Just over 20 years ago, Jeff Lifson left behind a highly successful broadcast career at TVG, now FanDuel Racing, to pursue involvement in horse partnerships as a representative for West Point Thoroughbreds. Now, the 61-year-old is in the midst of another career move, having left West Point Thoroughbreds earlier this year to co-found another racing partnership, U Racing Stables, with his wife, Stephanie Collins, the partnership's director of communications.
This is Lifson 3.0.
Asked what sparked his latest career move, he said, "You get to a point in your life where you've a limited number of years ahead of you professionally, although I don't wanna put myself on the retirement trail immediately."
The fledgling equine partnership, supported by minority partner Michael Bennett, purchased nine 2-year-olds at auction from in-training sales this spring. Last month, the group had its first starter when Revera debuted with a runner-up finish Aug. 17 at Del Mar. She chased Explora—one of the favorites for the Sept. 6 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1)—finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind the highly touted Bob Baffert trainee. Revera checked in 7 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Total Val.
Also Saturday at Del Mar, the John Sadler-trained Revera—owned by U Racing Stables with Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing Stables, Denise and Edwin Barker, John Haines, Daniel Rivers, and Deborah Self—also returns to action. The filly goes in the fourth race, taking on another expensive Baffert juvenile in first-time starter Sounds Lucky, plus eight other runners.
While aiming for a win, Lifson knows how difficult it is to beat Baffert's juveniles. "If we run another second or third, that would be great because sometimes conditions can be your best friends," he acknowledged.
The Baffert-trained Sounds Lucky, a daughter of Tiz the Law , was a $550,000 purchase from the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Revera is from the same auction. The daughter of Calumet Farm stallion Lexitonian was purchased for $85,000 by U Racing Stables from the Eddie Woods consignment.
Lifson said Sadler and some of the filly's current partners were influential in her purchase.
According to Lifson, U Racing Stables consults with its trainers on purchases, as well as with advisers such as Randy Miles and Bo Hunt, plus Jay Kilgore through the stride analysis company Data Track International.
Capital is raised up front by U Racing Stables before sales, a move that allows them more buying flexibility. That is illustrated by the shot they took on Revera, whose sire's first crop had yet to have a starter when she was purchased this March.
Besides Sadler, U Racing Stables utilizes trainer Mark Glatt on the West Coast. Dallas Stewart and Cherie DeVaux train horses for them in Kentucky.
Stewart is to unveil the partnership's first Kentucky starter during the upcoming Churchill Downs September meet: Corona de Oro, a son of Bolt d'Oro who has trained promisingly. U Racing Stables owns him with On Our Own Stable and Commonwealth Stable.
Asked about his takeaways from his West Point experience that he is applying to his latest endeavor, Lifson said, "It really is fairly simple that you try to buy good horses, and you try to take care of the people that help you buy those horses. You try to show them respect and admiration and a whole bunch of thanks for supporting your collective efforts."
