A weekend job painting fences at Warner Jones’ Hermitage Farm would be the start of a journey that would take Mark Roberts to the winner’s circle of the Breeders’ Cup Classic multiple times.
However, the road to success would be an arduous path to reach his destination, fueled by hard work, passion and desire.
Hash Marks and Paddock Fences
His penchant for the gridiron would open him up to a whole new world, thanks to the influence of some men who were mentoring and molding him.
“When I was in high school, my football coach got me a job working at Hermitage Farm for Warner Jones,” said Roberts. “He worked out there in the summer painting fences. All the football coaches did. That’s what you did in the summer. I worked weekends through high school, and I was like 15 when I started. I worked through high school and college for Hermitage.”
Change of Plans
It was at Eastern Kentucky University that Roberts began to find himself, being drawn toward the vocation he has made his life’s work. One class in particular played a large role in directing him toward his chosen profession.
“At first, I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian, zoology kind of changed my mind on that (laughs),” said Roberts. “It really wasn’t until midway through college that I decided to be involved with the horse business, and at that point I kind of decided that’s what I wanted to do.”
Early Lessons
Several attributes would stand Roberts in good stead during the nascent stages of his development as a horseman; and would be hallmarks throughout his career; his work ethic and his willingness to learn provided him with a solid foundation during his evolution.
Mentors are critical in helping shape our future, and one horseman in particular, was a positive influence on Roberts’ life. It was at the farm he would learn lessons that would prepare him for an industry known for its pitfalls and adversity.
“I worked on the ground,” said Roberts. “I learned at Hermitage. Tom Shartle the farm manager there, was the best horseman I had ever been around. He was incredible and a really hard worker, very talented, so I learned a lot from him in terms of basic horsemanship.”
The facility itself at Hermitage was the perfect barometer, one that would set the tenor for the rest of Roberts’ life, a place where discipline, attention to detail and hard work were requisite and routine, but it was those variables that would resonate throughout his career.
“It was a working farm,” said Roberts. “It wasn’t one of these things where you had six or seven horses. It was nothing for me to clean 25 or 30 stalls in the morning. That’s the way they ran that. You might have a barn of 20 or 22 mares and foals, you were expected to have them turned out, cleaned before lunch, and the barn swept and immaculate and bed down after lunch, (the horses) brought in and fed.”
A Change of Address
However, a destination closer to home would be on the horizon, one that would reduce the commute between Louisville and Richmond. The move to a new place of employment would be propitious yielding a relationship that is two score strong.
I was on the six-year plan for college,” said Roberts. “My last two years, I decided I wanted to be a little closer, instead of driving back to Louisville all the time. So, I got a job in Lexington at North Ridge Farm, the Groves’ had just started North Ridge. I got a job working there, part-time, weekends, I could work afternoons then. I had early classes and would come into work. And that’s where I met Dan Hall, who’s one of my partners now, and has been my best friend for 40 years. “
Career Development
North Ridge gave Roberts the opportunity to build upon the invaluable foundation and experiences that Hermitage provided him. He would stay there for nearly five years, working his way up to being the assistant manager. It was transforming as his responsibilities changed as he took on a greater role.
“When I went to North Ridge, the difference between Lexington and Hermitage, I had an eight-stall barn (laughing),” said Roberts. “It was a lot easier, I was done early in the morning, and was looking for something to do. “People were like, you have to slow down.’ But that’s kind of how I got started, and just kind of went on from there. My first experience was mostly with breeding.”
Roberts’ reputation, competence, work ethic and focused approach made him a sought-after commodity, securing the stallion manager’s position at Three Chimneys. He would stay there nearly five years before transitioning into another role, and life away from the farm.
However, there are some differences between working at a Thoroughbred farm and the racetrack, but Roberts’ previous experience enabled him to handle the adjustments seamlessly. The opportunity to work for a well-respected horseman like John Ward yielded greater insight and perspective for Roberts, allowing him to continue his evolution process, making him a better horseman because of the experiences.
“The most difficult part (transitioning from a Thoroughbred farm to the racetrack) is mostly the routine,” said Roberts. “These are the things that you have to get done in the morning before horses go out and train. That was the biggest difference for me. To me, horsemanship is horsemanship. You know how to handle a horse, you know how to take care of a horse, you know how to bathe a horse, you know how to do all these things, if you learned properly. So, to me, it’s just getting into that routine, knowing when things have to be done, and have to be done now and just being organized. That was the most difficult part for me. But to be honest, I loved it. I really liked the racetrack.”
