l

TheSunshine Man

BY SCOTT DAVIS

I t wasa tiny ad,no biggerthan I aboutthree by fiveinches, with I words to the effectof "Experi- enced Farm Manager Seeking Work." And all it did was perma- nently alter the hierarchyof Ameri- can Thoroughbredbreeding by transformingFlorida into a breeding nnrxrarhnrrce The ad, placed by Maryland horsemanElmer Heubeck, appeared in the classifiedsection of TheBlood- Horsein August1945. Heubeck, a 1939graduate of the Universityof

ElmerHeubeck, oneof Florida's Thoroughbred pioneers,still casts a longshadow

Marylandwith a degreein animal husbandry,had servedfive yearsas the farm managerfor C.E.Tuttle at CavesValley Farm, located in the heart of breedingcountry in the OId Line State.When Tuttle decidedto move his operation to Oregon, Heubeck-with year-oldson (Kerry) and wife Harriet-chose not to move.Instead he paid a pricehe re- callswas "just pennies"to placethe ad that caughtthe attentionof Carl Rose,and the duo quicklyproceeded to placethe Floridabreeding indus- try on the map. But it was not without somereser- vationsthat Heubeckleft his home

Elmerand Harriet Heubeck at theirQuail Roost ll nearocala, Fla. (continuedon page 7 0 80 )

7076 THEBLOOD-HORSE I DECEMBERT, 2OO2 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL

Heubeckhas built new barns and two training tracks at OuailRoost ll

(continuedfrom p age 707 6 ) weird bugsand the palm trees-it sure "The horsesdidn't haveproper nutrition for Ocala,Fla., the countyseat of Marion didn't look like horsecountry the way we and Mr. Rosedidn't want to spenda lot of County.To that point, the few breeding knewit!" moneybuying horses,"said Heubeck, who farmsthat existedin the statewere on the Still, Heubecknoticed the "land rolled estimatedthe most moneyRose ever spent peninsula'ssouthern tip, nearthe race- properly,"reminding him somewhatof for a horsewas $250."He would wait until tracks.Rose had establishedthe Ocala EasternMaryland, and he quicklybuilt the end of the meet in Tampa (then called area'sfirst Thoroughbredfarm, Rosemere, Rosemereinto a high-powerbreeding oper- SunshineParkJ and buy maresthat either in 1936,but it seemedvery little like what ation. In additionto the physicalimprove- weretaken by the feedman aspayment for Heubeckenvisioned a breedingfarm to be. mentson the property-wooden fencing bad bills, or onesthat weren'tgoing to be "lt scaredme," he recalledwith a grin. "lt and horsebarns primary amongthem- shippednorth." was mostlybarbed wire fencingand Mr. Heubeckset out to improve the quality of Rosemerestood stallions as well, but ini- Roselet all of the animalsrun aroundto- the horseswhich, up to that point, were tially all were remount stallions,confiscat- gether;horses, pigs, chicken, sheep, cattle, consideredso inferior that Florida-breds ed as bounty from the Germansduring and hound dogsall togetherlike Noah's competingagainst open company would World War II and grantedto U.S.farms for Ark. It was reallysandy and they had those receivea five-poundweight allowance. use.Though Heubeck recalled that Samu- rai, the farm's top stallion,was a top stakes winner in Germany,he did not compareto SPECIATCOACH thoseoffered by CentralKentucky breeding LeodingMoney-Eorning Sire in Alobomo operations.But with Rose'sstature as a major player in land constructionin the Zafarrancho (Argl -Volilont, by Dislinctive Pro stateand a memberof Florida'sRacing . StokesWinning Miler with coreer eornings ol $449,942 Commission,Rosemere's future as a com- o Wonthe $290,500 Jefferson Cup S. ot ChurchillDowns mercialbreeder was secure. . MultipleGroded Stokes-Ploced on turf ot Colder Initially, all the farm's offspringwere . Fomilyof ChompionSUSAN'S GlRt ($l sold to CharlesO'Neil, a liquor salesman ,251,6681, partnered leodingsire ond Gl SWCOPELAN, etc. from Canadawho with Rosein Rosemere.But within four yearsof his ar- Feelo selecimores: $2,500 rival, Heubeckhad establisheda pattern that would becomethe foundationfor MRON THEHAT today's2-year-olds in training sales. Firstond Only Son of Glittermonlo Stondin Alqbomq With Rose'sclout-"He wasthe only one Glittermon - Love Cut, by Cutlass who could get the stalls he neededat o Brokemoiden while defeoting older horses ot firstosking Hialeah." Heubecksaid-Rosemere would its output of yearlingsby van to . Stokeswinner of $50,650 send entire r Hialeah.Numbering about 30 by the mid- Won rocesfrom 6 furlongsIo 1 1/16 miles 1950s,they would be accompaniedby Feeto selectmores: $ l,5OO Heubeckand departOcala in mid-Novem- Phone205.967.1162 ber. Havingbeen broken and trainedon the Allen"Doc" Koslin farm, the babieswould invariably work a fast three furlongswithin days of their ar-

