Some Derby dream; Plus Que Parfait's breeders hope to dance
Plus Que Parfait is sure to be a longshot when the gates spring open for the the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but that hasn't subdued the excitement for his breeders, Tyler Alexander and Clint Joiner.
Longtime friends, the pair formed Calloway Stables in 2014, and now only five years in, they're on a wild ride taking them all the way to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.
It's the one the racing world wants to win most, and as quickly as Plus Que Parfait burst through a seam in the stretch of the UAE Derby (G2), those dreams became too powerful to contain. The jubilation and raw emotion of it all became an instant sensation on Twitter …
"That’s me," Alexander said. "My wife filmed me and my daughter, Ali. It was unbelievable. When [jockey Jose] Ortiz pointed 'PQP' to a hole that didn’t exist -- that’s the moment I went nuts. What a jock!"
For those who know little about horse racing, that type of feeling and emotion is the one thing which they will never experience or completely understand. It's the one thing that is impossible to convey.
"As you can tell from Tyler’s performance, this game is exciting," Joiner said. "It is hard to replicate that unless it is genuine. We love these horses and enjoy their successes on the track."
Joiner brought the pair together to form Calloway Stables, named after Calloway County in western Kentucky.
"I am the son of a large animal vet and have always had great love and respect for the horse," said Joiner, who worked on a Colorado dude ranch during college. "Once I entered the corporate world, I missed the horses.
"I needed a way to get close to them again and was introduced to Grant T. Forster and he became my trainer. You cannot find a better guy than Grant. He is honest, very communicative and a great friend. We have had some fun racing with other members of Team Forster and would encourage anyone to consider joining a racing syndicate. It is good for the sport and allows you a chance to be involved as an owner with limited cash outlay."
Limited cash outlay, as Joiner calls it, is an important part of this story. “Single up the middle … that’s all we were trying to do, and just stay in the black," Alexander added of starting the business a few years ago.
To get the stable up and running on a limited budget, the pair found good help. "Don’t overspend and surround ourselves with smart people," Alexander said. "Alan Porter, with TrueNicks, and Josh Stevens, with J. Stevens Bloodstock, were, and still are, hugely important in helping us."
"We had a chance meeting with Alan Porter through a family friend and really enjoyed understanding his depth and breadth of this industry and pedigree analysis," added Joiner. "He introduced us to bloodstock agent Josh Stevens and we were immediately impressed with him. Josh has a true passion for the industry and an endless amount of enthusiasm for the horse."
With sound advisors assisting their fledgling program, Alexander and Joiner soon found their purchase which would ultimately lead them straight to the Kentucky Derby. They bought an Awesome Again mare Belvedera for $20,000 at the Keeneland November Sale. In foal at the time to Fort Larned, their new mare also had a season lined up to young sire Point of Entry.
The mating of Belvedera and Point of Entry would produce Plus Que Parfait. Sold for $135,000 as a yearling to trainer Brendan Walsh for a Dubai-based outfit known as Imperial Racing, the colt would go on to run a strong second in last November's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. The result put him squarely on the Kentucky Derby trail.
After two disappointing results this year at Fair Grounds, the Calloway Stables bred colt put it all together with a bold run in the rich UAE Derby.
As part of making the business work on a limited budget, the pair no longer owns Belvedera.
"Of course we wish we still owned her, but at the time everything indicated we need to move on," Alexander said. "And the sale of Belle funded the purchase of a Shanghai Bobby colt that we bought for $36,000 and sold at Fasig July Select Sale for $180,000."
"I do miss Belvedera. She was an easy keeper and always a pleasure to be around," added Joiner. "She is a good momma as well, and has thrown some really nice foals. She has a 2-year-old Competitive Edge filly that is really a looker. We are excited for the successes this mare has brought all connections."
No regrets, and strong business decisions have the pair of friends just where they want to be. "I’ll tell it to anyone that will listen," Alexander said of breeding a Derby contender.
They'll be joined by friends -- and now, in a way, rivals -- at Churchill Downs.
"Roadster appears to be exactly what everyone thought him to be," Alexander said. "Strangely enough he is owned by a buddy of mine's father, Peter Fluor of Speedway Stables. They also have only been in racing for a short time and have had some unbelievable success.
"To add to that, my friends, Dean and Patti Reeves, of Reeves Thoroughbred, got in Saturday with Tax. Dean and I serve on the board for the Georgia Horse Racing Coalition. They too have not been in racing very long and had major success with Mucho Macho Man.
"As well, our Bloodstock agent Josh Stevens picked By My Standards for Chester Thomas of Allied Racing Stables. He too having not been in this far too long. This in itself is a story of its own that we know the owners of three other possible runners! I don’t exactly run in circles with folks on the Derby trail."
"This is true," Joiner added. "To have connections through friendships with four of the 20 horses in the Derby is special."
As for what's next for Calloway Stables, Alexander and Joiner will continue to enjoy the ride and do their best to make sound investments, all while keeping it a family affair.
"We’re into a few things," Alexander said. "We are racing with trainer Grant Forster of Team Forster, and Fletcher Mauk at Small Batch Thoroughbreds. We have some yearlings with Clarmont Bloodstock. We plan to get back to breeding. I have a small farm in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee, just outside of Franklin, that I’m moving to this summer with my wife and girls. Once we are settled, we’ll pickup a broodmare or two just so the girls can get the experience first hand.
"We have been involved in the breeding, pinhooking and racing side of the industry. This is a tough industry to find success in especially when on a (tight) budget. We have surrounded ourselves with quality people that have an immense amount of knowledge and we hope to continue in all three areas moving forward."
It's that kind of planning that has taken this pair of longtime friends, relatively new to the business, to something really big. Alexander and Joiner will get to experience the most exciting two minutes in sports up close and personal, rooting on a horse they've had a hand in since before its birth.
"It’s hard at times to believe it’s actually happening," Alexander said. "If he wins I’ll do my derby dance on the finish line!"
"I believe Tyler," Joiner added. "I think we will all be dancing if that happens."