Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Pearl Tiara Brings Her Small-Scale Breeders Full Circle

When Loren Hebel-Osborne needed a moment to get her emotions in check, she did what she's always done: she leaned on her horse.

Pearl Tiara gracefully allowed her co-owner and co-breeder to press a kiss to her forehead as they stood in the winner's circle. Perhaps the 3-year-old filly was enjoying the extra attention after she dominated her competition by 8 ¾ lengths in last Wednesday's $75,000 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes at Indiana Grand.

“I was holding back a really ugly cry,” Hebel-Osborne said Saturday from her home at Deerfield Farm just outside Louisville, Ky. “It was like the release of a pressure valve; some people will understand that. It was this happy, exhausted, just full-circle moment of overwhelming emotion.”

Pearl Tiara's win was so extra-special because she is the first stakes winner for stallion Majestic Harbor, whom Hebel-Osborne and her husband, Kentucky Speaker of the House David Osborne, also campaigned on the racetrack with a group of friends. The couple has worked diligently to support in his burgeoning stallion career, and from a first crop of just 15 foals, Majestic Harbor was the leading first crop sire in California last year.

Of those first 15, the Osbornes foaled out and raised eight babies on their farm. For an operation that typically bred two to three mares in a year, making the jump to eight was a significant financial, emotional, and physically arduous undertaking.

“With all that we've done to support him, seeing him get that first stakes winner, it was just like, 'Oh my gosh, it actually worked,'” Hebel-Osborne said. “Being a small-time breeder, you never know if there's a place for us in this business anymore. It's certainly hard to compete, and we're still fishing in a pretty small pond, but winning that race felt absolutely incredible.

“We have invested over 10,000 hours from planning to utero, etc., and it all came together for this one moment.”

It was also emotional for more personal reasons, Hebel-Osborne acknowledged. This was the first major racing victory since the passing of her father, Charles Hebel, in September of 2020. 

“Racing has always been a family affair for us,” she said. “He was a horrible handicapper, the consummate two-dollar bettor, but he loved the family aspect of the game. He was one of the partners in Majestic Harbor so we got to ride the very top of the wave together, and I know he would have loved to have been there for this.”

In fact, Hebel was one of the partners who encouraged his daughter to go out and buy yearlings at the 2009 Keeneland September sale. In hindsight, it was a brilliant idea: the economic crash meant nice horses were selling for rock-bottom prices, and they'd been able to buy horses they could never have afforded otherwise. 

At the time, however, going to that sale seemed like a really big risk. 

Hebel-Osborne had just lost her job when Visa pulled out of the Triple Crown sponsorship, and the state of the economy meant the prospect of new employment was much more challenging. Still, both her parents and her husband helped put together a group of friends to buy some horses, and off they went to Keeneland.

They would end up buying six yearlings that year, including a colt by Rockport Harbor for $20,000 and a filly by Mineshaft for $22,000. Years later, those two would become the parents of Pearl Tiara.

All six were brought home to Deerfield after the sale, where they enjoyed lush pastures, personalized attention, and careful mentorship by the Osbornes' retired racehorses.

The Rockport Harbor colt was nicknamed “Rocky,” and was later registered as Majestic Harbor. He flashed talent as a 2-year-old, enough that a potential sale was brokered, but on the morning of his veterinary exam Rocky got loose at the Fair Grounds and slid into a dumpster, winding up with enough road rash and bumps and bruises to negate the sale.

The Osbornes would be glad he did, even if it took a few more years to achieve his maximum potential. 

It wasn't until 2014, at the age of six, that Majestic Harbor achieved the pinnacle of his career when triumphing at 14-1 odds in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. Majestic Harbor continued to race until age eight, compiling a record of 10 wins, eight seconds, and seven thirds from 42 starts with earnings over $1.2 million.

Majestic Harbor wins the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 28, 2014.

“He was so sound for so long, and that's the kind of horse we want to support as breeders,” Hebel-Osborne said. “We also breed for disposition, and he has the best brain and seems to be passing that on to his foals.”

Majestic Harbor stood his first season in 2017 at Swifty Farms in Indiana, siring 13 fillies from his 15-strong first crop. After his second year, Majestic Harbor moved to Harris Farms in California for the 2019 breeding season. 

