StarLadies is about to go shopping—for fillies, that is.
Established by Starlight Racing co-founder Laurie Wolf in 2015 with the aim of attracting women to racing, to Thoroughbred ownership, and to all of the experiences surrounding it, StarLadies is working the upcoming Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Corbin Blumberg, director of racing and bloodstock operations, is heading the team as it searches for star power from among 816 horses cataloged for the March 10-12 sale that starts with an under-tack preview show from March 4-7.
Women who previously made an expected one-time buy-in or are considering investing have the opportunity to attend this or other sales to see the fascinating process up close.
"There is so much that goes along with this industry, and we really try to highlight that through the ownership experience at StarLadies," said Elinor Wolf, Starlight's director of marketing, partner relations, and recruiting.
Part of StarLadies' appeal is the chance to follow a horse from the sale to its racing career and then on to a second career as a hoped-for broodmare or serving other useful purposes. Whatever the second career, the Wolf family is at the forefront in ensuring that its horses enjoy dignified retirement.
In addition, the focus on 2-year-olds typically provides a relatively swift return as part of a business plan that typically includes outside partners and is intended to do everything possible to limit risk while allowing for the possibility of substantial reward.
"Every lady owns a share of every single horse we purchase that year," Elinor Wolf noted. "It really is a shared experience. Everyone has the highs and lows together."
The ability to socialize extends beyond race days to domestic and international travel, Broadway plays, and fine dining. The fun always starts with finding the right horses, and Blumberg, a graduate of Godolphin's prestigious Flying Start program, is highly qualified to do that.
"It's an amazing, amazing process to find the right one," he said, adding, "It's an information-gathering exercise. You're trying to put the puzzle pieces together."
Blumberg is looking for well-proportioned, balanced fillies. The time of each breeze is important, but also how the filly covers the ground and then how she walks when back at the barn. The more powerful the shoulder and hind end, the more desirable the runner, even if it is a turf prospect.
"Even if you're not going to run on dirt, you're going to train on dirt," Blumberg noted. Horses that get a great deal out of their morning training typically transfer that to afternoon success.
While Blumberg would like nothing more than to uncover a filly that can handle classic distances, he does not limit himself to that. "What we are looking for more than anything are fillies that can provide a great experience in Kentucky and New York, whether that's turf, dirt, sprint, long," he said. "We can have a group of fillies that can achieve on different surfaces and at different distances."
StarLadies is known for disciplined spending for quality. It does not get swept up in bidding wars. The budget is the budget.
"We're not going to be at the top, top of the sale," Blumberg said. "We're not going to be competing for seven-figure fillies."
Like many entities, StarLadies is open to taking on partners as a way of keeping expenses manageable and enhancing the ownership experience.
"Some of that is planned months before. Some of that is planned minutes before," Blumberg said.
He learned from some of the best bloodstock agents not to force the issue. "You can only buy what you love," he said. "You have to have conviction and trust your gut."
One of racing's most compelling aspects is that success cannot be bought. History is filled with inexpensive horses who outran modest pedigrees and overcame physical flaws to achieve a level of success no one could have anticipated.