Early mornings were a part of the process, but when to send out your first set was something that Roberts learned from Ward. It’s something that has stayed with the horseman to this day
“With John, we started at 4 a.m.,” said Roberts. “He didn’t train in the dark, and to this day, I don’t believe training in the dark. I know a lot of guys do, you know what, I don’t care, you can’t see. Even now, I don’t train until it’s daylight because I can’t see them go around. They (the horses) can see fine, but we can’t. I want to be able to watch them train. I want to watch them go by. When you train them in the dark, a lot of times your exercise riders train them, not you. You’re going strictly off of what they say, because you can’t tell because you don’t see. John was a good horseman. He really was. He took great care of his horses.”
He stayed with Ward for a year, and then a chance encounter in south Florida would find him relocating north.
“I met Jimmy Crupi in Miami,” said Roberts “I was there with John (Ward) at Hialeah when Hialeah and Calder ran head-to-head. Jimmy Crupi was stabled at Hialeah too. He offered me a job as an assistant to go to Monmouth with him that summer. It was another opportunity, so I took that. Jimmy was a unique individual. God rest his soul. Jimmy was very good to me, and I learned a lot from Jimmy. Jimmy was mostly a claiming trainer, but he won a lot of races. I was there for two years. I didn’t care too much for New Jersey, it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I really did like Jimmy, but I decided I wanted to go back to Kentucky to be around my son.”
Pinhooking Paradise
However, the vagaries of life and a propitious proposition found Roberts moving back south, but not to Kentucky. He would be returning to Florida, but to different environs, this time to the north central part of the state, a move he would make in September 1989.
“Jimmy (Crupi) said, ‘I want to go to Ocala and start a pinhooking operation,” said Roberts. “He said, ’I want you to go down, we’ll be partners, 50-50, we’ll start an operation (Desmond Castle Farm) and break some babies.’ So, I thought this was another great opportunity, at least I could have more of a stable life, and have my son with me more, bring him down because he was still young, So, I decided to do that, and Jimmy and I were there for four or five years.”
An Unexpected Opportunity
Roberts and Crupi would go their separate ways, and he would find himself out on his own with a string of 15 horses at Classic Mile Training Center in Ocala, adjusting to the changes that come with hanging one’s own shingle in front of their barn, and contending with the challenges that come with that type of transition. But fate was about to unfurl its magic once more, and it was about being in the right place in the right time, starting Roberts on his next sojourn, one that would last nearly two decades. A chance encounter with someone who he had met previously, would have a profound influence on Roberts and alter the complexion of his life.
“At the end of that year, I met Frank Stronach,” said Roberts. “I had met him before, but I had met Frank Stronach through Dan (Hall) because Dan was working for Frank. It was back when they had the July Keenland Sale. Out of the blue, he invited me to lunch, and asked me if I would show him around Ocala. He was interested in buying a farm.”
The two men would tour the vast landscape of Marion County and its surrounding areas, having been connected through a man they both deeply respected (Dan Hall). It was a Thoroughbred operation on U.S. 27 that would play a large role in building what was fast becoming North America’s racing empire.
“We went and looked at several farms, and so we made an offer on the old Linn-Drake Farm,” said Roberts. “When that was accepted and we got that done, that day, he offered me a job. I was with Frank for about 18 or 19 years (1996-2015).”
A Propitious Position
It appeared Roberts found the ideal position, providing him with the chance to train a larger string of horses, while allowing him more flexibility when the training season was over. However, something of far greater magnitude was on the horizon, more than anyone could have ever expected with the exception of one of the sport’s greatest visionaries, Frank Stronach. Adena Springs South changed the complexion of the Thoroughbred industry in Ocala and Marion County.
“My original job with Frank was supposed to be breaking 40 babies in the winter, ship them out in April, go to Kentucky, which I loved that idea because my son was there, spend the summer there and work with the yearlings that were going to come down, and bring them down in September or October,” said Roberts. “Well, I thought this was perfect. I had been working for Frank for about two or three months, I had 100 horses in training, I had 60 broodmares, four stallions and we were building barns, looking at more property (laughing).
