Q & A WITH VALERIE DAILEY

with FTBOA president Valerie Dailey &Q A

Before her one year term as the president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association comes to an end at the conclusion of the annual meeting on Oct. 21, Valerie Dailey sat down with editor-in-chief Brock Sheridan to discuss her time leading the association and her additional thoughts about the future of the thoroughbred industry in Florida. Dailey began the session with some remarks about her time in office relative to past years.

VD—My year as president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association is coming to an end. Thankfully it has been a relatively trouble-free year. However, just because we weren’t stomping the halls of Tallahassee every week or engaging attorneys to look over complicated compact agreements, it was still filled with strategy sessions, planning, and negotiations.

TFH—What was your biggest surprise about the position? VD—My biggest surprise about this position was that I didn’t have to write a President’s letter/blog for each month! And, for that, I am very grateful!

TFH—What parts of the “all-in” voluntary leadership did you enjoy the most? VD—I thoroughly enjoyed being part of an amazing group of individuals that believe in the Florida breeding program. It’s not hard to put in the time when you enjoy the stories of past, the strategic thinking and planning sessions and interacting with staff that are phenomenal at their jobs

TFH—What did you find the most frustrating and why? VD—Probably the most frustrating is the amount of time and energy that is expended to work with all the various entities to have a viable Florida racing program. After all the years on the board, I still don’t understand why everyone won’t work together. We should have the same goal from all perspectives. Florida racing is good for everyone, so why not work together to make it the best?

TFH—What is it like to be an FTBOA board member, as an officer and as President? VD—Well, it’s super easy to be a part of the FTBOA in any capacity! There are just five general meetings each year and because of the pandemic we have instituted virtual meetings through Zoom if you are not able to attend the meetings in person. The staff prepares all the meeting materials for you prior to the meetings and all you need to do is to come and participate! If you move up the ladder and hold an office there are a few more meetings to attend, but many of those can be attended through Zoom as well. Again, the materials for the meetings are prepared by staff. Super easy to review the notes, staff is super accommodating in answering any questions. So, all you need to do is attend and participate. Bring your questions, listen, offer suggestions and work with a great group of fellow horsemen.

TFH—What are your future FTBOA plans? VD—As the immediate past president I will remain on the executive board as a non-voting member. I will also continue to support and participate with the fundraising activities (annual golf tournament and gala, etc) that the association promotes and sponsors. And, who knows - I might just be back after my year is up as I truly believe in the Florida thoroughbred industry and want to give back to an organization that supports my love of horses.

TFH—Why is it important for Florida thoroughbred owners and breeders to be members of FTBOA? VD—Membership in our professional organization is a way for a group of like minded people with similar objectives and common goals to join together to have the voice of many, versus the voice of one. Joining this organization can lead to enhanced perspectives and knowledge of the industry, along with support for creating positive change. We need to hear people’s ideas and suggestions. We need for people to be involved to support the future of this industry. Another aspect of being a member of FTBOA is one can participate in the many special discounts and promotions which the staff has worked tirelessly to get the best deals for our members.

TFH—Why should people own/breed/race Florida Breds? VD—Florida-breds have had considerable success at Florida tracks recently with Florida-breds winning 48% of the races at the summer Royal Palm Meet at Gulfstream with 74% of those winners by Florida stallions. Florida-breds remain strong during the winter Championship Meet at Gulfsteam, winning 31% of those races with two thirds of them by Florida stallions. Florida-breds were equally successful at Tampa Bay Downs. Last year, Florida-breds won 36% of the races there and three out of every four of those winners were by Florida stallions. Florida-breds continue to be a force outside of Florida with several graded stakes winners this summer at Del Mar, Saratoga, Woodbine and every track in between. And like every year, I look forward to again seeing another strong Florida representation at the Breeders’ Cup and on the Triple Crown trail next spring. TFH

All In

Marilyn & Gilbert Campbell Photo by Serita Hult The $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial Stakes on Oct. 1 at Gulfstream Park joined the roster of special Florida-bred stakes races, which included a $50,000 purse enhancement for Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners. (Full coverage of the race will appear in the November issue of The Florida Horse.)