Last year, with his first foals racing as 2-year-olds, Majestic Harbor earned the leading first crop sire title in California. He did so without siring a stakes winner in 2020, though Pearl Tiara and another Majestic Harbor filly, Diamond Solitaire, in whom the Osbornes are also co-owners and breeders, both raced well as juveniles.

This year's statistics seem to show that his runners are getting better with age, as Pearl Tiara and Diamond Solitaire ran one-two in Wednesday's stakes race. Pearl Tiara is trained by Tim Glyshaw, who also trained the Osbornes' Unreachable Star, the record-setting Indiana-bred who also has a stakes race named after him.

“Having Pearl (Tiara) and Diamond (Solitaire) finish one-two in the stakes race for Majestic Harbor is a thrill,” said Hebel-Osborne. “And, this is the first time Pearl has beaten Diamond. We saw Diamond start moving toward her and thought she might catch her, but Pearl said, 'Not today.'”

Hebel-Osborne reflected on the risks they'd taken to support Majestic Harbor. They'd purchased new mares to breed to the stallion. They'd had to build additional stalls to accommodate the increased number of mares and foals, and even borrowed a few stalls and pastures from the sporthorse farm next door. They'd hired additional help, and she and her husband spent countless hours performing barn chores themselves. 

When he moved to California, the Osbornes divided their mares and sent some to Harris Farms along with him, launching their first California-bred operation. Of course, every winter when Indiana Grand shuts down for the season, the Osbornes have brought their racing stock home to Deerfield to give them a vacation.

Pearl Tiara and Diamond Solitaire even spent the winter racing each other around the same paddock.

The risks have paid off, with Majestic Harbor doing his part to make a name for himself in the breeding shed.

“I'm not talking down about our mares, but there's no Serena's Song out there in our pastures,” David Osborne said. “If he can do this with the stock that he's gotten, I just think that says a lot about his ability.”

Looking to the future, the Osbornes are entertaining the idea of bringing Majestic Harbor back to Kentucky, where his racing longevity might be attractive to local breeders. 

In the meantime, things at Deerfield have scaled back a bit. Four yearlings stand in the paddocks from last year's breeding season, and just one foal is racing around her mother's legs. 

As it had been for most of the world, the pandemic had been a season filled with challenges both personal and professional for the Osbornes. Besides the struggles of working through a legislative session with COVID-19 restrictions, Hebel-Osborne faced the unknowns of scheduling sporting events through her job as a sales executive for QuintEvents.

This year, the Osbornes lost a mare and her Majestic Harbor foal to a difficult birth in February, while another mare delivered a dead foal. 

Along with the loss of Hebel-Osborne's father last fall, the couple lost both of their beloved Corgis in just 12 months.

Life circles on, and Hebel-Osborne opened her heart to a beautiful German Shepherd puppy named Kayzie in November. A graduate of the Paws Behind Bars program at Bluegrass Adoption, Kayzie has enthusiastically taken up her role as head of security at Deerfield.

Even Osborne, who said he wasn't quite ready for another dog, seems to have found plenty of room in his heart for Kayzie's loveable antics as she learned about farm dog life.

“This can be a tough business,” Hebel-Osborne concluded. “But when you have days like that (Wednesday at Indiana Grand), it makes everything seem worth it. I know my dad was cheering us on.”

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Pearl Tiara Shines As Majestic Harbor Fillies Go One-Two In Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes

Pearl Tiara and Fernando De La Cruz pulled away from the field for an impressive upset in the 13th running of the $75,000 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes, Filly Division, at Indiana Grand Wednesday, June 23. The duo covered the one and one-sixteenth mile event in a time of 1:45.60 to score their second consecutive victory in 2021.

Starting from post three, Pearl Tiara broke well to get into early position as Found My Man and Sammy Bermudez set the early tempo. The leader was joined by Pearl Tiara at the midway point for a challenge with Pearl Tiara taking over in the final turn of the race.

In the stretch, De La Cruz asked Pearl Tiara for another gear and she responded, posting an eight and three-quarter length advantage at the wire. Diamond Solitaire and Alex Achard finished second with Verry Amelia and Santo Sanjur rounding out the trifecta.

