Page 81 - 18 January 2013

Larry Johnston, far left, is pictured with homebred First Class Lacy B.
the horses that go to the track, and cultivating relationships with potential buyers—she leaves the hands-on work to her ranch manager Carla Moody and her facility manager Jesus Montes.
A former pony rider at Ruidoso, Carla started out at Bielau Oaks in 2010 by sale- prepping, then moved up to ranch manager in late 2011. “I love the sale prep, I love working a yearling in the round pen,” Carla said. “Every one is different.”
“Carla and Jesus feel like the place is their own, and take care of it like it was their own,” Monica added.
DOING THE HOMEWORK
While Carla and Jesus keep the horses and the ranch in order, Monica does all the research on bloodlines and race records. “She knows what’s hot and what’s not,” Carla said.
David Smith agrees. “We went to the Challenge Championship in Iowa on a plane together in October, and she worked the Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale catalog the whole way,” he said. “She has a method—she really studies and does well figuring out which stallions to breed to.”
Her methods have produced horses that placed Bielau Oaks among the Top 20 leading breeders in the nation by money earned and races won for the past two years. In 2011, Bielau Oaks bred the earners of more than $1 million including the Stoli son Sure Shot B, out of the Dean Miracle daughter She A Miracle. Sure Shot B won the Texas Classic Futurity-G1 in 2011 for owners Dr. Tommy Hays and Charles Forbes Jr. In 2010, Bielau Oaks’ homebred First Class Lacy B (Mr Jess Perry-Tiny First Effort, First Down Dash),
trained by John Stinebaugh, finished second in the West Texas Futurity-G1, earning close to $100,000 before retiring to the broodmare band. In 2012, their latest prodigy, Far Niente (FDD Dynasty-Shahayla, Chicks Beduino), was third in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity-G1 and was a finalist in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.
“To climb to the top of the breeders’ list with the number of mares they have is an achievement,” said Smith.
ONWARD AND UPWARD
Bielau Oaks’ growing reputation has also resulted in Monica being asked to join the AQHA Racing Committee. “My first meeting was at Prairie Meadows in October,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the industry—what criteria are required for a race to be considered a Grade 1 or Grade 2, or even a graded race at all.”
It’s been exciting for Monica to see her father’s dream become an in-the-black endeavor, and to see Bielau Oaks babies reach the winner’s circle. “It’s a thrill to see the decisions we’ve made be profitable,” she said. “It makes everything seem like it’s coming together. It’s like watching our children grow up and succeed in their careers.”
After just a few short years in the horseracing industry, Monica feels Bielau Oaks is reaping the rewards of those initial years of hard work, and furthering her father’s legacy.
“My dad didn’t get to see all the fruits of his labor but he did set up some great broodmares,” she said. “The program was set up correctly. Now my job is to take off my training wheels, get to work and continue his dream.”
Sure Shot B wins the 2011 Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity.
Far Niente wins his trial to qualify for the 2012 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.
The Bielau Oaks Ranch office.
The main entrance at Bielau Oaks Ranch in Weimar, Texas.
SPEEDHORSE, January 18, 2013 79
Courtesy Bielau Oaks Courtesy Bielau Oaks Reed Palmer Photography
Los Alamitos
Coady Photography