Year of Classic Dreams MARYLAND T

n o i g e r c i t DELAWARE n a l Year of classic dreams MARYLAND t A PENNSYLVANIA - Pennsylvanians Roy and Gretchen Jackson race d i VIRGINIA homebred Barbaro and bred European star George Washington by Mike Curry M WEST VIRGINIA X P E R I E N C E D thing and out again.” return-flight arrangements plane ride through a volatile Out of stakes winner La HORSEMEN under- After arriving at Gulf- and the Navajo would be storm could temper their Reine Rouge, by King’s E stand that the path to stream shaken and very late, forced to touch down in enthusiasm. Bishop, La Ville Rouge the Kentucky Derby (G1) but intact, the couple discov- darkness. Guided by the “We’ve never, ever come proved a talented racehorse can be as bumpy as a twin- ered that their reserved stars, the pilot located the close, but it didn’t ever deter for Lael, winning five races engine plane chugging us from trying every year,” in 20 starts during the next through a volatile storm Gretchen said of breeding a two seasons and placing in front, but nothing could potential Derby contender. three graded stakes races at have prepared owners and “Hard-headed and you four. But the best was yet to breeders Roy and Gretchen always hope—I think that’s come for La Ville Rouge fol- Jackson for their first taste the common bond in all lowing a visit to Saint Ballado of the often-perilous Triple horsemen. We’re all nuts in 2001. The resulting foal, o Holy Ground, went on to Crown trail. t about it. You just have to love o h The Jacksons chartered a p it and you keep trying. It’s place in stakes on both dirt n e and grass. The Jacksons v flight from their winter vaca- i fun winning on all levels, but G bred La Ville Rouge back to tion in the Bahamas to Fort w … if you love horses, you e h Dynaformer in 2002. t Lauderdale, Florida, to t a “We’ve always loved watch their undefeated M Dynaformer for his versatili- homebred Barbaro make Roy and Gretchen Jackson his first main-track start in ty, and we’ve watched some the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Farm: Lael Farm, West Grove, Pennsylvania of his renowned grass Residences: Bahamas, Lael Farm Gulfstream Park on horses,” Gretchen said. “We Best horses bred and/or raced: Barbaro, Belle Cherie (in partner- use Nicoma Bloodstock, February 4. The couple table had been given away r u n w a y ship with Belle Meadows Farm), George Washington, Grandera Headley Bell, and it was his embarked on the short trip at and the Suwanee was moved after cir- (in partnership with Viv Shelton), Holy Ground, Palace Revolt, advice to breed that mare to noon—plenty of time to reach off the turf due to rain, forc- cling sev- Showing Up, Storm Dream (Ire), Superstar Leo Dynaformer.” Gulfstream by the seventh ing High Court to be e r a l Bell shared a mutual race when their Lael Stables’ scratched. Fortunately for times as respect for Dynaformer and High Court (Brz) was sched- the Jacksons, Barbaro bar- the Navajo landed under the just hope you have a horse believed the stallion was a uled to contest the Suwanee reled through the slop to a shadowy guise of the good enough to go in the strong fit for La Ville Rouge River Handicap—aboard a three-quarter-length tri- Bahamas’s night. The Kentucky Derby one day.” for a variety of reasons. twin-engine Navajo plane that umph in the Holy Bull, Jacksons poured out of the “Really, as much as anything, seats six passengers. remaining unbeaten and plane, happy to be home and Worthwhile I thought the mare could use “Halfway to Fort Lauderdale, stamping himself a true eager to find their way trip some size,” Bell recalled. the pilot tells us, ‘Be sure Derby contender. He is through the desolate airport. In early November 1998, “Dynaformer is a horse that your seat belts are tight, expected to make his next They were quickly cut off by Roy and Gretchen Jackson we’ve always had high because it’s going to be start in the Florida Derby a van of police officers— embarked upon a familiar regard for from the stand- bumpy from here on in,’ ” (G1) on April 1. armed with rifles—intent on trek up the New Jersey point of he [stood his first Gretchen Jackson said, re- “The best thing was we did- snuffing a perceived attempt Turnpike to watch two-year- season for $5,000] and made calling the impending colli- n’t care about eating or any- to circumvent customs. old filly La Ville Rouge run at his way all the way up to, at sion with a storm off the thing, we were mainly there to “They probably thought Aqueduct in the Tempted that time, $50,000. Florida coast. “It was hair- see the race and that was phe- we had drugs and contra- Stakes (G3). Bloodstock “The cross of the Hail to raising. nomenal that he was able to band,” Gretchen said with a agent Kathee Ringert, based Reason, the *Turn-to, the “They closed the Fort pull it off,” Gretchen said. “We chuckle. “We got frisked and at Fair Hill, tipped the couple *Ribot, with all of the ingredi- Lauderdale airport, so we weren’t nervous at all before spent an hour and a half talk- off that the daughter of ents of the Blushing Groom couldn’t land. We had to turn the race because we had just ing our way out of that one, Carson City was available. (Fr) with the Carson City— back and go back to Nassau been sweating bullets coming because they don’t do any- Lael was becoming less of a all of the pedigree blend,” [Bahamas] to refuel. Halfway into the airport.” thing very fast down there. full-time endeavor at the time Bell continued. “So it was a to Nassau, the pilot said that The Jacksons hung on “When we finally got as the couple concentrated combination of size, pedigree they opened the airport again, every word from winning home, we still hadn’t eaten more time to racing and blend, and believing in so we went back through the jockey Edgar Prado, who and it was ten o’clock. But building a broodmare band. Dynaformer’s ability to breed doggone front again.” praised Barbaro’s determina- the electricity was out, so we “We’ve tried all along to a racehorse.” With beverage glasses tion, and chatted with win- had some cold soup out of find horses with a good- Dynaformer proved a pru- strewn all over the cabin, the ning trainer Michael Matz. the can. That’s how we cele- enough family,” Gretchen dent selection for La Ville Navajo turned around and Officially stricken with Derby brated.” said. “[Ringert] just knew of Rouge. The resulting foal set course for a second fever, the Jacksons, who have Barbaro’s Holy Bull victory her as a two-year-old that was was named Barbaro, after confrontation with the been married for 46 years, proved especially fulfilling to up for sale.” one of six foxhounds identi- storm. “When we were in a floated back to the airport to the Jacksons, who have been La Ville Rouge was beaten fied in a painting displayed in holding pattern, that plane resume their vacation. racing and breeding horses only a half-length while finish- the Jacksons’ West Grove was bouncing around like As Roy and Gretchen from their Lael Farm base in ing second in her stakes debut. home. you wouldn’t believe,” Roy renewed acquaintances with West Grove, Pennsylvania, The Jacksons liked what they Jackson said. “We were the Navajo, the pilot ex- since 1978. The couple has saw in the average-sized filly, Mike Curry is an assistant editor cementing a private deal to going through the [storm] plained that the airport at the never had a starter in a Triple of THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY. and out again, through the Bahamas had forgotten their Crown race and not even a purchase La Ville Rouge. This article appeared in the March 25, 2006, issue of THOROUGHBRED TIMES. To subscribe, call 1-888-499-9090..

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