Pearl Tiara paid $13.80 for the win. The homebred daughter of Majestic Harbor is now two for three in 2021. Overall, she has three wins in nine starts and increased her career bankroll to more than $119,000.

Pearl Tiara was born and raised by David Osborne, Loren Hebel-Osborne and Carol Hebel at their Deerfield Farm in Prospect, Ky. The sophomore filly is by their stallion, Majestic Harbor, who stood at Swifty Farms in Indiana before relocating to California.

Both Pearl Tiara and Diamond Solitaire, the second-place finisher in the Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Filly Stakes, were part of Osborne's breeding operation and have grown up together. Diamond Solitaire, who lost her mother two weeks after she was born, has truly shined on the track, pushing over the $90,000 mark in earnings. The filly became syndicated and is the reason a large partnership is trackside every time she races at Indiana Grand. The partnership includes the Osbornes and Gene McLean, who are breeders on the filly.

“Having Pearl (Tiara) and Diamond (Solitaire) finish one-two in the stakes race for Majestic Harbor is a thrill,” said Loren Hebel-Osborne. “And, this is the first time Pearl has beaten Diamond. We saw Diamond start moving toward her and thought she might catch her, but Pearl said, 'not today.' And, it marks the first stakes winner for Majestic Harbor.”

Majestic Harbor was named Leading First Crop Sire in California last year. The latest tag of stakes winning sire also makes him the current Leading Second Crop Sire for California as well.

“He earned leading first crop sire in California without a stakes winner,” said David Osborne. “Although it's based on his Indiana foals, it is determined in the state where he currently stands.”

The Osbornes still have Pearl Tiara's dam, Pearl Pendant, and she is currently in California back in foal to Majestic Harbor. In addition to sharing “jewelry themed names,” both Diamond Solitaire and Pearl Tiara also share space when at the Deerfield Farm.

“These two (Pearl Tiara and Diamond Solitaire) spent the winter together and were in the same paddock and same barn,” added David Osborne. “So, they are very familiar with one another.”

Majestic Harbor's first crop consisted of 10 foals, nine of which were fillies, including Diamond Solitaire and Pearl Tiara. Tim Glyshaw trains Pearl Tiara, who is not the first representative for the Osbornes. Glyshaw also trained Unreachable Star, second on the list of All-time Leading Indiana Sired money earners with more than $784,000 in career earnings.

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Steve Asmussen Named 2020 Recipient Of KTO Warner L. Jones Horseman Of The Year Award

Steve Asmussen — who this year became Churchill Downs' all-time win leader and only the second trainer to achieve 9,000 career victories — is the 2020 recipient of the Louisville-based Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award.

The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion exemplified by Jones, who spent 50 years on the Churchill Downs board, including eight as chairman during the iconic track's resurgence. Warner Jones — the first and so far only breeder of a Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup winner — was the inaugural award winner in 1988, six years before his death.

“Everything my whole family has is because of horse racing,” Asmussen said upon being informed he was the award recipient. “I won the Warner L. Jones Horseman of the Year Award – that has a beautiful ring to it. For anybody to be involved in horse racing, I think the greatest compliment you can be given is to be considered a horseman. It is what we strive for. It is something I, as well as my whole family, would be proud to be acknowledged as. The list of past recipients is beyond impressive and a group that I'm very proud to be a part of. That is cool.”

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners is an educational and social organization dedicated to the betterment of racing in the state. Membership is open not only to owners but anyone interested in the sport, including prospective owners.

Because of the COVID-19 health crisis, the KTO was forced to cancel its traditional November awards gala, with Asmussen and the other 2020 KTO award winners to be feted when circumstances permit an in-person event in 2021. KTO president Loren Hebel-Osborne said it was important to still recognize an individual for exceptional work in horse racing.

“As we all know this racing game ebbs and flows; we do not want Covid-19 to further penalize any members or racing entities who may otherwise be having a banner year in racing,” Hebel-Osborne said. “We weren't about to let Covid-19 cancel one more thing. In fact, I would say to win an award under these circumstances really shows extraordinary skill! We want to celebrate, elevate and honor these accomplishments especially in this most challenging environment.

“Steve is the embodiment of what the Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award was created to recognize. Not just his record-setting numbers while playing at all levels of the game but just passing the eyeball test with how his horses always seem to glow good health and being well-cared for.”