“Needless to say; I never made it to Kentucky for the next summer to do that, and from there it just kept growing. At one point, we had 8,000 acres, and it was all devoted to horses. It was all horses, we had 1,700 head of horses. It was huge. I think we had 282 employees at one point.”
Transformations and Modifications
As with all jobs, they progress over time. Evolution in responsibilities, shift of focus and different objectives are endemic to many professions, and the Thoroughbred industry is no exception.
“And like all of these big operations, they eventually start to downsize,” said Roberts. “As we started downsizing, Frank decided he wanted to get into the grass-fed cattle, and chicken business and he started buying property.”
The opportunity at Adena Springs South provided Roberts with a variety of experiences, broadening his depth of knowledge in a number of areas outside of the Thoroughbred industry.
”One thing I will say about working for Frank, I learned so much,” said Roberts. “I learned a lot about a lot of different things. It’s not always in your job description. He’s not afraid to say, ‘go do this.’”
True Calling
However, Roberts’ heart is with the Thoroughbred industry, and his passion for the horse and the business itself remains unwavering.
“But it got to be where the horses were becoming less-and-less,” said Roberts. “We weren’t doing horses that much, we were doing golf courses, and it’s just not what I wanted to do. I wasn’t happy and decided to make a change. The guys at Hidden Brook had been after me for a while, Jack (Brothers), Dan (Hall), Serge (de Sousa) and Kevin Latta, our other partner from Texas. So, I decided I wasn’t doing what I really wanted to do. I ended up leaving (his position with Adena Springs in 2015).
New Beginnings
It was an opportunity for another start, However, initially after going out on his own again, Roberts leased stalls for a year at Adena Springs South. But that was short-lived as Frank Stronach decided he didn’t want to lease the stalls at the facility to trainers anymore. Randy Bradshaw was also among the trainers at Adena Springs South, and both he and Roberts made the decision to look for a place in conjunction where they would be able to move their operations.
“We knew it was coming, and we (Roberts and Bradshaw) got together and said, ‘Let’s see if we can find a place together because it was very hard to find something that we thought really worked, and thought was a good place, small enough for one operation. It was extremely challenging. There are a lot of farms around here for sale, but they don’t all fit.”
Finally, they found a place in Williston, Fla., the Robert F. Scanlon Training Center, seemed to check off all the boxes for the two Thoroughbred conditioners, and they purchased the facility in 2015.
“It was perfect for us,” said Roberts. “We liked the racetrack, it was a little bit bigger than five-eighths (of a mile), it’s three-quarters (of a mile). We just kind of liked the way it laid out. We could split it up, nice and very simply. Randy owns the front part. We have the back. The track and big maintenance barn, that’s community property. We own that together. So, it really worked out that it split up into thirds equally. There’s Randy, there’s Hidden Brook and then there’s Levy County LLC, which is the racetrack and what we own 50-50.”
Hidden Brook South’s facility has 100 stalls, ample turnout, something Roberts believes you can never have enough of, multiple round pens and the entire place has been refenced, the road into the operation has been modified, two new barns have been added and he’s very pleased with the current configuration.
Success Stories
Roberts has had the good fortune of being around some of the world’s best Thoroughbreds during his career. Among those horses was the 2000 Preakness winner Red Bullet. The Adena Springs homebred raced in the colors of Frank Stronach, was conditioned by Joe Orseno, and drew away to win the middle jewel of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown by an impressive 3 ¾ lengths under the confident handling of jockey Jerry Bailey. The chestnut son of Unbridled won six races and earned $1,161,920.
However, there was a race in 1998 that Roberts recounts as one of his favorite moments at the track where he accompanied Stronach to the venue. It was the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs that assembled an impressive field. The Stronach owned and bred Awesome Again scored a ¾ length victory over the dual Classic winner Silver Charm, with Swain (IRE) finishing third and Classic winner Victory Gallop placing fourth. Pat Day rode the winner to victory, and Patrick Byrne conditioned the bay colt.
“It was very important to Frank (Awesome Again’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic),” said Roberts. “It was a big deal to Frank. And guys like Frank, and these men, who’ve put in millions and millions of dollars in this business, and even the smaller guys, to win races like that, it just takes you to a whole other level. They keep pushing forward, and the next thing is to do it again.”
