Schwarzenegger Takes Gallaghers Back to the BC

From a partnership that began as a shipping business on the steps of Newmarket that has transcended into a flourishing Kentucky breeding operation, it has been a long journey since Brendan and Olive Gallagher started Fankfort Park Farm in 2006. Since departing their native Ireland all those years ago, the couple have established themselves among the finest horse breeders in Lexington, paving their path to top-level success with both grit and passion. After reaching the sport's pinnacle with the sensational race mare Monomoy Girl, the Gallaghers have been far from touching brakes on their operation, instead accelerating forward with the hope of breeding one more champion. While the major breeding operations in the Lexington area are foaling out hundreds of mares each year, Frankfort Park Farm foals out 40 mares a year on average. Despite this humbling figure, the farm has bred or raised a Breeders' Cup contestant in nine of the last 11 years. The 2-year-old Not This Time colt Schwarzenegger, a rising star from the Wesley Ward barn, will represent Frankfort Park this year in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) Oct. 31 at Del Mar. "We truly live and breathe the breeding business," Brendan Gallagher said. "We love what we do. We have a passion for it. We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't think we could produce top-class horses. I remember someone in the industry said to me after Monomoy Girl 'that's a once-in-a-lifetime achievement' and I said that day 'Well if it is then we retire because we want to do it again.' We're truly driven and we don't take these accomplishments lightly." The Gallaghers purchased Schwarzenegger's dam, Soothsaying, for $175,000 at the 2022 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. A winner of her only start on the track for trainer Bill Mott, the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid was in foal to Complexity. "I will normally try to buy a few mares every year," Gallagher said. "I really liked (Soothsaying). She had run once, and it was a good run. To be honest, I don't spend a lot of time looking at (mares before the sale). We bought the dam of Monomoy Girl (Drumette) with (co-breeder) Michael Hernon because I saw her down at the back ring and liked her. So it's not like I'm putting a ton of time into it. There's a certain mare type and profile I like and if the pedigree matches up, we take a chance. We bought Drumette, who ended up being Broodmare of the Year, for $75,000." Drumette earned the title of Broodmare of the Year following Monomoy Girl's Eclipse Award-winning campaign in 2020. The daughter of Tapizar had gone undefeated through the year, capped by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), her second win in that event. The Gallaghers and Hernon were quick to jump into a hot market the day following Monomoy Girl's dazzling win in the 2018 Distaff, hitting a home run of a profit when they sold Drumette for $1.85 million to Bridlewood Farm at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale. Gallagher is a strong believer in an uncomplicated mating selection, calling the process an "indirect science." Soothsaying was bred to Not This Time because he felt the stallion was the perfect complement to the mare physically. "Not This Time is the new kid on the block," Gallagher said. "He's got a phenomenal record. I just felt he would compensate the mare a bit—Not This Time has a nice big hip on him and he's a good mover. And it worked." Schwarzenegger, who Gallagher says was "an exceptional-looking foal," sold for $410,000 as a weanling at the 2023 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Acquired by Violet Stables that day, the strapping bay colt would then catch the eye of trainer Wesley Ward and the Coolmore syndicate at the following year's Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale. "Schwarzenegger and Outfielder (contender in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf) were both my standout picks of the sale," Ward said. "I was lucky enough to get them and bring them home." With bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe signing the ticket, Schwarzenegger commanded $950,000 at Saratoga. "I wasn't surprised (at the price tag)," Gallagher said. "We sell foals, some of them work out and some of them don't. We sold the mare (Soothsaying) last year for $350,000. Gainesway owns the mare now. The Coolmore syndicate owns the horse. We're just happy to go to Breeders' Cup to cheer them on and hopefully they come back and buy more from us." Coincidentally, lightning struck twice for the Gallaghers with Not This Time. The same year Soothsaying visited the Taylor Made stallion, a mare named Cloudy Dancer owned by the Gallagher's client, Geoffrey Von Honste, foaled eventual group 2 winner Shareholder. After bringing $62,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Not This Time colt realized $495,481 overseas at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale as a 2-year-old. Making his debut the following later, Shareholder was victorious in his first two outings, including a score in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at the Royal Ascot meeting. Shareholder was 12th in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. "When it comes to breeding, you've got to go with your hunches," Gallagher said. "A few weeks ago, Kara (McDermott, office manager of Frankfort Park Farm) was telling me about this new system, a computer program that will help you if you want to breed a mare for $1,500 and you can look up as many (breeding combinations) as you'd like. I said: 'Kara, we've bred more graded stakes winners for our size than most people, why don't we just stick to what we've been doing.'" From Monomoy Girl to more recent Frankfort Park graduates, multiple grade 1 winner Carson's Run and Canadian champion Cairo Consort, the Gallaghers' formula clearly works. Schwarzenegger will attempt to add to Frankfort Park's blossoming legacy Friday. Second on debut at Saratoga Race Course after setting unearthly early fractions, the colt then streaked to a front-running victory in Keeneland's Indian Summer Stakes in a stakes-record time of 1:02.28 for 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. "He was massively impressive that day," Gallagher said of Schwarzenegger. "He could be the real deal. When you talk to Wesley (Ward), he was comparing him to Golden Pal before he ever ran. It's exciting." The Sunday following the Breeders' Cup, the Gallaghers have a flight booked back to Kentucky, where they will consign 35 horses for the upcoming Keeneland November sale. But first, they'll watch with pride as Schwarzenegger takes on an international cast on racing's biggest stage. "There are years we've gone there and we weren't too sure, but this fellow has a real shot, I think," Gallagher said. "It's another picture to put up on the wall here."