7080 THEBLOOD-HORSE I DECEMBER7, 2OO2 -t

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL

rival, immediatelycatching the eyeof other horsemenand attractingoffers. By the end of the meetthe following March, all had found new homes. "We didn't haveany trouble selling them at all," Heubecksaid. "Rose's idea from the stafi was commercial,which was quite un- usualat thetime. He neverhad a realracing stable,and he recognizedthat the best placeto sellthem was at the trackafter they showedwhat they coulddo in a workout or a race." As a result,the Florida-breds,not Iong beforeconsidered too puny andpoorly bred to compete,began to win racesoutside of the state.The first Rosemerecrop to sell at Hialeahattracted owners from Pennsylva- nia, Chicago,Massachusetts, and even Venezuela.Among that groupwas a colt namedWerwolf, produced by Heubeck's mareLeonardtown, whose $12,500 sale to Heubeck(far right) still ponies his horses tothe track each morning New Yorkowner Mrs. J.G. Smy'th rained at- tention on the operation.Heubeck's mare, 1952.Heubeck said that Werwolf'ssuccess Ocala. where he was introduced to namedafter a town in Maryland,produced on the track was so unexpectedthat he de- Heubeck. three stakeswinners for the breeder,in- cidedto name all the resultantfoals out of "We hit it off right away," Dreyfussaid. cludingWolf Gal in 1951and Meniwolf in Leonardtownwith similarnames. InsteadofRosemere, though, Heubeck sug- "l bought her on the cuff," Heubeck gestedDreyfus consider a 1,200-acreparcel Iaughed,"and paid off the $500when she in the northernpart of Marion Countythat won her first startfor me. Shecontinued to Rosehad leasedto raisehay, reasoningthat repayme with her offspring." the land would be cheaperand Dreyfus Srre StksWnrs SlksWns Rosemerein specificand Ocalain gener- couldlater obtainadditional surrounding CandyStripes ...... 9 ...... 1 1 al wereon the map:the Feb.13, 1949, edi- parcelswithout trouble. ninnrhrnnlz 7 1t tion of the Miami Herold noted, "Don't be Dreyfustook the advice,and in 1961let Notebook ....6...... 13surprisedif Ocalabecomes the Lexingtonof Heubeckloose to createHobeau Farms. FormalDinner...... 5 ...... 7 Florida." Even TheBlood-Horse took note: "He built and ran the entirething," said Litethe Fuse...... 5 ...... 7 of Smyth'sdecision to ship Werwolf and Dreyfus."And it was an absolutelybeauti LostSo1dier...... 5 ...... 7 anotherRosemere-bred named Dalpark to ful farm. Everythingwas first-classand ev- lelfTrrra 6 6 her racing stablein Californiait was writ- erythingwas donefrom the horse'spoint of Tourd'Or ....4...... 8 ten, "Sheis certainlya bravewoman...lf view." WekivaSpri ngs ...... ,...... 4 ...... 7 one of theseshould win a stakeson the More than 40 yearslater, Dreyfusstill I rrnkrrNnrth 4 5 WestCoast, she'd need a bodyguard." considersHeubeck among his closest FortunatePr0spect...... 3 ...... 9 By the late 1950s,with the Ocalabreed- friendsand callshim remarkable. Gela Dannar 3 5 ing industry well established-its Needles "He is brilliant in all of the details,"Drey- Orrfflankor 3 5 solidifiedthat with his KentuckyDerby win fus said."He is creativeand contentious, Ahcpni Flrrsqian ? 4 in 1956-Rose was beginningto slow which is a combinationyou can't find very Gronmqf ick 3 4 down, and helpedHeubeck find a farm of often." Staek his own. Under Heubeck'sdirection, Hobeau TacticalAdvantage...... 3 ...... 4 "He knew I wanteda farm," Heubeckre- quicklyrose to becomeone of thetop breed- WayWest (FR)...... 3 ...... 4 calledof purchasinghis first Quail Roost ing and racingfarms not only in Floridabut Bucksp|asher...... 3...... 3 Farm."l was down at Hialeahin the spring in the nation,ranking amongthe country's StormyAt|antic...... 3 ...... 3 of 1958and he told me I'd bettercome on top 10 in leadingmoney-winning owners SuaveProspect...... 3 ...... 3 backto Ocalabecause there was a goodone for 15 consecutiveyears beginning in1.962. KissinKris...... ,...... 2 ...... 7 and it was goingto sellreal quick." Duringits heydayin thelate 1960sand early '70s, Qlzin Trial , q Namedfor its previoususe as a hunting Hobeau'searnings were routinely in Itil on ka A preserve,Heubeck called Quail Roost home the top five; in its bestyear, 1967,no other for 30 years,occupying the propertywith ownerearned more than its $1,120,143. GoldenGear ...... 2 ...... 2 cattlein additionto the 20-25mares he and "We had very goodluck very earlyat Aazaam I 2 Harriethad accumulated.Although he ex- Hobeau,"Heubeck said. "Mr. Dreyfuswas lslandWhir1...... 2 ...... 2 pectedto spendthe majorityof his time interestedin a racingstable, and he bought lAhlrr 2 2 there,the entry into the Floridabreeding somevery good horses. He doesn'tclaim to Lineln The Sand...... 2...... 2 businessof anothertitan, Jack Dreyfus, be a horseman,but he knows numbers." MeadowFl i9ht...... 2...... 2 quickly changedthat. Hobeau'sbest horses were a combina- lvlinpr's lrark 2 2 The New York financier,who had been tion of purchasedhorses and homebreds, Promicrchin 2 2 involvedin racingfor just a few years, with many of the latter tracingback to the RobynDancer...... 2 ...... 2 heardRosemere might be for saleand, with first horseDreyfus ever owned, Beau Gar. SwordDance (lRE) ...... 2 ...... 2 the mindsetthat Florida-bredsoutper- Dreyfusowned 25% of BeauGar when he formedtheir pedigreeand price,traveled to raced,and boughtthe remainderupon re-