Awesome Again distinguished himself on the racetrack, the Ontario-bred won nine races and placed third twice from 22 starts earning $4,374,590. He scored five other graded stakes victories. He won the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown in 1997 at Woodbine, while in the barn of David Hofmans, capturing the Queen’s Plate with Mike Smith up.
A Day for the Ages
It’s been more than two decades ago, but Nov. 4, 2000, continues to resonate with Roberts. The Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs yielded a pair of winners for Stronach Stables, leaving an indelible impression with the connections.
A bay filly by Red Ransom out of the Valid Appeal mare Valid Victress, bred by Adena Springs and conditioned by Joe Orseno would punctuate her 4-year-old campaign that fateful autumn day, winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (Gr. 1) by ¾ of a length under the sure-handedness of seven-time Eclipse Award winning jockey and Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey.
Perfect Sting won 14 of her 21 starts, placing second three times en route to earning $2,202,042. A 10-time stakes winner, Perfect Sting scored added money wins at ages two through five. The filly’s first stakes win came as a juvenile in the Green River Stakes at Keeneland. She would follow that win with a three stakes victories including her first graded scores, both Grade Ones, during her sophomore campaign, with wins in the Captive Miss Stakes at Monmouth Park on the Fourth of July and then her first Grade One victory at Belmont Park in the Garden City Breeders’ Cup Handicap, proving to be a harbinger as she was victorious again 27 days later in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Stakes (Gr.1) at Keeneland. Stakes success would continue to smile upon the bay filly, whose performances brought elation to the connections, but would bring anguish and distress to her opponents in much the way a piercing of one’s skin by an insect or plant causes heartbreak. At age four, there was no slowing down, victories in the Beaugay Handicap (Gr. 3) at Aqueduct, another score this time at Belmont Park in the Just a Game Breeders’ Cup Handicap (Gr. 3) less than five weeks later after her previous win, continued success with another trip to the winner’s circle in the Grade 2 New York Handicap in July. But a year of racing in New York wouldn’t be complete without a victory in Saratoga, and this time it was Perfect Sting winning the Diana Handicap (Gr. 2) in late summer.
Those previous four victories seemed to increase her confidence because two months later, she would score her first Grade One win of her 4-year-old campaign and on racing’s biggest stage, the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Her last stakes victory came at age five, and it was in the south Florida sunshine at Hialeah Park, winning the Black Helen Handicap on April 14, 2001.
But Perfect Sting wasn’t the only winner that November day at Churchill Downs. A gray son of Holy Bull, and a half-brother to Awesome Again, would establish himself as one of the best of his generation by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Gr.1). Macho Uno had the same connections as Perfect Sting, bred by Adena Springs, campaigned by Stronach Stables and conditioned by Joe Orseno. Jerry Bailey would guide Macho Uno to victory that day defeating future dual Classic winner and the 2001 3-year-old Eclipse Award winner Point Given by a nose.
Prior to his Breeders’ Cup victory, Macho Uno captured the Grey Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Gr. 1) at Woodbine. His resume would include two additional graded stakes victories, the Pennsylvania Derby (Gr. 3) at Philadelphia Park during his sophomore campaign. At age four, Macho Uno captured the Massachusetts Handicap (Gr. 2) at Suffolk Downs.
But the imprint from November 4, 2000, continues to resonate powerfully with Roberts. However, even after enjoying an afternoon of incredible achievement at the highest level of the sport, Frank Stronach’s desire to be the best was never more evident as he directed his energies to the future with a fervent desire that is seldom seen, let alone experienced.
“I’ll never forget the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs, Perfect Sting won the filly turf and Macho Uno won the 2-year-old race,” said Roberts. “We got in the parking lot and got in the car, me, Frank and Dan, and while sitting in traffic, started working on the mating list. Here’s a man, who just had that kind of a day, ‘it was alright, let’s do the next one.’ We went and had dinner, and had a couple of nice bottles of wine, but it was ‘we have to do this again. We have to keep doing it and driving.’ I’ve never been around anybody who had the drive like Frank. His mind is always going, he wasn’t always right, but he was right more than he was wrong.”
