuponastar won six races in 2025, headed by his triumphant win in the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2), where he defeated 2024 champion 3-year-old Sierra Leone. The 7-year-old veteran repeated in the New Orleans Classic Stakes in 2026.

Touchuponastar's dam, stakes-winning Touch Magic, had a filly by 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline in 2025 and currently has a full sister to Touchuponastar on the ground.

Among Coteau Grove's other graded stakes winners in 2025 was Ack Ack Ack Stakes (G3) winner Tumbarumba, who has since gone on to become Louisiana's highest-earning Thoroughbred in history after a third-place finish in the Saudi Cup (G1), and Margie's Influence, winner of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2).

Committed to their belief in the Louisiana-bred program, Coteau Grove purchased multiple graded stakes winner Wit, in partnership with Whispering Oaks, who stands the son of Practical Joke at their farm near Carencro, La. Coteau Grove has supported the stallion with many of their top mares.