Conquest Stables

Conquest Stables consists of 63-year-old Ernie Semersky, a Porsche and Audi dealer in Chicago, and his long-time partner Dory Newell, a former model who named their star filly. Though they are both new in the industry, they have 28 horses, including 15 yearlings.

A friend recommended trainer Mark Casse, and after interviewing several trainers, they hired Casse. “There was something about him that was correct,” Semersky told Beverly Smith in her Sept. 15th, 2013, story in the Paulick Report.

My Conquistadory, who was purchased for $240,000 at the Ocala 2012 Two-Year-Old Sale last June, made an incredible debut last September at Woodbine, defeating colts by 3 ¼ lengths in the Grade II Summer Stakes before adding the Alcibades. But she is just one of Conquest Stables’ success stories. Conquest Titan, a $475,000 purchase at the same two-year-old sale, won the Swynford Stakes by 5 ¼ lengths at Woodbine in a stunning debut. Their filly Conquest Whiplash, a $370,000 purchase, also defeated colts in the Victoria Stakes at Woodbine.

When My Conquistadory went to post in the Summer Stakes, Semersky sported designer sunglasses with one lens glowing orange and the other green to literally reflect their silks. Newell explained to Smith, “Ernie always sees things through rose-colored glasses.”