CTBA Member PROFILE JOY SEIFERT THOROUGHBREDS BRING FAMILY TIES
BY EMILY SHIELDS mentioned to the friends “We got our mare and that they should get in- decided to breed her,” said he business part- volved with oroughbreds. Seifert. “Linda would go to nership between Madsen had plenty of equine Keeneland in January, and T Joy Seifert and experience in the Arabian I would go in November— Linda Madsen has a personal industry. Seifert had some January is too cold for a Cal- thread. experience in racing, as her ifornia girl like me. We tried ey met when their husband once had a race- to buy one or two mares at children were showing dairy horse-turned-broodmare, but each sale if we could nd cattle more than 20 years “nothing that ever amounted something that t our pro- ago and became fast friends, to more than just a horse.” gram for almost 10 years.” traveling up and down the Seifert was dubious about ey soon decided to state hauling both children getting into the industry; she expand their adventure by and cows. Madsen’s oldest and her family already own adding stallion ownership at son later married Seifert’s and operate a dairy farm in Madsen’s Milky Way Farm youngest daughter, cement- the Central Valley between in Temecula. Sundarban, by ing the storybook friendship Stockton and Sacramento A.P. Indy out of the Storm forever. with 2,500 cows. Cat mare Desert Tigress, “We became in-laws, then “It’s a lot of mouths to came rst. He has sired 42% grandparents-in-law,” Seifert feed and keeps us pretty winners, including nine-time said. busy,” Seifert said. winner Howdy, who earned Almost a decade ago Van Leer found them a $274,583, and 12-time win- bloodstock agent and mare in Kentucky, and Mad- ner Sheswildnfree. e part- consultant Gayle Van Leer sen and Seifert were hooked. ners then imported a pair of stallions from Chile, Passion for Gold and Dosi cado. Passion for Gold is royally bred, being by Medaglia d’Oro and out of the New York graded stakes-winning under Gulch mare C’Est L’ Amour, who was also grade 1-placed. e mare’s stakes-winning half sister Passion Flower went on to produce Del Mar grade 2 winner Madeo. Passion for Gold was the champion 2-year-old and a group 1 winner in France, as well as a stakes winner in England, before his retirement with three wins in seven starts. He produced 69% winners from starters and stakes winner Por El Dia before his reloca- tion to California. Dosi cado, who is by the PHOTO COURTESY OF GAYLE VAN LEER VAN PHOTO COURTESY OF GAYLE late Scat Daddy out of the Joy Seifert, left, and Linda Madsen attend the Kentucky sales to shop for mares for their business partnership Chilean Broodmare of the
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Year Daja, was a grade 3 winner in Dream Marie has won three straight Chile in 2015. His full sister, Dacita, a races, including a January allowance two-time champion in Chile, earned a optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. total of $1,598,369 and a pair of grade Seifert genuinely loves the sport 1 wins in the United States. Scat Dad- and loves her horses, and she is quick dy is well-known as the sire of unbeat- to point out that her involvement en Triple Crown winner Justify. wouldn’t have been as successful with- When Madsen traveled to Kentucky out Madsen, Van Leer, and Milky Way in the winter of 2019, she had the Farm’s manager Johnny Alvira. opportunity to see the grade 1-win- “Linda showed Arabians as a girl ning Unbridled’s Song stallion Graydar growing up,” Seifert said. “She comes at Taylor Made Farm. Overseas parties from a horse background. And Gayle had shown some interest in exporting has been fabulous. She always goes to him, but management of the Nichol- the sales with us, takes us to see the asville, Ky., farm was keen on keeping studs, and introduces us to everyone.
him in the United States. Madsen LEER VAN PHOTO COURTESY OF GAYLE She’s a truly great asset. Linda’s farm thought the chance to bring him to Joy Seifert loves the sport of racing manager, Johnny, does a wonderful job California was too good to pass up, with the horses and keeping everybody and brought him to California last organized with the foaling and the summer. (Joy’s) doing this breeding.” “We were so lucky to get Graydar because she absolutely And they appreciate her, too. here,” Seifert said. “We’re very for- loves it. And we’re here “Joy is the greatest person in the tunate. Linda has a fabulous contact whole world,” Madsen said. “She’s base—she knows everybody.” in California for the long doing this because she absolutely loves e immensely talented Graydar haul. We are totally it. And we’re here in California for the won ve of six starts and earned dedicated to California long haul. We are totally dedicated to $841,560. He scored rst out in a California racing and the CTBA. It’s Gulfstream Park maiden race at 3, racing and the CTBA. ” been a di¥cult time, but we are seeing then won the Donn Handicap (G1) — Linda Madsen so many positive things happening in just his fourth start over the likes of now.” Take Charge Indy and Flat Out. He “It’s been delightful working with went on a tear in 2013, rst with the Joy and Linda,” Van Leer said. “eir Donn and then the $396,000 New enthusiasm is contagious. It’s so much Orleans Handicap (G2) at the Fair fun to have them around the sales.” Grounds, defeating seven rivals as the Seifert is a partner in nearly 40 favorite. He rolled to win the one- broodmares, though because of the mile, $400,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) work at the dairy farm, she can’t get in his nal career start at Belmont down to Milky Way often. Park. e horse who was third that “But we talk about everything before day, Hymn Book, was also a Donn we make any decisions,” she said. winner. “Linda keeps me updated and sends To date, Graydar has sired 116 win- everything to me.” ners from 184 starters, including grade And the family connection keeps 2-placed stakes winners Gray Magi- growing. Seifert’s eldest daughter cian, Gray Attempt, Wondrshegot- ultimately married a man who went to thundr, and grade 3 winner Lombo. school with Linda’s youngest son. His total progeny earnings are more “And if it wasn’t for going to the
than $7.3 million, with his rst crop PHOTO COURTESY OF JOY SEIFERT fairs,” Seifert said, “we never would just turning 4 in January. His daughter Linda Madsen, left, and Joy Seifert have met.”
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