Conquest Dispersal a Unique Challenge and Opportunity for Lane's End

A dispersal of 111 horses would be challenging for any consignor based on size alone, but when the dispersal consists of 96 racehorses of varying ages, it takes that challenge to a whole new level. Lane's End takes on this tall, but enviable task at the upcoming Keeneland November sale where they will be consigning the complete dispersal of Ernie Semersky and Dorie Newell's Conquest Stables.

“When we have done dispersals in years past with breeding stock, the statuses of the horses really don't change,” Lane's End's Allaire Ryan said. “They are pregnant mares of they're weanlings. You might have a couple of race prospects in there. These horses have been in constant flux since we were introduced to the whole string, so tracking them has been a big project and it is constantly changing. It has really been a lot more networking than past dispersals have been and a lot more collection of background information. It has taken a lot more cooperation from not only the [Mark] Casse team, but the other teams that we have started to rely on.”

The fact that all of Conquest's racehorses were in the hands of trainer Mark Casse did make things a bit easier for Ryan and the rest of the Lane's End team.

“[Mark] has a great assistant in his office and she's been my lifeline,” Ryan remarked. “It's handy when you have one person that is your go to for that sort of thing. It definitely helps that they were all in the hands of one person. They were all in a similar program too which I think helps. I would have lost my mind earlier than I did if they would have been with seven or eight different trainers!”

While the horses in training portion of the dispersal–which will sell during the two-day Book 4 Nov. 14-15–does include several talented older horses, such as Sovereign Award winner Conquest Typhoon (Stormy Atlantic) (hip 2884) and MGISP Conquest Eclipse (Malibu Moon) (hip 2497), it is made up primarily of two and 3-year-olds. The sophomores with the strongest resumes are last term's GII Summer S. winner Conquest Daddyo (Scat Daddy) (hip 2962) and four-time stakes winner Conquest Enforcer (Into Mischief) (hip 2973), most recently third in the GII Nearctic S. Oct. 16.

The juvenile colts are headlined by “TDN Rising Star” Conquest Farenheit (Scat Daddy) (hip 2965), an ultra-impressive debut winner (video) who finished second behind GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf-bound Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) next out in Woodbine's GII Summer S. Sept. 18. The standout of the fairer sex is undefeated multiple stakes winner Conquest Vivi (Court Vision) (hip 2531), who most recently captured Woodbine's Victoria Queen S. Oct. 30 (video).

“I would say 2-year-old Conquest Fahrenheit and 3-year-old Conquest Enforcer are probably going to highlight the colts,” Ryan commented. “Among the fillies, there is undefeated Conquest Vivi, who is a multiple stakes winner. She is an Ontario-bred, so that might put a limitation on how much her form will extend outside of there. There is also a nice Unbridled's Song filly named Conquest Serenade (hip 2242), who I think will probably be a standout. When people see her, they will really like her.”

The dispersal also includes five weanlings, which are the first bred by Conquest; seven mares in foal to stallions such as Tapit, Tiznow and Union Rags; and three broodmare prospects. The biggest name in the broodmare category is Grade I-winning “TDN Rising Star My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller) (hip 21), who sells in foal to Tapit and is preceded into the ring by her Tapit colt (hip 20). The now 5-year-old mare showed her promise immediately, beating the boys in her career bow in the 2013 GII Summer S. and following suit with a victory in the GI Darley Alcibiades S.

“My Conquestadory is the highlight of the mare group because of the fact she is a Grade I winner and is back in foal to Tapit,” Ryan said. “Her Tapit colt is a nice colt and overall the weanlings are a good group of physicals. With weanlings, vet work plays a pretty important role with them and we have been pretty lucky with what we have gotten back so far with the X-rays. So far they have been well received.”

Lane's End and Keeneland have taken unique measures to properly market and showcase this high-profile dispersal, including a microsite complete with past performances, workout information, video footage and full pedigrees.

“It's tough with those racehorses because they ship in one day, they show one day and they sell the next day,” Ryan stated. “We are getting booklets printed with up-to-date lifetime PPs, which we will distribute on the sale grounds during Books 2 and 3. Keeneland has been great. They developed a microsite of everything, keeping PPs up-to-date and providing race replays.”

Ryan continued, “One of our plans to try to showcase them to people is we are going to hold a twilight show on the evenings that they ship to the sale grounds. It will give people the ability to preview them all at once in an informal setting and then they can come see them again the next day when we are showing them at the barn and see anyone they want to get another look at it.”

The Conquest dispersal is already generating a lot of interest among buyers and a racehorse consignment of this magnitude and quality is sure to make a major impact on not only Book 4, but the sale as whole.

“I really think it is going to invigorate that second week of the sale,” Ryan remarked. “Trainers that are busy with Breeders' Cup are going to have time to study the catalogue and attend the sale because it is not right on top of the Breeders' Cup. I think that is going to be great for trainers that have clients who are interested in these kind of turn key opportunities. I know from getting phone calls that people are going to attend Book 4 specifically for this that don't usually come up for the sale. I hope for everyone else's sake that it brings some good momentum that will carry through.”

Semersky and Newell started Conquest Stables four years ago and have been extremely active both on the racetrack and at the sales. When the dispersal was announced in mid-August, Semersky, a 66-year-old venture capitalist, futures trader, and car dealership owner, released the following statement: “With mares like My Conquestadory in the breeding shed, and with 44 exciting 2-year-olds in our barn, we feel like the best is yet to come. Unfortunately, because of personal reasons, we have decided to step back from racing at this time. But we feel these up-and-coming horses would be at home in any international racing stable.”

Semersky has had a longstanding relationship with Lane's End, which housed most of his broodmare band, and Ryan is honored to handle his exit from racing.

“Obviously, it's really bittersweet to see anybody in the industry disperse their stock no matter what the circumstances may be,” she commented. “Mr. Semersky is somebody who has had a good relationship with Lane's End for a number of years. When the decision was made to do the dispersal, we were obviously really honored to handle it for him, but it doesn't take away from that bittersweet feeling. We are proud to do it. We are proud to stand behind him. He's done a lot of really good things for the sport. He is a really enthusiastic player and we are sad to see him go. Hopefully we can use the dispersal as a platform for his enthusiasm and spread some good luck and fortune to the people that are there to buy.”