Little Pink Feather Racing loved an amazing begin when 16-1 Singletary, the second horse ever it purchased, delivered a surprising upset within the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Some companions had been so ecstatic they tried to run down an up escalator of their rush to the winner’s circle. Chants of “Single-tary! Single-tary!” rang via Lone Star Park to salute the colt named after fiery Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary.
Sure, it was a dream starting.
With three anticipated starters when the Breeders’ Cup World Championships are contested at Del Mar Nov. 1-2, the rousing success story of what become California’s largest racing syndicate is much from over.
In keeping with managing companion Gary Fenton, Little Pink Feather oversees roughly 100 horses and presents virtually 300 partnerships involving greater than 400 companions. It offers an entrée into varied points of the sport, from the SoCal Fund, a one-year claiming fund, to a pinhook division.
The big development displays the can-do angle of founder Billy Koch.
“To say I didn’t hope it could get as massive because it has gotten right now can be a lie,” he mentioned. “There have been instances once I didn’t suppose it was going to occur, however, fortunately, it did.”
For certain, there have been rising pains. Koch anticipated Singletary to efficiently defend his title within the 2005 Mile. He as a substitute pale to eighth, a stark reminder of how troublesome it’s to win on the World Championships. Whereas Little Pink Feather has taken a number of photographs on the Breeders’ Cup and loved some stable finishes since then, it continues to chase its subsequent winner after Singletary.
“Within the final 20 years, I’ve discovered a lot in regards to the sport and about folks and the way actually troublesome this sport is,” Koch mentioned. “There have been instances once I was like, ‘We’re by no means going to make it.’ ”
Koch and Fenton virtually willed Little Pink Feather into changing into a mannequin of excellence. It has produced seven Grade 1 winners. Egg Drop, a kind of Grade 1 winners, offered for a whopping $1.9 million on the 2014 Keeneland November breeding inventory sale. In maybe the best testomony of all, roughly 50% of syndicate shares are bought by returning companions.
Fenton, a managing companion since 2005, delights within the dramatic progress.
“There have been a number of rising pains in how we purchased horses and managed horses,” he mentioned. “You see what you’ve carried out incorrect. You make changes. You evolve.”
Koch credit the workforce that has been assembled, together with bloodstock agent John Dowd and overseas bloodstock adviser Niall Dalton.
“This sport is extraordinarily troublesome to achieve success in. You need to have an awesome workforce round you who not solely do you belief however they belief you,” he mentioned.
Koch and Fenton present super management. The seek for a pushed individual might not finish with Koch, however he is an effective place to start out. “Each single day you get up and also you simply wish to be higher,” he mentioned.
Koch serves as president of CARMA, which offers funding to help retired horses that raced in California. Fenton is chairman of the Thoroughbred House owners of California. In August, he was elected as a steward for The Jockey Membership.
Each males are exemplary of their dedication to Thoroughbred aftercare. They established LRF Cares to generate funds for the trigger and are dedicated to offering a dignified retirement for each horse that ever wore their distinctive black and orange silks.
“As an individual accountable for the equine athlete, it’s our job to be sure that when we’ve them, we take the very best care of them that we are able to and we transfer them off to their secondary profession in the very best vogue,” Fenton mentioned.
The long run seems to be brilliant. Two of the three anticipated Breeders’ Cup runners are 2-year-olds, Iron Man Cal within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Thought Course of within the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Madaket Stables just lately joined as a companion on Iron Man Cal, a winner via disqualification of the Oct. 6 Grade 3 Zuma Seaside Stakes. Madaket and the property of breeder Brereton Jones are companions in Thought Course of, a commanding 4 1/2-length winner of the Grade 3 Surfer Woman Stakes that very same afternoon.
Iron Man Cal and Thought Course of are skilled by Phil D’Amato, as is Gold Phoenix, owned in partnership with Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify. Gold Phoenix, a personal buy that retains on giving, is poised to make his third consecutive Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf look following Tenth- and fourth-place finishes in 2022 and 2023.
“Each horse we purchase has to test a number of packing containers, and they’re all horses we consider could be championship horses,” Fenton mentioned.
Gold Phoenix, Iron Man Cal and Thought Course of will very seemingly face lengthy odds on the Breeders’ Cup. Koch, by no means forgetting Singletary’s inconceivable rating, will not be deterred.
“The Breeders’ Cup is the championship of horse racing. Any probability we’ve to run in opposition to the very best horses on this planet, we wish to take our shot,” he mentioned. “We haven’t gained since 2004, however we’re taking loads of photographs and perhaps that is our yr.”
Who is aware of? Perhaps it would once more be time to sprint down the up escalator to achieve the winner’s circle.
