Donna Barton | Horse Racing Free Tips

Beginning in 1980, Frank Brothers trained Thoroughbreds for nearly 30 years. During that time, he amassed a career win percentage of just over 23%, with 2,291 races to his credit, including 262 stakes victors of which 50 were graded.

Chief among them was Hansel (Woodman), a multiple Grade I winner of the Preakness S. and Belmont S., who was the 1991 three-year-old Champion. Others in his barn included Grade I winners like Secret Hello (Private Account), Arch (Kris S.), Oath (Known Fact), Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), First Samurai (Giant's Causeway), and of course, Grade II winner, Pulpit (A.P. Indy).

Brothers was always active at auctions, so when he retired from training he moved to the bloodstock world as an agent for Starlight and StarLadies Racing. He has purchased or was involved with successful racehorses that included: Shanghai Bobby (Harlan's Holiday), Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday), Charlatan (Speightstown), Authentic (Into Mischief), and Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}), just to name a few.

Among his many pursuits, he serves as a member of the inspection team for the Keeneland Racing Association's September Sale.

Brothers joined TDN for 20 questions. Here are his unedited answers to breeding and racing's most poignant questions for 2022 and into the new year!

TDN: What is your racing or bloodstock highlight of the year?

FB: Breeders' Cup, just a fantastic group of races this year.

TDN: How about value sire for the 2023 season?

FB: Dialed In.

TDN: Who will be the leading freshman sire next year?

FB: Omaha Beach.

TDN: Best stallion in the business?

FB: Into Mischief because most people didn't see his success as a stallion coming and, early on, he did not get the best mares so he did it all on his own. An even more present day version would be Gun Runner.

TDN: Favorite all-time sales ring moment?

FB: When Starlight Racing bought Shanghai Bobby (who went on to become undefeated at two and Champion Two-Year-Old).

TDN: Name one positive change you'd like to see in racing next year?

FB: The powers that be in racing manage to pass uniform laws for the greater good.

TDN: What is the most exciting race you watched this year?

FB: Life Is Good winning the GI Whitney Stakes.

TDN: If you could go back in time and see one race in person, what would it be?

FB: Any of Man o' War's big races.

TDN: If you could only go to one track the rest of your life, where would it be?

FB: Keeneland.

TDN: Besides Rich Strike, what was the biggest surprise of 2022 in horse racing?

FB: $4.6 million for 2.5% of Flightline.

TDN: Who is your breakout stallion of 2022?

FB: Arrogate. God rest his soul.

TDN: What was your major takeaway from the commercial market this year?

FB: The amount of money it takes to buy what is perceived to be the quality yearlings.

TDN: You can bring back one racetrack from the past, which one would it be and why?

FB: Aksarben. Small track, but it had a lot of charisma and energy. That, or Hollywood Park, which, in it's heyday, felt like a genuine backdrop for the stars of Hollywood.

TDN: Which TDN Rising Star(s) are you most looking forward to seeing in 2023?

FB: I'm biased, but I'll go with Prank (StarLadies Racing).

TDN: Is there a trainer that is going to have a breakout year in 2023? Who is it and why do you think that will happen?

FB: The present Top 10 trainers are pretty strong. Would be hard to top what they're doing right now.

TDN: Is Flightline a lock for Horse of the Year? Where do you stand on Best Three-Year-Old Male? Rich Strike or Epicenter?

FB: Yes to Flightline, Horse of the Year. Best Three-Year-Old Male, Epicenter.

TDN: During your career, who was the hardest working backside worker you ever saw? Explain.

FB: Pretty much anyone who came up under Jack Van Berg. Van Berg set the tone–he worked as hard as anyone. But he expected more from his employees than anyone I had ever seen before or since and people were willing to work hard for him (myself included).

TDN: In the next 10 years, what do you think will be the most significant change when it comes to the bloodstock business in North America?

FB: If the foal crop continues to shrink, the price of what-is-perceived-to-be good yearlings, will continue to go up. In turn, it will be increasingly difficult for a sole buyer to purchase a horse–or justify purchasing the horse–and we'll see more and more groups partnering up. We're already seeing that, of course.

TDN: Who is your favorite jockey of all-time?

FB: I am, by marriage, mandated to say Donna Barton. But aside from her, Jerry Bailey.

TDN: What do you miss most about training racehorses? Please explain.

FB: Facilitating the development of horses. I miss the horses because I've been around them for most of my life. But there are many things about being a horse trainer that I don't miss!

TDN: Last but not least, let's unwrap who is your favorite horse of all-time?

FB: Seattle Slew.

The post Twelve Days a Racing: Drumming with Frank Brothers, Q&A appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Trying to capture the essence of a bygone era champion can be a daunting task. The subtleties can be as elusive as the principal cast of characters–many of whom might no longer with us–who made up the stalwart's inner circle. However, author Mary Perdue has managed to capture not only the nuance of a great champion, Landaluce, but also the framework of an era long since past.

A tremendous talent whose rising stardom was snuffed out much too early, Landaluce was surrounded by a team of individuals who would leave their own indelible stamps on racing history. In Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew's First Champion, Perdue offers a closer look at Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew, who was still but a young, developing sire at the time in question, in addition to D. Wayne Lukas, who would make his way into the record books, and ultimately the Hall of Fame, but who had much left to accomplish when Landaluce graced his shedrow.

Much of the behind-the-scenes information that Perdue unearths for this rendering is as eye-opening to the most seasoned industry veteran as it is riveting to the racing novice. The hours of research and legwork put in by Perdue is clearly evident in the pages of this work, and the snapshot in history passed along to the reader is enlightening.

NBC analyst Donna Brothers echoes the sentiment in her back-jacket assessment: “I always thought I knew the Landaluce story, but after reading Mary Perdue's captivating account of how Landaluce came to be–and then became a champion–I realized that I knew almost nothing about her and the people who surrounded her.”

Characters long since departed come alive courtesy of the abundance of detail, supported by a long list of credible resources. And while I, personally, have been fortunate to have known many of the principal characters in this book, there are also a good number of those whom I had not had the opportunity to meet. However, Perdue gives the reader real insight into the primary players around the filly, as well as those who proved instrumental in the success of her sire as well as some of the other shining stars of time.

The story of Landaluce is one that is all too familiar: an ascending starlet akin to Marilyn Monroe, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse or Selena whose lives were cut short in the zenith of their careers.

As Lukas is quoted as saying, “There's nothing easy about [racing]…I know the elevator goes down, too.”

While the sun set on Landaluce long ago and far too soon, the power of her presence was enough to catapult many of those around her into the stratosphere. And Perdue's work offers the reader the opportunity to catch a glimmer of that radiance that blazed through racing in 1982.

The author will be present for a book signing at Santa Anita Park Oct. 16, marking the 40th anniversary of the Anoakia S., a race won by the filly in 1982.

The post Book Review – Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew’s First Champion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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