'A Bittersweet Outcome': Sam-Son Farm Ends Racing Legacy

Sam-Son Farm, one of the most celebrated and successful Thoroughbred operations in North America, has announced that it will be dispersing its breeding and racing stock during the next 12-18 months via the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland sales. The outfit has properties in Milton, Ontario, and Ocala, Florida.

Ernie Samuel founded Sam-Son Farm in 1972 and built it into a world-renowned racing and breeding operation. After his death in 2000, his daughter Tammy Samuel-Balaz took over the reins at Sam-Son and led the farm to numerous victories and awards until her own passing in 2008. Today the farm is run by farm manager Dave Whitford and racing manager Tom Zwiesler under the leadership of owners Rick Balaz (president), Mark Samuel (CEO) and Kim Samuel.

Sam-Son Farm’s Rideforthecause and jockey David Moran winning the $250,000 Canadian Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo)

Sam-Son Farm has bred and raced 44 Graded stakes winners in the famed red-and-gold silks, including 37 Classic winners and 14 Grade 1 winners. The legendary operation has garnered 84 Sovereign Awards and won four Eclipse Awards, including the 2019 Sovereign Awards for Owner and Breeder of the Year. Champions includes Dance Smartly, the first Canadian owned and bred horse to win a Breeders’ Cup race and just the second filly in history to win the Canadian Triple Crown; Breeders Cup winner Chief Bearhart; Eclipse Award winner Sky Classic; and many more. Sam-Son also bred and raced Grade 1 winner and influential sire Smart Strike, who topped the American General Sire List in 2007 and 2008 and was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.

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“After 50 years in the business, it is difficult to come up with just one memory,” said Samuel of his fondest moment. “Certainly Dance Smartly’s undefeated 1993 season was incredibly special, as she carried our silks through the Triple Crown and Canadian hopes through the Breeders Cup. Traveling with her, and having my parents and sister Tammy there to thrill together at every step and every victory will be a memory that I will always cherish.”

Mark Samuel said that the decision followed much discussion among all parties and was not taken lightly. “The family had been in discussion for a couple of years and had evaluated a wide range of options. We have always striven to maintain the quality of our racing and breeding operations and were humbled by the recognition of our peers last year with the Sovereign awards for Owner and Breeder of the year. We have also been blessed with more than our share of major stakes wins in the past few years. This decision was not born of crisis or urgency but rather was the bittersweet outcome of a long term evaluation and discussion.”

There are no immediate plans for the farms in Milton and Ocala. “They are both excellent facilities in prime locations and represent a good long-term investment. This dispersal program will take quite some time to do properly and professionally,” said Samuel.

An active show jumping competitor, Samuel, has a long history in the equestrian industry in Canada. He co-founded Jump Canada in 2004 and was a Canadian Show Jumping Team member (2002 Jerez WEG; 2003 Santo Domingo Pan Ams), and remained on the JC Board and EC Jumping Committee for over 15 years before stepping down in 2019. On the international level, Samuel is the vice-president of the FEI, chair of FEI Group IV, and chair of the Working Group on FEI Officials.

Sam-Son’s dispersal program will debut at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton November Sale with two racing/broodmare prospects including recent Grade 2 Canadian Stakes winner Rideforthecause, and two outstanding in-foal mares (one in foal to American Pharoah). Sam-Son Farm will present its remaining in-foal mares at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of all Ages Sale.

Regarding future plans, Samuel remarked, “Who knows what the future will hold? Horses are definitely in our blood and I will certainly continue to pursue my own personal equestrian connections through competing and breeding in hunter/jumper and through my volunteer leadership as vice-president at the FEI. It is comforting to think of maintaining some on-going connection to the Thoroughbred racing world, too … and I know that the next generation of the family already have their own connections and passions within the industry.”