BY JOANN GUIDRY

If anyone was all in on the Florida thoroughbred industry, it was the late Gilbert G. Campbell. From a 25% investment in Florida-bred stakes-winner Shananie in 1982, Campbell and his wife Marilyn progressed to establishing Williston-based Stonehedge Farm South in 1988. And Florida-bred success quickly followed.

As a breeder, Campbell recorded his first Florida-bred stakes winner when Philadream won the 1990 Warren County Stakes at Meadowlands. A 1988 colt by Premiership, Philadream was out of Florida-bred Terrible Terri T., by Greek Answer, a Grade 1-placed mare who Campbell had raced. Terrible Terri T. also produced Lynn’s a Dream, a 1989 filly by the aforementioned Shananie and who became the first stallion to stand at Stonehedge Farm South. Lynn’s a Dream became Campbell’s first Florida-bred that he bred and raced. Lynn’s a Dream won the 1992 Daffodil Stakes at Philadelphia Park.

From that jumping off point, Campbell was soon on his way to being a perennial leading Florida breeder. Since 1996, Campbell/ Stonehedge LLC has been a top 10 Florida breeder, with its Florida-breds earning at least $1 million each season. To date, Campbell/Stonehedge LLC has bred at least 88 Florida-bred stakes winners, including 12 graded stakes winners. Among that number are Florida-bred millionaires Blazing Sword and Marlin, both by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Sword Dance (Ire).

“Gil loved everything about the Florida thoroughbred industry,” said Marilyn Campbell, whose husband passed away on Sept. 16, 2021, at 91. “He loved our farm; he loved breeding and racing Florida-breds. The plan is to continue on with Gil’s legacy.”

That legacy includes Campbell being named Florida Breeder of the Year three times.

In 1997, Campbell earned his first of three Florida Breeder of the Year titles, posting Florida-bred earnings of $3,227,781 in North American purse money. He bred eight Florida-bred stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1 millionaire stakes-winner Marlin. On the season, Marlin won four graded stakes races, including the Arlington Million (G1) and the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (G1). He earned $1,521,600 on the season and was named the 1997 Florida-bred champion turf horse.

Campbell would record a milestone year in 2013, notching his

best numbers to date in key categories and earning his second Florida Breeder of the Year title. Campbell was the leading Florida breeder by Florida-bred earnings ($3,477,482), stakes winners (8), stakes wins (13) and wins (130). Leading the way was Campbell homebred stakes-winner Scandalous Act, who became only the fourth filly to sweep all three races of the Florida Stallion Stakes (now known as Florida Sire Stakes) at Calder. She joined Nancy’s Glitter (1997), Aclasssysassylassy (2004) and Awesome Feather (2010) as the juvenile fillies to accomplish that feat. Scandalous Act won the Desert Vixen, Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl of the lucrative series by a record-setting combined winning margin of 22 lengths. A 2011 bay filly by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Act of Duty out of Seductive Lady, by Langfuhr, Scandalous Act earned $328,000 on the season. She was named the 2013 Florida-bred champion 2-year-old filly.

Three years later, Campbell was once again at the top of the leader board and collected his third Florida Breeder of the Year title. In 2016, Campbell was the leading Florida breeder by Florida-bred earnings ($2,761,261), stakes winners (6) and wins (91). Three of Campbell Florida-bred stakes winners were graded stakes-winners: Grade 1-winner Noted and Quoted, who won the 2016 Chandelier (G1); Reporting Star, who captured the Appleton (G3); and Always Sunshine, who won the Maryland Sprint Handicap (G3).

In 2016, Campbell, who served three terms as FTBOA board president, transitioned to breeding horses in the name of Stonehedge LLC for estate planning purposes and the breeding name change had no negative effects on Campbell’s success.

In 2020, Stonehedge LLC was the leading Florida breeder by Florida-bred earnings with $2,699,622. An additional $295,366 was earned by Florida-breds bred in Campbell’s name. In 2021, Stonehedge LLC was the third-leading Florida breeder with $2, 577,705 and $230,253 was earned by runners bred in Campbell’s name.

Affinity for the FSS

Larry King, who has been the Stonehedge Farm South farm manager since 1988, noted that for all Campbell’s success at the racetrack, he was particularly partial to the Florida Sire Stakes.

“Mr. Campbell just loved seeing each new foal crop, watching them develop and picking out the ones to run in the Florida Sire Stakes,” King said. “It was part of his commitment to the Florida thoroughbred industry by standing stallions and breeding his mares with an eye on the FSS.”

