KMN Racing

Shortly after his spectacular debut, a seven-length maiden win at Golden Gate Fields, Oct. 19th, owners/breeders Pam and Marty Wygod sold Shared Belief to Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing and a group of partners including Alex Solis II, Jason Litt and Ken and Kim Nish, who race under Kmn Racing.

Alex Solis II is not only the son of one of the best jockeys in racing history – Alex Solis is still riding and ranks ninth in all-time earnings and 30th in all-time victories – but has an equine influence in his maternal pedigree as well. His maternal grandfather is successful trainer Bert Sonnier.

Solis II, 29, has been a success, too, as a bloodstock agent and owner after getting a Bachelor of Arts Degree in finance with a minor in pre-vet from Cal-Poly. California horseman who saw him grow up hanging out in the barns of Bruce Headley and Richard Mandella while tagging along with his dad, aren’t surprised at his success with horses. Mandella said of him in a 2009 story: “His morals certainly seem to be in the right place, which is important in the occupation he has chosen. He is persistent; he’s had good luck, and he’s very smart. He’s been around the business enough to have a good feel for what it takes to be successful. In short, he’s the kind of person you want to see do well.”

Shared Belief isn’t his first star. Lavender Sky and Daytona preceded him. Lavender Sky, who was his first purchase while a junior in college, was recommended by a friend at Three Chimneys Farm, Jason Litt. “I was working at Three Chimneys at the time,” Litt said. “He and I were chatting and I loved this filly, Lavender Sky. I called Alex thirty minutes before she went into the ring. About 15 minutes later, he called back and said we can go up to $187,000. We got her for $130,000. That was our first horse.”

Litt, 42, and Solis, 29, made their friendship into a formal partnership by starting Solis/Litt Bloodstock based in Glendale, California. Its website launched Jan. 6.

Litt, whose dad Howard was a fan, owner and breeder, graduated with a BA in human biodynamics at Cal-Berkeley and a Master’s in exercise physiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Wake Forest.  He changed his life when he moved to Kentucky to work at Taylor Made Farm. After spending two years working as a veterinarian assistant, he worked in bloodstock for seven years at Three Chimneys before going out on his own.

Kmn Racing is a new player in racing, a highly successful one, with Kevin and Kim Nish. “They are a client of ours,” Litt said. “They’ve only been in the business for two years.” In those two years, they’ve been partners on Mizdirection and Shared Belief. Litt recommended both horses to them and to Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing.

Now, Litt and his partners have a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender in Shared Belief, whom they hope will have a lengthy racing career as a gelding. “We thought he was a nice horse,” Litt said. “It is pretty exciting.” 

Hill 'N' Dale Equine Holdings & Edward McGhee

Streaming’s connections liked her chances in the Hollywood Starlet enough to supplement her for $10,000 and spend another $10,000 to start. She didn’t disappoint them.

Hill ‘N’ Dale was founded originally in Canada in 1960 by the late John Sikura Jr., the father of current owner and president of Hill ‘N’ Dale in Lexington, Kentucky, John G. Sikura. Edward McGhee is John G. Sikura’s father-in-law. Hill ‘N’ Dale Canada still operates in Aurora, Ontario, where it is owned and managed by Glenn Sikura, John G.’s brother.

John Sikura Jr. emigrated from Czechoslovakia as a teen and was a self-made millionaire. He bought and sold Thoroughbreds for 35 years, establishing farms in Ontario, Canada, and in Lexington in 1981 when he purchased 164 acres.

John G. Sikura took over Hill ‘N’ Dale’s Kentucky Farm when his father was killed in a car fire in 1994. Glenn became partners in the Kentucky property when it acquired North Ridge Farm in 1967 and expanded it to 950 acres. That has now expanded to 1,300 acres.

John G. was born in Ontario and played hockey collegiately and professionally in Europe before returning to North America to join the family business.

Hill ‘N’ Dale Equine Holdings is the racing division of Hill ‘N’ Dale which is a full service breeding and sales operation. There are stars galore attached to the farm, none brighter than Seattle Slew, the only undefeated Triple Crown Champion in 1977. He spent his final days at the farm in 2002 and is buried there.

