Sam Hall was relaxing at his Wisconsin home on a Saturday afternoon when a mare he purchased for just $8,000 rewarded him with an extraordinary and unlikely double victory. It started with 2-year-old Brickyard Belle, who surged from behind to claim the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park. Less than an hour later, about 700 miles away at Keeneland, her older half-brother, Joe Shiesty, fought hard to win the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes. Hall not only bred Brickyard Belle but also owns their dam, Ready to Unleash, a 17-year-old daughter of More Than Ready. He had bought her earlier that year at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale for a mere $8,000.
With only six broodmares in his small Hall Racing operation, pulling off such a double was nothing short of remarkable. “It felt like we were struck by lightning,” Hall said. “It really was like hitting the lottery.”
Hall, an attorney from Milwaukee, came to horse racing later in life after being introduced by his longtime friend Joe Trawitzki. He attended his first race at the 2009 Kentucky Derby, where he bet on the massive longshot Mine That Bird who famously pulled off one of the sport’s biggest upsets. “Of course, I was hooked,” Hall recalled. “I thought, ‘this is easy,’ but I learned it wasn’t.”
Together with Trawitzki, Hall started buying mares, but without the budget for high-profile dirt pedigrees, they focused on turf mares to develop a niche strategy. Hall explained, “We aimed to avoid classic dirt racing and concentrate mainly on turf mares, breeding them, raising homebreds, and selling what we could.”
Their partnership was cut short when Trawitzki passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2022 at age 44. To honor his friend, Hall named a foal born that same day Jet Sweep Joe, who went on to represent Hall Racing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint two years later.
Ready to Unleash perfectly fit the program Hall and Trawitzki had envisioned. Having seen one of her earlier foals, Johnny Unleashed, finish second at 70-1 odds against Golden Pal in a Keeneland stakes race, Hall was confident the mare had untapped value when she appeared in the Keeneland catalog. Watching the sale online from his Milwaukee office, Hall was surprised he could secure her for just $8,000, expecting a higher price.
He quickly bred Ready to Unleash to Yaupon, a young Spendthrift Farm stallion, hoping to produce a speedy 2-year-old—Brickyard Belle was the result. Meanwhile, Joe Shiesty, another offspring trained by Eric Foster, showed promising turf sprinting talent, becoming a millionaire multiple stakes winner, culminating in a win at the Woodford Stakes.
By the time Brickyard Belle was sold as a weanling, Joe Shiesty was already proving his abilities. She brought $160,000 at auction, a notable sum for Hall’s modest breeding operation. Hall expressed that their success depended on finding the right buyers and trainers, which they fortunately did.
On race day, Hall watched Brickyard Belle’s thrilling Matron win at home with his husband and their twin 7-year-old daughters, who excitedly cheered the filly’s come-from-behind victory. Shortly after, the family celebrated Joe Shiesty’s gritty front-running win at Keeneland.
Trainer Eric Foster praised Ready to Unleash’s ability to produce fast offspring, which delights Hall even more. His daughters, inspired by the family’s success, drew a touching picture imagining the two half-siblings talking—though they have never actually met.
Looking ahead, Ready to Unleash is now in foal to Omaha Beach, following unsuccessful attempts with other stallions, positioning Hall for another promising foal next year. With interest growing from buyers about the mare’s rising value, Hall faces the tough decision of whether to sell this foundational mare or keep her as a cornerstone for Hall Racing’s future. His daughters, however, hope the family retains her, reflecting the personal connection behind the business.
For Hall, the joy of ownership runs deeper than profits—it’s about family memories and the shared thrill of the racing world. “They are why we do this,” Hall said, referring to his daughters’ enthusiasm for farm visits and race day excitement.
Fan Take: This heartwarming story shows how passion and smart breeding strategies can lead to outstanding success, even without the biggest budgets in horse racing. For fans, it highlights that the sport thrives not only on bluebloods but also on dedicated breeders transforming modest investments into cherished champions, keeping the spirit of racing alive and accessible.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