Powerful Preference
It’s extremely rare and uncommon, when there’s a horse that seems to possess all the right attributes, professionalism, promise, and realizes their potential. There was a horse that came through Adena Springs South that was endowed with all of those qualities. A bay son of Awesome Again, out of the Relaunch mare Baby Zip. Bred by Adena Springs, campaigned by Stronach Stables and trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Bobby Frankel, the 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper was a horse that was synonymous with winning emphatically and impressively.
Ghostzapper broke his maiden at first asking at Hollywood Park during his juvenile campaign. He would demonstrate his potential with successive allowance victories at Belmont Park and Saratoga as a sophomore. Those victories served as a harbinger and the results would manifest themselves in the final start of his 3-year-old campaign, with a 6 ¼ length victory in the 6 ½-furlong Vosburgh Stakes (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park. It would be the start of six consecutive graded stakes victories.
A more than nine-month layoff seemed to empower the now 4-year-old colt as he managed to win the Tom Fool Handicap (Gr. 2) at Belmont Park on Independence Day by 4 ¼ lengths. His next start would find him in the Garden State at Monmouth Park on Aug. 21, 2004, where he would unleash an authoritative performance, winning the Haskell Invitational (Gr. 3) by 10 ¾ lengths. A return to the Empire State found him against six other rivals in the Woodward Stakes (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park on Sept. 11. However, this time he would be tested, and would have physical contact in the race with the future 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam, engaging in a protracted battle in the stretch, but was guided to a neck victory by the confident handling of regular rider Javier Castellano.
However, the performance that stamped Ghostzapper as an icon was his track record setting effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (Gr.1) on Oct. 30, 2004, at Lone Star Park. The son of Awesome Again wired the field, one that had Roses in May placing second and Pleasantly Perfect finishing third in the race, as the Bobby Frankel charge drew away to win by 3 lengths.
Ghostzapper’s last race was as a 5-year-old, and he went out in true style, winning the Metropolitan Handicap (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park on May 30, 2005, splitting rivals and drawing away to win by 6 ¼ lengths, cementing his place in history.
“My favorite (horse) through Frank was probably Ghostzapper,” said Roberts. “He from day one, was a beautiful horse. He was one of those horses, the first day you saw him, you’re like, ‘wow!’ We give physical grades for our evaluations. He was a beautiful horse, and he could be a little tough when we were breaking him. He was always just a big strong nice horse. But I just always really liked him.”
Building on Relationships
Many of the industry’s most respected trainers send horses to be broken and trained at Hidden Brook South. It’s especially nice when one of those conditioners is 4-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown. The Hidden Brook team got to know Brown while he was an assistant working for Bobby Frankel, through his close relationship with the 2007 Eclipse Award winning older female Ginger Punch. Brown sends Roberts about six horses every year, with the preponderance of those horses being layups, or rehabbing before they return to the racetrack.
“Jack (Brothers) got to know him (Brown) really well,” said Roberts. “Jack and Bobby (Frankel) were pretty good friends. When Chad went on his own, Hidden Brook was one of the first people to send him horses. We had our own racing thing. We had the filly Quiet Meadow (multiple graded stakes placed) that we bought out of the November (Keeneland 2008) sale, so we sent her to him. We sold her for quite a bit of money when she was done. She earned a lot for us. It was a good thing. Chad did a great job with her.”
The Hidden Brook Partnership consigned Awesome Feather, the winner of the 2010 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies for Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm, and the filly who would win 10 consecutive races, sold for $2,300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall 2010 Mixed Sale. The buyer was someone who the Hidden Brook partners were very familiar with, and suggested he take a closer look at the soon to be Eclipse Award winner.
“We actually got Frank (Stronach) to send horses to Chad,” said Roberts. “We had her in our consignment, so Frank came in for that sale. I said, ‘You need to look at this filly.’ She just won the Breeders’ Cup.’ And he went in there and bought her. When he did, he sent her to Chad. They had quite a good relationship and working relationship for a long time. Frank had so much respect for Bobby Frankel. As far as he and Frieda were concerned, Bobby Frankel hung the moon.”
Navigating through Traffic
Among the graduates who’ve come through the Hidden Brook program was the Eclipse Award winning 2-year-old filly of 2018. Leonard Green’s D.J. Stable and Cash is King LLC’s Jaywalk received her early education at the Levy County, Fla.-based facility.
