GMP Farm Looks Ahead After a Banner Summer

When Anthony Melfi purchased a 100-acre property in Schuylerville, New York two years ago, he and his partner Gary Gullo did not want to have what would be just another farm. Instead, they hoped to create something that could have a lasting impact on the sport of racing.

“We thought that if we could get something that's unique, we could improve the horse racing business a little bit,” explained Gullo. “We didn't want to have a regular farm just to have a farm. We wanted to make a difference, trying to help this industry out as best as possible.”

Their vision would soon become GMP Farm, an equine rehabilitation and training center with state-of-the-art facilities and a long list of services available to help equine athletes return to top form.

They started with the original barn, which was once home to Stone Bridge Farm training center, but quickly began construction on a second due to high demand. They redid the base of their seven-eighths Tapeta training track and developed an expansive list of rehabilitation services including a cold water spa, Theraplates, cryotherapy, thermal imaging, laser therapy and more. This spring, they added an equine hyperbaric chamber.

Melfi and Gullo's efforts were rewarded this year as GMP Farm has been a model of success. With a capacity of 60 horses, the operation located 15 minutes from Saratoga has been in full swing as it has attracted horses from some of the top barns in the country.

“Bill Mott has been a big supporter of us,” said Gullo. “Todd Pletcher, Linda Rice, Rudy Rodriguez, Ray Handal–we have all different trainers sending us horses. It's a pleasure to have them have faith in us to get their horses right and send them back.”

GMP Farm's hyperbaric chamber was added early this year | Katie Petrunyak

A veteran trainer himself before he teamed up with his longtime client Melfi to start GMP Stable in 2020, Gullo said the expertise his team has to offer has been a major factor in getting GMP Farm off and running.

“We know how to take care of horses and we know what to look for,” he explained. “When they leave here, they look great. Their weight is good and they're dappled out. Being a trainer, I know what I expected when horses came off the farm and 90% of the time they were too fat or to thin. Then I would have to give them 30 days or so just to get them back to where I wanted them. We know what other trainers expect and we better deliver what they want.”

GMP Farm is managed by Steve Rydowski, who worked under Hall of Famer John Nerud and was a longtime assistant for Gullo.

“We've gotten very good reviews,” said Rydowski. “A lot of owners will touch back with me after the horse ran and they'll say, 'Wow, this horse ran one of the best races he's run.' So it's been very positive. Between all of us, we're very hands on. We pay attention to detail with the horse, determining what's going on and where to go from there on each individual horse.”

The facility is not restricted to racehorses. Gullo estimated that about 65% of the horses in their care have been Thoroughbreds, but they've also brought in many Standardbreds. They've also worked with a number of equestrian-type horses, even attracting an Olympic-level jumper.

GMP Farm was a popular destination for both horses and humans during the Saratoga race meet. Not only did many of the top horsemen in the business stop by to see the evolution of the operation, but the farm was also the host of a performance of Robert Montano's Off-Broadway show “Small” and it brought in visitors looking to enjoy the property's human spa destination, Sacred Spa and Wellness.

While the hubbub of the Saratoga season has since quieted down, Gullo said he believes that their facility will stay busy on into next year, noting that the additions of a temperature-controlled barn last year and the hyperbaric chamber this spring should attract all types of equine athletes in the coming months.

“Last year we might have been 30% full in the wintertime,” he shared. “But I feel like this winter there are going to be more people from Belmont that will ship up and more of the trotters that will be at Saratoga or Yonkers. And you've also got your equestrian horses that are starting to funnel in.”

But Gullo isn't all that worried about having a packed barn year-round. He said GMP Farm is in it for the long game.

“We're really not looking so much at numbers,” he said. “We're looking at building something that's going to be great for the horses. We just want to have the horses and do the great job that we do.”

Gullo and Melfi are already looking into how they can continue to improve their facility. Gullo said they are considering the additions of a swimming pool and an aqua-treadmill.

Even as demand grows as more owners and trainers utilize their services, Gullo said they don't intend on increasing their intake too much. Instead, he said they have their sights on expanding in a different way.

“We don't want to get too big,” he said. “Actually we're looking at maybe trying to have this as a template to go somewhere else with this type of thing. Maybe Ocala, the World Equestrian Center, or Wellington–somewhere like that where we could do the same thing.”

The key to future success, he reiterated, will be having the right people behind the project.

“You can have this beautiful place that looks great, but if you don't have the right people in place, it's going to fail. You have to have qualified people that know what they're doing. The people who work here make it special. Anthony makes it special. There are a lot of moving parts, but everybody's proud of it. And that makes a difference too, when you're really proud of what you do.”

