Page 105 - Speedhorse June 2019

confine myself to buying only the very best I couald afford.” Her program paid off and, in 1981, the All American Sale was a bit different for the lady from El Paso. She was shown to front stalls and averaged $100,000; selling one horse for $70,000 and another for $125,000.
“Things are beginning to fall into place for me,” laughs Sarah. “I’m realizing I’ve finally reached a certain plateau within the industry. Maybe it’s because I’ve been around for 18 years and am an old-timer! I have lots of friends whom I really care about and who I know care about me. I honestly believe there is a love and respect between us, and that’s one of the things that makes the horse business a secure world for me. I don’t think I’m being naïve when I
say I believe those friends would help me if I happen to stumble too badly, and I hope they realize I’d do the same for them. After all, we’ve been through a lot of struggles and learning processes together; and we’ve certainly witnessed unbelievable changes and growth together. These are real experiences and I think those of us who have shared them together are also real.
pulling things together for me. I’ve done a a
and careful choices regarding pedigree and conformation are the rules guiding me in regard to Thoroughbreds . . . and I would never buy a Thoroughbred mare over the telephone. I seek that consistency, that staying power that I feel will stand the owner, the breeder and the entire industry in good stead down the road.”
Sarah is, without a doubt, a business woman. She looks for those solid deals that are good when she makes them and even better
two or three years later. Miss Olene AAAT
is a noteworthy example. Sarah recently sold
the mare to her good friend Myron Palermo.
“I have lots of respect for Myron’s broodmare band,” she comments. “He knows quality. Miss Olene just had a Truckle Feature colt at age
26!” Miss Olene’s last effort for Sarah was Miss Olita by St. Bar, and she produced the filly at the venerable age of 24. In addition to Miss Olita, Sarah also owns Takeme Freely who is
an 8-year-old stakes winning daughter of Miss Olene by St. Bar. The mare has a speed index
of 96 with seven wins, two seconds, and one third from 24 starts with earnings of $68,939. It required some negotiating to get Takeme Freely to Sarah-Toga, but Sarah managed to put the deal together and selling Miss Olene was part of what she had to do.
“That’s okay,” muses Sarah. “I can honestly say I’ve never regretted selling any horse because it has always been a move that was leading me to something better. It was tough, but it was time to let Miss Olene go. She’s been good to everyone who’s touched her and done wonderful things for me. Selling her was providing me with another good opportunity. Besides, had we lost Miss Olene here on the farm, it would have staggered everyone because we all love her so. She made our world go ‘round!
“I also have All Summer Long, a 1982 three year old who began her racing career March 5 by running a second by about two inches! She, too, is out of Miss Olene by St. Bar. All three of these Miss Olene daughters are full sisters to twice Champion Little Blue Sheep, who won $389,854, and stakes winner Miss Angel Eyes, who earned $109,102. These are some of the consistencies I was describing earlier.”
Miss Olene certainly isn’t the only noteworthy mare coming from Sarah-Toga. There’s Diamond Chicklet by Chick’s Etta Deck, a stakes winner with seven wins and an earnings of $152,875. Diamond Chicklet has a yearling colt by Confident TB, a 1982 Easy Jet filly, and is bred back to Easy Jet. Sarah sold the mare’s first yearling filly in 1980 for $106,000.
“The last three years have really starte
decisions. For instance, I own very few m
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at present. I decided a long time ago that t
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to raise eight mediocre ones. When that’s s
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responsibility. The personal side is someti
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worth from a monetary investment stand
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Sarah’s top mares right now are daug
Miss Olene. She’s been extremely specifi
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this contending that, in her estimation, M
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opinion even further when she insists th
only about ten great proven maternal fam
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mare lines in the industry. She takes tha
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in the entire Quarter Horse racing busin
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. “I’m strict in my definition,” she says. “I don’t
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consider ‘great’ a mare that has hit one time with one big winner. I look for consistency in first dams, second dams, daughters, sisters, etc. I feel very strongly that speed and class will reproduce themselves through generations.
“Consistency becomes very important
when you consider that we are breeding to Thoroughbreds, and the primary hope for these TB mares and sires is a long term commitment. We are creating a hybrid vigor which could be nothing more than a flash in the pan. We have no way of knowing immediately if that same vigor will repeat itself within the family or will prove its worth over the long haul. Patience
Sarah and her daughter Shannon with Takeme Freely and Fair Swings TB.
SPEEDHORSE, June 2019 103
LOOKING BACK - AN EXCERPT FROM JULY 1982 ISSUE
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