The gray filly broke her maiden in her second start at Parx Racing, the first of four consecutive wins during an impressive juvenile campaign. The John Servis charge followed that victory with wins in the White Clay Creek Stakes at Delaware Park, and then a 5 ¾ length margin victory in the Frizette (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park was the perfect way to prepare for her next start at Churchill Downs 26 days later. Jaywalk set the early fractions in the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Gr. 1), winning by 5 1/2 lengths to culminate her championship season.
Jaywalk would add the Delaware Oaks (Gr. 3) to her resume during her sophomore campaign, bankrolling $1,668,500 for her career. However, she didn’t demonstrate her promise and ability as early as some of the other horses in Roberts’ charge, but a bond between the exercise rider and the future Eclipse Award winner, worked wonders for the filly who would achieve champion status.
“Leonard Green would always ask me right away when I got down here, who’s your favorite (laughing),” said Roberts. “They’re all alright right now. Jaywalk, when we first started breaking her, she was looking around all the time, and not real focused. She was just kind of all over the place for a while. And I was like, ‘I don’t know about this filly.’ The last two months she was here, she really started to figure things out. And I give credit to the boy who rode her, he rode her almost every day when she was here because he got along with her. He always really liked her. But the last two months we started letting her work and do things, and she figured it out.
“This filly is kind of okay,’ and that’s what I told Len because she was not always on the top of my list. He keeps score of that (laughing). They all change. She’s okay, she’s nice now. Did I think she was going to win the Breeders’ Cup? I think if anyone tells you that, they’re not being honest with you. Nobody knows. You have an idea that you think that they’re nice horses, and you like them, but until you put them in that starting gate, you don’t know. I truly believe that.”
A Diamond in the Rough
What are the chances of buying a Grade One winner right out of a field in Ocala? Well, that’s just what happened when Mark Roberts found Tell a Kelly as a weanling for Hidden Brook, who pinhooked the daughter or Tapit. Tell a Kelly had a distinct gait, but that would hardly be a deterrent as she captured the Grade One Del Mar Debutante during her juvenile campaign.
“We did okay (pinhooking as a yearling), and we made a little money,” said Roberts. “She always had this great big walk to her, and she went into the 2-year-old sale, and made our short list in the breeze show, and we went over because we were trying to buy her. Her walk, was ‘oh my God!’ So, we passed on her. Well, she’s a grade one winner (laughing). It just goes to show you. You have to remember; they’re not always going to be perfect when they go over there and breeze. They come back not always the best.”
An Explosive Package
It was Hidden Brook that also had the prescience to purchase a bay colt at the 2007 Keeneland April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $190,000 from the consignment of Eddie Woods. Dual Classic winner Big Brown was bought on behalf of Paul Pompa.
Bred in Kentucky by Monticule, Big Brown went onto win four Grade One races including the Florida Derby, the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands, the Preakness Stakes and the Haskell Invitational Stakes.
“Big Brown, that may have been more special than any of them to me, and probably to our guys because that’s a horse Jack, Dan and I picked out at the 2-year-old sale,” said Roberts. “He’s a son of Boundary, and for the 2-year-old market, he was a modest price. He didn’t have the fastest work, but he worked fast enough. He was a nice horse. We were at every race with that horse. That was a lot of fun.”
Respected Relationship
Hidden Brook and Pompa enjoyed success with the horses they purchased for the former owner of Truck-Rite Corporation, a man renowned for his altruism and kindness.
Among the horses Hidden Brook purchased for Pompa were Grade One winner Backstreet Rhythm and multiple graded stakes winner Desert Party.
Hidden Brook purchased Desert Party at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for Pompa for $425,000 from Hunter Valley Farm, agent. The dark bay colt was consigned by Scanlon Training Center, agent at the Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-olds in Training Sale, and was purchased for $2,100,000 by John Ferguson, agent on behalf of Godolphin Racing.
The son of Street Cry (IRE) won the Sanford Stakes (Gr. 2) at Saratoga during his juvenile campaign.
Backstreet Rhythm was conditioned by Patrick Reynolds, who had Big Brown for Pompa when the latter owned him. The bay mare won the Garden City Stakes (Gr.1T) at Belmont Park during her juvenile campaign. Bred by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm and Spast Farm, Hidden Brook purchased the daughter of El Corredor at the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $75,000.
