Sadler’s Joy: A Champion in the Flesh and in Bronze

Sadler’s Joy: A Champion in the Flesh and in Bronze

By Laura W. Smith

My sculpture, “Thrill at the Wire,” is based on one of many fabulous finishes by the championship racehorse, Sadler’s Joy, bred and owned throughout his long and thrilling racing career by Rene and Lauren Woolcott at Woodslane Farm in The Plains. He is now standing at stud in Turkey.

Sadler’s Joy in bronze in “Thrill at the Wire.”

The sculpture was inspired by Sadler’s Joy victory in the 2017 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida.

It’s fitting that he’s also made of bronze, because he really is that tough and that gorgeous, and always brings great joy. The sculpture depicts his come-frombehind victory in the $200,000 Pan American Stakes on April 1, 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida.

Jockey Julien Leparoux is riding him; they had just traveled from the very back of the pack to the lead in a matter of seconds. The photo made it look as if the other horses were standing still and Sadler’s Joy won by a head for his first triumph in a graded stakes race.

Julien has an incredibly light touch and is perched on the horse in such an elegant way, and I thought the photo of his victory would make a good sculpture. Sadler is perfectly balanced and relaxed as he extends his stride, reaching and stretching out to the wire using his entire body.

Sadler’s Joy has been carefully raised and managed. His name alludes to his inbreeding to Sadler’s Wells. His dam, Dynaire, is by the stamina source Dynaformer (by Roberto) out of Binya (by the Group 2 winning Sadler’s Wells horse, Royal Solo).

Sadler’s Joy has beaten the best turf horses in the world at the Grade 1 level with a turn of foot unrivaled by any other son of Kitten’s Joy. He has been consistently excellent and has earned the chance to become an influential sire like his sire Kitten’s Joy.

Sadler’s Joy was trained by Tom Albertrani and won or placed in 18 graded stakes. His best performances were wins in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) and Pan American Stakes (G2T) in 2017, the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) in 2018, and the Red Smith Stakes (G3T) in 2019. He was third in the 2018 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T). He retired with seven wins, four second and eleven third place finishes in 37 starts and earned $2,679,910 over his exemplary career.

Editor’s Note: Laura W. Smith is the business manager at Woodslane Farm and has studied horses and art throughout her life. Her oil painting of Holy Bull in the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland was one of her most recognized works and hangs in Noble House in Middleburg. She started sculpting horses in bronze in conjunction with Artists in Middleburg and the Wegner Metal Arts. She’s a graduate of the University of Virginia and lives in Purcellville with her husband Bruce, horses, a dog and three cats. She’s a member of the Middleburg Hunt and hosts an internet program called Horsing Around Virginia.