7082 THEBI-OOD-HORSE I DECEMBER 7, 2OO2 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL

tirement, sendingthe son of CountFleet capturedthat traditionalrace when Group wouldn't do himself, and with his knowl- down to his new farm to serveas a stallion. PIanoutlasted heavy favorite Wajima. edgeof horsesand farms, he did virtually His offspringincluded -"The In betweenHandsome Boy and everything.He is happy only when he's besthorse I everowned," Dreyfus assert- there were such top quality runners as working,and he works all of the time." ed-who defeatedfive-time Horse of the TakenAback, Winnie, and PokerNight, Suchis Heubeck'sinfluence that scat- YearKelso three times: in the 1962Subur- and though Jerkenswas receivingmost of teredthroughout Thoroughbred racing re- ban Handicapand Man o' War Stakesand the credit,the Hall of Fametrainer points to main men who learnedunder his tutelage. then in the 1963Widener Handicap. "lt was Heubeckas an importantpart of the reason Manny Tortora,who earlierthis year be- i10% luck but the rest was skill," Dreyfus for Hobeau'ssuccess. camethe all-timewinningest trainer in the rememberedwith a chuckle. "He's a greathorseman," Jerkens said. historyof CalderRace Course is one,hav- Still, it was a combination of the skills of "He did a greatjob of preparation.Most of ing worked under Heubeckas an exercise Heubeckas farm managerand the man the horseswere within just a coupleweeks rider at Rosemerein the mid-1950s.Anoth- they hired in 1963to be their trainer,Allen of beingready to racewhen they camefrom er is trainerJimmy Picou,who was the ex- Jerkens,that led to Hobeaurunners upend- the farm." erciserider for the Rosemereyearlings at ing champions,as BeauPurple had done, Jerkensattributes Heubeck's veterinary Hialeahfrom 1950through 1952. commonplace. training as an important factor,describing "He could tell you how to ride a horse HandsomeBoy, a homebredson of Beau the farm manager'swork with the sore- betterthan the rider," Picousaid. Also Gar,romped by eightlengths over Buck- footedBeau Purple. mentioningHeubeck's background in vet- passerin the 1967Brooklyn Handicap. Six "He would improvise-I rememberhe erinary medicine, Picou noted how yearslater, Onion, a geldingproduced from built a flowing streamat the farm that he Heubeckwas ableto get olderrunners that a BeauGar mare, shockedSecretariat in the usedto dip the horse'sfeet into. Heck, we had brokendown backto the track and Whitney Stakes(gr. D. As if to prove the feat even had horseswho bowed tendonsand into the winner's circle. "What he did at simple,yet anotherHobeau colorbearer, cameback to win stakes,"Jerkens said, Rosemerewas a work of art," he said."He , conqueredthe mighty Secretari- mentioningMac's Sparkler,who in 1967 knows horsesinside and out." at the following month in the Woodward alone capturedthe Columbianaand Black With such a background,of course,it is Stakes(gr. I), andthen for goodmeasure de- HelenHandicaps and BeldameStakes. not surprising that a man like Elmer featedRiva Ridgein the JockeyClub Gold Jerkens,Iike everyonewho encounters Heubeckwas not contentwith a rocking Cup (gr. I). Two yearslater, Hobeauagain Heubeck,was impressedby his dedication, chairand gold watch when he left Hobeau. a trait he passedon to CraigWheeler. He immediatelywent to work on Quail Wheelerbecame Hobeau's assistant man- Roost,the farm he had