“We bought a lot of good horses for Paul over the years,” said Roberts. “That was a great loss this year when he passed.”
Positive Affirmation
Certain connections seem to have that type of chemistry that suggests success. Hidden Brook has purchased horses in the past from Eddie Woods and have had horses conditioned at the track by Chad Brown. So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that an Irish-bred filly would enjoy prosperity while performing. Nay Lady Nay, a daughter of No Nay Never, out of the English Channel mare Lady Ederle, won graded stakes at ages three and four, and is campaigned by Hidden Brook and First Row Partners.
Nay Lady Nay won the Mrs. Revere Stakes (Gr. 2) at Churchill Downs and the WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (Gr.3) at Monmouth Park as a 4-year-old. Hidden Brook purchased Nay Lady Nay from Eddie Woods at the 2018 OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $210,000. Nay Lady Nay is a full sister to Group 2 winner Arizona.
”We’ve bought some nice horses from Eddie over the years,: said Roberts. ”It’s different when you’ve bought them for yourself, you own a part of them. Even when I was working for Frank and raising these horses, being involved is great. But there’s nothing like it when you own a part of them.”
Electrifying Exposure
How many horses can say they won their first two starts by 16 3/4 lengths? Hidden Brook’s and Black Type Thoroughbred’s Hidden Connection broke her maiden at first asking, winning by a dominating 7 ½-lengths, destroying the field in a 5 ½-furlong contest at Colonial Downs on Aug. 17. And if that wasn’t enough, the Bret Calhoun charge backed up her initial victory with a rousing 9 1/4 length victory in the 1 1/16 miles $300,000 Grade Three Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 18. Hidden Connection was piloted to both of those victories by jockey Reylu Gutierrez. She’s earned an opportunity to add on to her growing resume by securing a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 5.
The filly was bred by St. Simon place. Hidden Connection is by Connect, out of the Awesome Again mare C.J.’s Girl. She was purchased by Hidden Brook for $85,000 at the OBS June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $85,000 from the consignment of Coastal Equine.
“I thought her first race was extremely impressive,” said Roberts. “Bret all along thought that she was a really nice filly. He actually made a comment after the race, he’s very conservative, ‘I was a little afraid that they might run away from her early (in her debut). But I knew if she was close at the quarter pole, I knew what was going to happen.’ And that’s exactly what happened. He’s (Calhoun) been very high on her all along.”
Favorable Impression
The filly had been bought back at the April OBS Sale, and Calhoun had some interest in Hidden Connection at that time, said Roberts. The initial encounter would prove to be propitious as it seemed to be destined the filly would be part of the conditioner’s life. Hidden Connection’s versatility to sprint and go around two turns, is now well-documented. The Pocahontas was an impressive race, but what may have been as equally impressive was her gallop out.
“We didn’t know any of this when we bought her,” said Roberts. “We’ve always done business with Bret; and we decided to send her to him. And then when he got her, he said, ‘I remember this filly.’ He always liked her, even from the 2-year-old sales. That was a great race (her maiden win). Her Rag(ozin) number was one of the best for 2-year-old fillies in the country. Going into the Pocahontas, we felt fairly comfortable. Again, Bret being conservative as he is. He would have liked to have a little more time because she was going from 5 ½ (furlongs) to a mile-and-a-sixteenth. Her pedigree said she’ll do that all day long. You never know taking a big jump like that, but you know, she answered the call. She’s out of an Awesome Again mare, we just love. Dan, Jack, myself and Serge, we were all around Awesome Again, and a lot of his babies, working for Stronach. The Awesome Again’s are tough and like to mix it up.”
Making the Grade
Among the other Grade One winners Roberts has been involved with include, Tribhuvan, Renaissance Frolic, Game on Dude, Mucho Macho Man, Moanin, Pavel, Discreet Cat, Finnegan’s Wake, Paulassilverlining, Paradise Woods, Awesome Maria, Dad’s Caps, Stately Victor, Discreetly Mine, Sis City, Ball Dancing, Union Strike, Drill, Dixie Chatter, Starship Truffles, Milwaukee Brew, Ginger Punch, Sugar Swirl, Ginger Brew, Fatal Bullet and Spun Sugar.