Among the stallions who have stood and/or are standing at the farm include two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Midnight Lute and undefeated 2002 Two-Year-Old Champion Vindication, who died in 2008. Candy Ride began his stallion career at Hill ‘N’ Dale before moving to Lane’s End Farm for the 2010 breeding season. The broodmares at the farm include Horse of the Year Azeri and two-time champion Silverbulletday.

Little Red Feather Racing

Billy Koch, the 44-year-old founder and managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing, seemed destined for a life with Thoroughbreds. His grandfather, Howard W. Koch, a noted movie director and producer who was a board member at Hollywood Park, was partners with actor Telly Savalas (who starred in the popular TV show “Kojak”) on Telly’s Pop, who became the first horse to win the California Triple Crown for two-year-olds in 1975 when Billy was a young child. Howard told his grandson bedtime stories about the fictitious Indian Chief Little Red Feather, and Koch honored him by naming his stable Little Red Feather when it began operating with a single horse in 2002.

In just two years, Little Red Feather had a star, Singletary, who won the $1.5 million Grade I Breeders’ Cup Mile. He was named for the Chicago Bears star linebacker Mike Singletary. Koch became a Bears fan while attending Northwestern University in the Windy City. Koch, who was born in Los Angeles, studied radio, television and film at Northwestern, and worked for Final Draft Productions, a company in Agoura Hills, California, before he decided to concentrate on his passion. “I always had a little piece of partnerships in horses,” he said. “I decided to do it full time.”

Little Red Feather Racing bought Singletary, who had sold for $3,200 in 2001, for $30,0000 at the January Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Ocala in 2002. At the time Singletary won the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Koch said, “Hopefully, it showed to everyone that anyone can win the Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Kentucky Derby.”

Koch, who was a Board member of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, has personally brought many new owners into racing. In 2013, Little Red Feather Racing celebrated its 80th partnership. 

“My personal goal is to bring new people into the game and assist with horse racing coming back to prominence the way it was,” Koch said Jan. 7. “I know that’s unrealistic, but I want to make racing more popular, to bring in new owners. We have over 300 active investors now. Every day we get calls from people who want to get involved in the game. I think racing partnerships are here to stay.”

Gary Fenton, a Managing Partner of Little Red Feather who grew up in Beverly Hills, California, is the son of former Beverly Hills City Councilman/Mayor Frank Fenton. Gary, whose brother Steven is a member of the Beverly Hills Board of Education, was an entertainment attorney who spent five years at the William Morris Agency before working with multiple entertainment companies. He was Little Red Feather’s counsel before joining the organization as CEO in 2005 and Managing Partner in 2006.

Tony Fanticola & Joe Scardino

“One of my goals in life was to own a sports team and I didn’t have $700 million laying around,” Tony Fanticola laughed when asked how he became a Thoroughbred owner.

Before he moved to California 25 years ago, the 70-year-old native of Staten Island, N.Y., used to go to the track in the morning with his late brother-in-law, Joe Trovato, a long-time, successful New York trainer who conditioned 1974 Filly Triple Crown Champion Chris Evert. “I used to go to the track with him in the morning,” Fanticola said. “Coffee and donuts and watch his horses train.”

When he came to California, he met Joe Scardino. “His son, Frank, built our house in Glendora,” Fanticola said. “We hit it off pretty good. He’s a sharp individual. He’s Italian. We broke bread a number of times.”

Scardino, an 81-year-old native of Chicago, has retired from his business as a contractor specializing in drywall construction. He began his involvement in horses some 45 years ago with Quarter Horses before switching to Thoroughbreds. “I think Quarter Horses are a lot of fun, but I thought it would be better for me to do Thoroughbreds,” he said.

Before he became partners with Fanticola, he did well on his own. “I won the Del Mar Derby and the Hollywood Derby (in 1988) with Silver Circus, that I claimed for $32,000,” he said. “That worked out well. Then I claimed Bruho for $50,000, and he went on to win Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien (in 1991).”                          