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GMP Stable Takes Next Step Towards Big Dreams at the Spa

When Gary Gullo retired from training in September of 2020 after 40 years on the Belmont backside, it was with big goals in mind. Gullo teamed up with longtime owner Anthony Melfi to start GMP Stable, an operation focused on breeding, selling, racing and now an equine rehabilitation farm. Gullo and Melfi's main goal has always been to acquire and breed top- quality horses and the first member of their new-and-improved breeding program will be offered at the prestigious Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale next week.

“It's our first time upgrading our mares,” Gullo said. “This is the first time we are actually putting them through the sale and running it as a breeding business. We have one in the Select Sale and two in the [Fasig-Tipton] New York-Bred Sale.”

The horseman continued, “Anthony is a great guy, great to work for. He has the same vision as I have, just trying to be first class with everything. It takes time to do. It is a process. It's not going to happen overnight. We are trying to buy top quality mares in foals to nice stallions. We have them at WinStar Farm. Now we are looking to sell some of the babies to offset some cost and keep it running like a business. We might start to keep a few down the road, but our goal is to breed top-quality horses.”

The GMP team will offer Hip 151, a Curlin filly out of MGISP Cassies Dreamer (Flatter), during the second session of Fasig's Select Sale Tuesday. Consigned by Taylor Made, the bay is the first foal out of Cassies Dreamer, who completed the trifecta in both the GI Frizette S. and GI Spinaway S. GMP Stable purchased the now 6-year-old mare for $435,000 with this filly in utero at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

“It is exciting,” Melfi said of selling a horse in the Saratoga Select Sale. “We can't wait to see how it goes and what she brings. She is a beautiful filly by Curlin. We just love her.”

Just six days later, GMP Stable has a pair of More Than Ready yearlings bred in partnership with Dutchess Views Farm and Robert Valeri set to sell during the second session of Fasig's New York-Bred Sale Aug. 15.

The first to go through the ring will be Hip 523, a filly out of Cinderella Time (Stephen Got Even). A $245,000 acquisition at the 2019 KEENOV sale in foal to Twirling Candy, the 11-year-old mare is already the dam of MGSW & MGISP Horologist (Gemologist).

Their other NY-bred offering is Hip 574, a More Than Ready colt out of Giant Blossom (Giant's Causeway). Picked up for $100,000 in foal to Frosted at the same KEENOV renewal, Giant Blossom is a half-sister to GISW Cotton Blossom (Broken Vow).

“We feel good about our New York-breds as well,” Gullo said. “We are getting our feet wet. We are relying on Fasig-Tipton, WinStar and Taylor Made. We are with the right people.”

Breeding and selling is just one area that GMP Stable dabbles in. They also have 25 horses in training across the country with conditioners such as Todd Pletcher, Linda Rice, Gary Sciacca, Robertino Diodoro and Doug O'Neill. The racing stable is a mix of homebreds, 2-year-old purchases and horses claimed at Churchill with an eye on the Del Mar meet.

“We would like to expand eventually,” Gullo said. “We bought some 2-year-olds and will buy more next year. We will also buy another three of four mares in November. Right now we are claiming horses for some action for us, but we are focusing on the higher quality over quantity.”

Gullo and Melfi's main focus at the moment is their farm, which is geared towards racehorse rehabilitation. Previously the Stone Bridge Farm training center, the Schuylerville, New York facility is an equine oasis with a training track, saltwater spas, Theraplates, magnawave and much more.

“We have a beautiful farm that is set up like a rehab, like Fair Hill,” Gullo said. “We are bringing in a hyperbaric chamber. We have saltwater spas, the vibrating plates, lasers, magnawave, thermal imaging. We have a seven-eighths Tapeta track. We redid the base and put a new cushion on it. We had the guy from Keeneland come and redo it all. We are going to have 50 stalls. We have horses here for Linda [Rice], [Todd] Pletcher and Bill Mott. Wesley Ward came out and loved it.”

The GMP farm also houses a spa for humans, offering a wide variety of services. Additionally, Melfi owns two bed and breakfasts on Union Ave. in Saratoga and plans to tie all of the facilities together.

“The spa is called Sacred Spa and Wellness,” said Melfi, who operated an environmental contracting company, which he sold in 2019. “We offer massage, facials, infrared saunas, chiropractic, acupuncture, body sculpting and basically anything you'd find at a high-end spa or wellness center.”

He added, “I also own Union Gables and the Brunswick. We are in the process of incorporating all the properties together to make it more of a destination.”

Between what they already have in the works and their future plans, Gullo and Melfi have a lot to look forward to with their new operation.

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