Humility, Desire and Determination
In retrospect, it’s hard to believe that someone who began his career painting fences at Hermitage Farm, would be around Breeders’ Cup Classic winners, Eclipse Award winners, Sovereign Award winners and Classic winners, and a voluminous list of graded stakes winners that would be too many to mention, Roberts and the other members of the Hidden Brook team have all paid their dues in a challenging industry, making sacrifices along the way. Their passion and determination and will to succeed helped them achieve at the highest level. But all of the members of the Hidden Brook team came from very humble beginnings.
“There have been a lot of people that have spent a lot of years in this business, and worked very hard, which I have done all my life, I’ve worked very hard, but I’ve been very fortunate to have been around some of the greatest horses that were ever on the planet, be it working for someone else or for ourselves,” said Roberts. “I just feel blessed. Our guys in our partnership, Dan, Serge, Jack and Kevin, who had never been in the business until he bought in with us, all four (Roberts, Hall de Sousa and Brothers) us really came from nothing. Like I said, I worked weekends to put myself through college.”
However, it was those early experiences that would ultimately play a role in each man’s success providing them with a solid foundation and wealth of resources that they could refer to, helping them on their journey and arriving at their current destination, attributing their prosperity to hard work, said Roberts.
”Dan Hall started at North Ridge Farm weed eating in the summers while he probably finished up at the University of Kentucky,” said Roberts.” Jack Brothers walked hots for Woody Stephens. Serge came from Brazil and worked as a groom for Margaux Stud years ago, and then ended up being Dan’s yearling manager at Adena, when Dan first started. We all came from really nothing, other than families that taught us how to work.”
Family Matters
Roberts has three children, but none of them are involved in the Thoroughbred industry, although his youngest daughter is an accomplished horsewoman.
“I have somewhat mixed feelings about that (children following in one’s footsteps),” said Roberts. “I think it’s neat when a child wants to follow in your footsteps and be involved in that. I also think it’s very hard on the child particularly to follow in your footsteps. You’re tougher on the ones you love. I worked for my dad for a little while in high school, just for weekends. He had a fabrication company, something that I had no interest in doing. He expected more from me than he did anyone else. I was only working a Saturday here or there, it’s just the way it is. But I think it’s very difficult. I want my kids to do what they want to do and go onto be successful.”
Roberts’ son Justin, from his first marriage, is now 34 and based in Louisville working for a large construction company, and although he didn’t follow his father into the Thoroughbred business, he’s enjoyed success in his chosen vocation.
“He just purchased his first commercial building,” said Roberts. “He’s doing very well for himself, and I’m very proud of him.”
He’s also the father of two daughters, with the youngest attending school in Tallahassee, and the eldest is enrolled in nursing school at Rasmussen University.
“It’s a hard way to make a living (the Thoroughbred industry),” said Roberts. “It’s so uncertain (the Thoroughbred industry). I want them to find something that’s going to be a little bit easier on them.“
Roberts, the proud father of three children, describes his oldest daughter Taylor as an exceptional person.
“She’s decided she wants to be a nurse, which I think she will be a phenomenal nurse,” said Roberts. “She’s probably one of the most caring people that you’ll ever come across. She’s a very kind person and exceptionally smart. She works very hard, but all my children work very hard. I’m very proud of that, and that’s the way they were brought up.”
The younger of Roberts’ two daughters, McKenzie, enjoyed success as a horsewoman but made the decision to move toward other objectives as she grew older.
“My youngest daughter did ride a for a while, did Western Pleasure, and she was 4H state champion in western pleasure,” said Roberts. “She’s very talented. But you know what, just like most teenagers, she just got up and said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ Here I am holding an expensive show horse (laughing). But I have to give her credit, she made him expensive, and I found myself with all this equipment and a horse trailer. But that’s okay. I couldn’t be prouder of my kids.”
If Roberts would have followed his father’s advice, he may not have enjoyed the good fortune provided by the opportunities presented to him by the Thoroughbred industry.
“My dad wanted me to be an accountant,” said Roberts. “I took a year-and-a-half of accounting in school, and I said, ‘I’m not doing this.’ He didn’t know anything about this business (the Thoroughbred industry), and he was always worried about me making a living in this business. But it’s worked out. If you work hard, and just keep working. The butterfly lands on everybody’s shoulder at some point.”
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By Ben Baugh
Photos: Courtesy of Ben Baugh