And while Fanticola doesn’t have $700 million, he has done well enough, operating 105 Jiffy Lube franchises in Southern California, to risk an equine investment. “We wound up buying a horse together, Flying First Class,” Fanticola said. “It worked out well. We won a couple of races. He’s a fantastic partner.” The feeling is mutual. “It’s really a great partnership,” Scardino said. “Tony and I just agree very easily.”

They initially used Mike Mitchell as their trainer, then left racing for a couple of years before returning. Mitchell was glad to have them back. “This is my second time around with them,” Mitchell, said. “They’re wonderful, wonderful people. I’ve known Joe for a lifetime. They’re fun to work for and they love winning.”

They’ve done a lot of it, considering their stable size is usually just four or five horses.

“They make it fun,” Mitchell said. “They love being a part of it.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners

The last two years must seem like a blur to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnerships President Aron Wellman. The Southern California lawyer’s parents had a small breeding operation for 37 years near Fresno. “Because of them, I got to meet Shoe and Eddie Delahoussaye,” Wellman said. “I was very lucky to be able to hang with them. To be able to be exposed to racing royalty like that is something money can’t buy.”

While working as an attorney, Wellman began a second job setting up informal partnerships. His involvement in racing became formal when he was asked by Barry Irwin to become a vice-president of Team Valor in 2008. 

That allowed him to be part of the joy when Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom won the 2011 Kentucky Derby. “It is without question the most surreal experience I’ve ever encountered,” Wellman said. “It’s such a whirlwind of emotion and activity and pandemonium and jubilation. It’s sort of like time stands still.”

Just three months later, Wellman formed Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnerships. Its first starter, Patrioticandproud, won a maiden race at Woodbine in October, 2011.

Byrama took it to another level by winning a Grade I stakes. “We’ve been very lucky in a very short window of time,” Wellman said.

There might be a little bit more than luck involved. On July 1st, Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable officially merged with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. All new yearling, two-year-old and older-horse purchases will be made and managed by Eclipse in the name of Eclipse/Dogwood. Existing Dogwood partnerships will continue to be managed by Campbell.

“It’s an amazing honor to be hand-picked by him to join with Dogwood,” Wellman said.

Wellman said Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners now have 125 active participants in various partnerships. Another 250 people have expressed interest in joining them.

If it’s a dream, don’t wake Wellman.

Glen Hill Farm

To say that 93-year-old Leonard Lavin, the founder of Glen Hill Farm in Ocala, Fla., is still actively involved in racing would be an understatement. “My grandfather is still doing well, but he was quite upset by a story in the Racing Form that said he was 91,” his 35-year-old grandson Craig Bernick, who now runs the farm, said. “He’s proud to be 93.”

Bernick says his granddad watches all their horses’ races. “He let me know that he watches more when our horses don’t do well,” Bernick laughed.

Marketing Mix doesn’t fit that category. “She’s the best horse that we’ve had in at least 40 years,” Bernick said, noting that Glen Hill has had top horses before, mentioning Convenience who raced in the early ‘70s. “She’s the best horse that we’ve had in at least 40 years,” Bernick said, noting that Glen Hill has had top horses before, mentioning Convenience who raced in the early ‘70s. Glen Hill also campaigned Header Card, Relaunch and One Dreamer.

Bernick took over Glen Hill Farm in April, 2008, and said the farm now races 30 horses and keeps about the same number of broodmares. He said he’s learned a lot in the last five years. “I think, at the beginning, in my rush to change things, I might not have understood how much work had been done to get us to that place. But I do understand it now. We enjoy ourselves. We’ve spent the summer every year at Del Mar since I was 16. My granddad still lives in Chicago and we get to see him a lot.”

Marketing Mix will likely get him to Chicago again if she returns to run in the Beverly D., a stakes she finished second in last year. “She makes us look smart,” Bernick said. “But we’re not really smart. We have 30 horses in training, and she’s the only one who gets people to call us.”