owned for 27 years agerunder Heubeckin1979 and assumed but, by his own admission,did very little the role of farm managerupon Heubeck's with while at Hobeau.Once again the physi- Srre Rnrs Wnrs retirementin 1987. cal structurewas primary, but Heubeckalso Penlelinrrq ol "He's the hardestworking man in the broughtalong his broodmareband and de- Fndr rnrla Prnena^t ln business,"Wheeler said of his formerboss. velopedthe former wildlife habitat as a Nnlahnnk a4 A' "He wouldn't ask you to do anythinghe havenfor other animalsof varying sorts. TacticalAdvantage 50 76 "lt's a menagerie,"said Picou. "He's entirely Fnrmal hinnar devotedto animals."Agreed Tortora, "He's lchla 1' Tnr rr d'6r te not only a greathorseman, but also one of the best agriculturalminds anywhere." FlnhvnDanncr i2 Sire 2yos 2yoRnrc 2yo Wnrs Lineln TheSand.. 37 ,oI And an optimist,too. In 1999,the then Qrrrnrd flanna /lElF Fnrmal Dinnar eL 82-year-oldHeubeck and his wife, Harriet, Minar's [/ark o5 Pahlali^l who recentlycelebrated their 62nd wedding ls ltTrue .. 92...... ,.....61 SrraveProsneci 43 25 15 anniversary,sold Roostand pur- Monthrook 06 61 Quail DorrhleHnnnr 65 36 14 chasedanother parcel of land.Named WekivaSprings...... Tantieal Advenlrna 78 i3 14 Quail (lnnnnrda'c Tr rna 7L AC FortunateProspect... .44...... 21...... 1 3 RoostII, Heubeckimmediately went to KissinKris qq 4R Sem0ran...... ,.....30...... 20...... 12work building new barns and two training Premiership 84 .47 Concerto .43...... 20...... 1 2 tracks:a seven-eighths-milegrass course Notebook...... 58...... 25...... 12and one-miledirt oval. Although slowed Gnld Alart 41, MisterJo1ie...... 42...... 17...... 1 1 slightly by recent heart surgery,Heubeck lilanko 74. La. AO tq 11 GoldenGear 74 47 innal still ponieshis horsesto the track every Litethe Fuse.... .64...... 42 SwordDance (lRE)...... 61 ...... 31 ...... 1 0 momingand keeps up with his duties."l've q Qilrrar Rr rnk 7n ao Noactor 25 15 alwaystrained horsesand I'll probably keep q Grnnmslick 77 42 Norihern Af laet 36 1A doingit until they put me in a box," he said. CandyStripes 77...... 40 RobynDancer ...... 41 ...... 25...... 9 When that day comes,Heubeck-for Tour d'Or...... 50,...... 22...... 9 Misler,lolie 65 39 whom CalderRace Course recently inaugu- Whaalnn 5? ?7 Mecke...... 28...... 16...... 8 Rnldior a7 Colony1i9ht...... 28...... 17...... ,,.8 rateda racefor Florida-breds-will be hon- Piccolino Devongate...... 30...,.,..16...... 8ored alongsideRose as men whose vision StormyAtlantic ...... 44...... 1I ...... 8 ColonyLight ...... 65 .JO transformedthe state'sbreeding industry Aata f)annar MeadowF|i9ht...... 17...... 10...... ,.6 /lnnnnrdatc Tr rno Da O A from virtually nothing into a powerhouse, Birdnnfhawira I ite the Fuse 26 12 6 ranking secondin virtually all major cate- SuaveProspect 58...... 34 MioralinnMonn 29 R 6 gories."l alwaysthought Florida could do Nonclor 59 ?4 ls lt Trrre 12 1 t A it," he "The grassgrows good, WayWest (FR) ...... 78...... 34 said. it's a It/astcr Rill 12 14 A nice climate,and the horsesare outsideall Whilnarr Tnurar nE ea (FR)...... 50...... 25...... 6 WayWest year I rrckv Nnrth a2 LostSo|dier....,...... 51 ...... 17...... 6 long.I alwayssaid I thoughtthat Flori- Hazaam AA at WhitneyTower ...... 84...... 24 ...... 6 da will overtakeKentuckv. and I think it's goingto, too."lJ

7084 THEBTOOD,HORSE T DECEMBER 7,2OO2