Little Red Feather Racing enjoyed a tremendous start when 16-1 Singletary, the second horse they ever bought, delivered a stunning upset in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T).
Some partners were so ecstatic they attempted to run down an up escalator in their rush to the winner’s circle. Chants of “Single-tary! Single-tary!” rang through Lone Star Park to salute the colt named after fiery Chicago Bears linebacker Mike Singletary.
Yes, it was a dream beginning.
With three expected starters when the Breeders’ Cup World Championships are contested at Del Mar Nov. 1-2, the rousing success story of what turned into California’s largest racing syndicate is far from over.
According to managing partner Gary Fenton, Little Red Feather oversees approximately 100 horses and offers almost 300 partnerships involving more than 400 partners. It provides an entrée into various aspects of the game, from the SoCal Fund, a one-year claiming fund, to a pinhook division.
The enormous growth reflects the can-do attitude of founder Billy Koch.
“To say I didn’t hope it would get as big as it has gotten today would be a lie,” he said. “There were times when I didn’t think it was going to happen, but, thankfully, it did.”
Billy Koch embraces jockey Hector Berrios after Conclude’s victory in the 2023 Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar
For sure, there have been growing pains. Koch expected Singletary to successfully defend his title in the 2005 Mile. He instead faded to eighth, a stark reminder of how difficult it is to win at the World Championships. While Little Red Feather has taken multiple shots at the Breeders’ Cup and enjoyed some solid finishes since then, it continues to chase its next winner after Singletary.
“In the last 20 years, I’ve learned so much about the game and about people and how really difficult this game is,” Koch said. “There were times when I was like, ‘We’re never going to make it.’ “
Koch and Fenton almost willed Little Red Feather into becoming a model of excellence. It has produced seven grade 1 winners. Egg Drop, one of those grade 1 winners, sold for a whopping $1.9 million at the 2014 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. In perhaps the greatest testament of all, approximately 50% of syndicate shares are purchased by returning partners.
Fenton, a managing partner since 2005, delights in the dramatic progress.
“There were a lot of growing pains in how we bought horses and managed horses,” he said. “You see what you’ve done wrong. You make adjustments. You evolve.”
Koch credits the team that has been assembled, including bloodstock agent John Dowd and foreign bloodstock adviser Niall Dalton.
“This game is extremely difficult to be successful in. You have to have a great team around you who not only do you trust but they trust you,” he said.
Koch and Fenton provide tremendous leadership. The search for a driven person may not end with Koch, but he is a good place to start. “Every single day you wake up and you just want to be better,” he said.
Koch serves as president of CARMA, which provides funding to assist retired horses that raced in California. Fenton is chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. In August, he was elected as a steward for The Jockey Club.
Both men are exemplary in their commitment to Thoroughbred aftercare. They established LRF Cares to generate funds for the cause and are committed to providing a dignified retirement for every horse that ever wore their distinctive black and orange silks.
“As a person responsible for the equine athlete, it’s our job to make sure that when we have them, we take the best care of them that we can and we move them off to their secondary career in the best possible fashion,” Fenton said.
Gary Fenton embraces jockey Hector Berrios after their victory with Thought Process in the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita Park
The future appears to be bright. Two of the three expected Breeders’ Cup runners are 2-year-olds, Iron Man Cal in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) and Thought Process in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Madaket Stables recently joined as a partner on Iron Man Cal, a winner through disqualification of the Oct. 6 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T). Madaket and the estate of breeder Brereton Jones are partners in Thought Process, a commanding 4 1/2-length winner of the Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) that same afternoon.
Iron Man Cal and Thought Process are trained by Phil D’Amato, as is Gold Phoenix , owned in partnership with Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify. Gold Phoenix, a private purchase that keeps on giving, is poised to make his third consecutive Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) appearance following 10th- and fourth-place finishes in 2022 and 2023.
“Every horse we buy has to check multiple boxes, and they are all horses we believe can be championship horses,” Fenton said.
Gold Phoenix, Iron Man Cal and Thought Process will very likely face long odds at the Breeders’ Cup. Koch, never forgetting Singletary’s improbable score, is not deterred.
“The Breeders’ Cup is the championship of horse racing. Any chance we have to run against the best horses in the world, we want to take our shot,” he said. “We haven’t won since 2004, but we’re taking plenty of shots and maybe this is our year.”
Who knows? Maybe it will again be time to dash down the up escalator to reach the winner’s circle.
