CTBA Member PAUL AND PROFILE VIRGINIA HAALAND BY EMILY SHIELDS cancer, Virginia became an breeding partnerships,” Paul irginia Haaland al- even deeper believer. said. ways supported hus- “e miracle about all this ey were involved with V band Paul’s love of horse stu,” she said, “is that multiple stakes-placed Cali- FUTUREFUTURE horse racing; they both hail it would be a much heavi- fornia-bred Takeo Squared, PROSPECTS from similar backgrounds er experience for him if he a son of Square Eddie who and childhoods that included didn’t have this thing to think was retired after running LOOKING trips to the track. But when about and be excited about.” second by just a neck in the a California stallion named at “thing” is standing $100,351 California Cup GOOD Prospect Park helped Paul Prospect Park at Harris Farms Turf Sprint Stakes last Jan- during his battle with brain in Coalinga. e well-bred uary. ey were also part of horse marks the Haalands’ the Uptowncharlybrown Stud rst foray into stallion owner- syndicate that campaigned ship, although they have been stakes-placed winner Kelli’s partners in both racehorses Smile. and broodmares before. With “But it seemed we wanted horses on the farm and at the to do a little more on the track, their PVNC Stables— breeding side,” said Paul. named for Paul, Virginia, and Opportunity knocked daughters Nora and Char- when Prospect Park was of- lotte—is an ever-evolving fered at the 2018 Keeneland operation and a family aair. November sale. e Haalands When Paul and Virginia were able to buy him private- met on a ski trip to Mam- ly before the sale in a deal moth, memories of the brokered by Chad Schumer. racetrack ran in both of their e horse was everything minds. Paul’s father taught they had been looking for in his 6-year-old son to read a stallion prospect. the Daily Racing Form while Pam and Martin Wygod’s the family stayed in Solana homebred Prospect Park, a Beach, enjoying the ocean son of Tapit—Quiet Ro- in the morning and the Del mance, by Bertrando, was Mar races in the afternoon. well regarded even before his Virginia hailed from Los An- debut. His dam never raced, geles, where she was exposed but she produced Santa to racing at Santa Anita. Anita Oaks (G1) winner “It was Paul’s passion, but Silent Sighs and dual grade it has become a family thing,” 2 winner and grade 1-placed she explained. Proposed. Propsect Park is e couple’s daughters, another in a line of classy ages 10 and 8, have already runners for the mare, who learned how to bet. was out of multiple stakes- “It’s pretty cute,” Virginia placed Cal-bred Brisa de admitted. “It’s been a fun Mar. thing to share as a family.” Prospect Park didn’t break As the children got older, his maiden until his fourth the couple was able to invest start, where he defeated future in the sport as owners for the graded stakes winner Cyrus rst time. Alexander—also known as PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL AND VIRGINIA HAALAND PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL “We got involved in both Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Paul and Virginia Haaland enjoying the racing at Del Mar racehorse partnerships and Super Saver’s half brother—in 36 CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED y December 2019 y www.ctba.com As the Thoroughbred business is a family affair, Virginia, with daughters Nora, left, and Charlotte, visit Prospect Park at his new home a maiden race routing on the everyone loves a closer, and dirt at Santa Anita in late he was a closer. ere is 2014. Prospect Park then something about a closer.” added an allowance optional Prospect Park has been claiming race in January well received by breeders at 2015, which turned up his $2,500 fee. Kentucky Derby fever in his “One great thing about camp. He ran second behind the Tapit line in terms of Dortmund in the $401,250 doing nicks and pedigree San Felipe Stakes (G2), but crosses is that it’s so versa- fourth in the $1 million Santa tile,” Paul said. “I talked to Anita Derby (G1), ending his the folks at Gainesway Farm Tr i p l e Crow n d re a m s . (home of Tapit), and they Prospect Park was graded say everything goes with stakes-placed, in the Los Tapit.” Alamitos Derby (G2) and e couple has been build- Armed Stakes (G3), before ing their broodmare band Being he’s (Prospect Park) a son of Tapit he broke through on the grass, to support their acquisition defeating the classy runner and being able to bring that to California, while still racing horses in Om in the $151,000 La Jolla where there was not a graded stakes-win- partnership. In all, they have Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar. ning son of Tapit that could be available to three retired broodmares at He was then third in the grade Sue Greene’s Woodbridge 2 Del Mar Derby. California breeders, was a big thing. ” Farm, two llies still to come, Prospect Park ran at 4 and and over a dozen in various — Paul Haaland 5, adding an allowance score partnerships. and placing in the Califor- But for now, “our focus is nian Stakes (G2) behind on Prospect Park,” Paul said. grade 1 winner Collected. He e San Diego-based couple, who was slated to return to the track have career backgrounds in engi- at 6, but was involved in the San neering and human resources, will Luis Rey Downs re and injured be adding a fourth broodmare to himself escaping from the ames. their band soon with plans to visit With $539,770 in earnings and the stallion in the spring. four wins, seven seconds, and And as for Paul’s brain cancer? three thirds in 18 starts, Prospect “He’s home recovering from Park was retired. surgery now,” Virginia said. “He’s e chance to stand a graded had radiation; he’s on chemothera- stakes-winning son of Tapit from a py. And I’m telling you that when top California family was not lost I think about the business, I think on the Haalands. it is the best thing for him. It keeps “e main thing was he checks him super positive. He’s not home all the boxes,” Paul said. “Being just stressing about the illness. he’s a son of Tapit and being able “e timing is amazing; it got to bring that to California, where o the ground last year before we there was not a graded stakes-win- knew this was coming. It’s some- ning son of Tapit that could be The Haalands with their pride and joy, Prospect Park thing he can do during the day to available to California breeders, stay excited and positive. I think was a big thing. He lled that void to popular horse. about it all the time, but when I asked bring something unique and dierent “He was a great horse and was really him if he thought about it all the time, and important to the breeders.” loved by a lot of people during his he said, ‘No, I think about Prospect And Prospect Park is simply a career,” Paul said. “I think it’s because Park.’ ” 38 CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED y December 2019 y www.ctba.com.