Born into a horse-racing family as the younger son of Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, Steve spent parts of three seasons as a jockey before he returned from an injury too big to ride. He worked as an assistant trainer to his mother before starting his own stable with a handful of horses in 1986, winning with his 12th starter: Victory's Halo in a $2,600 maiden race at New Mexico's Ruidoso Downs.

Through Dec. 2, Asmussen had won 9,104 races, trailing only the late Dale Baird's 9,445. Those victories include training Horses of the Year Curlin (2007-2008), Rachel Alexandra (2009) and Gun Runner (2017), as well as winning the 2007 (Curlin) and 2009 (Rachel Alexandra) Preakness and the 2016 Belmont Stakes (Creator). His seven Breeders' Cup triumphs include the Classic with Curlin in 2007 and Gun Runner in 2017, with Curlin also taking the $5 million Dubai World Cup in 2008 and Gun Runner the $16 million Pegasus World Cup to cap his career in 2018. Rachel Alexandra became the only 3-year-old filly to beat older males in winning Saratoga's historic Whitney Handicap in 2009.

Asmussen's more than $342.7 million in career purse earnings are second all-time to Todd Pletcher's $397 million, according to Equibase statistics. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2016. Racing secretaries everywhere appreciate how much he comes to run — no one comes close to his more than 44,000 career starts.

Asmussen's 650 victories in 2009 are a record and mark one of four years in which he's surpassed 500 wins. He is the all-time win-leader at Lone Star Park and Remington Park in addition to Churchill Downs, where he replaced former Warner Jones recipient Dale Romans with the track record with victory No. 738 under the Twin Spires on June 12 this year. At Kentucky tracks, Asmussen has won a record 24 meet training titles at Churchill Downs as well as three apiece at Keeneland and Ellis Park.

On top of it, Asmussen is also an owner of note, his horses having won almost 1,200 races and more than $18.7 million dating to 2000, according to Equibase.

Past Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award recipients

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Unreachable Star Connections Donate To Friends Of Ferdinand On Indiana Champions Day

Unreachable Star was one of the first modern day superstars in the Indiana breeding program. The one-time leader in the state for most purse earnings accumulated during his racing campaign, the now 16-year-old is remembered with a new stakes race in his honor, the $100,000 Unreachable Star Stakes as part of the newly formed Indiana Champions Day, placing the spotlight on the Indiana breeding and racing program.

In honor of the veteran racehorse, who was the first to eclipse $700,000 in purse earnings in the state of Indiana, Unreachable Star's connections made a $500 donation to Friends of Ferdinand during Indiana Champions Day Wednesday, Oct. 28. The donation will assist the local organization with racehorse aftercare programs.

“This is absolutely a full circle moment for us to have a race named in his honor,” said Loren Hebel-Osborne, one of the owners of Unreachable Star. “If he could be here, he would be eating a watermelon and hamming it up and loving it. I hope this donation brings awareness to all horses that are warriors like him, and we hope people will give them a chance after racing for a second career.”

Unreachable Star was retired in 2015 with a total of $784,595 in career earnings and earned four consecutive year-end honors in Indiana as one of the state's top performers. He was the on-site horse at the Churchill Downs Museum and is now enjoying a new career in the hunter-jumper show ring.

“When he started his career in 2007, the purses and the stakes weren't as high as what they are today, so he would have been pretty close to becoming the state' first horse to earn $1 million if he had raced now,” said Tim Glyshaw, trainer of Unreachable Star during his entire career. “He was a barn pet and we kept him at Churchill Downs the whole time. After every race, he'd get a watermelon. He loved watermelon. You could do anything with him. He was just a really cool horse.”

Bruce Murphy, president of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association (ITOBA) provided the winner's circle presentation for the donation.

“We are honored to have owners Dave and Loren Osborne and Chuck Bebber here today for the inaugural Unreachable Star Stakes,” said Murphy. “We are very proud to be able to offer a stakes race in his honor, and this is a very nice donation on behalf of his connections.”

Racing continues Monday through Thursday until Thursday, Nov. 19. All-Quarter Horse racing is set for Saturday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 24. For more information, go to www.indianagrand.com.

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