To date, Campbell/Stonehedge LLC homebreds have recorded a record-tying 12

All In

Scandalous Act swept the filly division of the FSS in 2013 n Photo by Coady

Florida Sire Stakes winners. Those horses have posted 18 FSS wins, including the aforementioned Scandalous Act’s 2013 sweep. Fred and Jane Brei’s Jack Or Better Farm’s to date has also notched 12 FSS winners, who have recorded 19 FSS wins, including three sweeps.

In 1996, Blazing Sword posted Campbell’s first FSS victory when he captured the Dr. Fager and Affirmed divisions. He finished third in the In Reality on his way to earning $246,710 that season. A 1994 bay gelding by Sword Dance (Ire) out of Demetroula, by Singular, Blazing Sword was named the 1996 Florida-bred champion 2-year-old colt and became a multiple-graded stakes winner of $1,184,055.

In addition to Blazing Sword and Scandalous Act, other Campbell/Stonehedge LLC homebreds who won multiple FSS races include: Ivanavinalot (2002 Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl); My Brown Eyed Guy (2013 Dr. Fager and Affirmed) and Breeze On By (2020 Dr. Fager and Affirmed).

In 2021, Stonehedge LLC homebred Cajun Magic, a 2019 chestnut gelding by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze out of Mollie’s Magic, by Factum, won the Dr. Fager for the eighteenth win in the series by a Campbell/Stonehedge LLC homebred.

Campbell/Stonehedge LLC homebreds have captured the Dr. Fager five times, the Affirmed four times; the Desert Vixen and Susan’s Girl three times; the My Dear Girl twice and the In Reality once.

Fittingly, the inaugural running of the Gil Campbell Memorial Stakes shared the same card as the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl and In Reality on Oct. 1 at Gulfstream Park.

“We are very pleased that Gil is being honored with the Gil Campbell Memorial Stakes,” Marilyn said. “It is a great way to honor him and his dedication to the Florida thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.” TFH GILBERT G. CAMPBELL/STONEHEDGE LLC GILBERT G. CAMPBELL/STONEHEDGE LLC WINS IN THE FSS WINS IN THE FSS

BLAZING SWORD

1994 bay gelding by Sword Dance (Ire) – Demetroula, by Singular 1996 Dr. Fager Stakes 1996 Affirmed Stakes

SABRE DANCE

1997 bay filly by Sword Dance (Ire) – Sister of Darkness by Geiger Counter 1999 Susan’s Girl Stakes

IVANAVINALOT

2000 bay filly by West Acre – Beaty Sark, by Deputy Minister 2002 Susan’s Girl Stakes 2002 My Dear Girl Stakes

TWO T’S AT TWO B

2010 bay colt by Untuttable – Seductive Lady, by Langfuhr 2012 Dr. Fager Stakes

SCANDALOUS ACT

2011 bay filly by Act of Duty – Seductive Lady, by Langfuhr

FSS SWEEP 2013 Desert Vixen Stakes 2013 Susan’s Girl Stakes 2013 My Dear Girl Stakes

MY BROWN EYED GUY

2011 bay gelding by With Distinction – Brown Eyed Woman, by DeNiro 2013 Dr. Fager Stakes 2013 Affirmed Stakes

WELL DEFINED

2016 bay gelding by With Distinction – Fru Fru, by Medaglia d’Oro 2018 In Reality Stakes

LENZI’S LUCKY LADY

2017 bay filly by With Distinction – Blue Eyed Sweetie, by West Acre 2019 Desert Vixen Stakes

LIAM’S LUCKY CHARM

2017 bay colt by Khozan – P.S. I Love You, by Stormy Atlantic 2019 Affirmed Stakes

GO JO JO GO

2018 chestnut filly by Khozan – Flashy Flirt, by Gulch 2020 Desert Vixen Stakes

BREEZE ON BY

2018 bay gelding by Cajun Breeze – Miss Primetime, by Fusaichi Pegasus 2020 Dr. Fager Stakes 2020 Affirmed Stakes

CAJUN’S MAGIC

2019 chestnut gelding by Cajun Breeze – Mollie’s Magic, by Factum 2021 Dr. Fager Stakes