By Sue Finley
In 2012, bloodstock agent Alex Solis and Jason Litt traveled to the Arqana December Sale in Deauville on behalf of LNJ Foxwoods, who were just getting started in establishing an operation now known all over the world. Solis and Litt came in search of foundation mares for the fledgling operation, and found just that in Gold Round (Ire), a half-sister to Goldikova (Ire) whom they purchased from the draft of Wertheimer and Frere for €520,000.
Twelve years later, they are back to offer one of her daughters, Golden Attitude, a winning, listed-placed 9-year-old daughter of Redoute's Choice (Aus), in foal to Mehmas (Ire), as lot 160 with Ecurie des Monceaux.
“It is special to have Golden Attitude in the Arqana December Sale knowing that the Roth family bought her dam just over 10 years ago when she was aged 15 years old,” said Freddy Powell, Arqana's Executive Director. “So much has been achieved since between top prices and great performances on the track; it is a great feat for a relatively new entity in breeding like LNJ Foxwoods. Golden Attitude is black-type, she is by one of the best broodmare sire in the world, and this family has already produced foundation mares for many people.”
Indeed, it has been a busy 12 years for the family. Gold Round produced six fillies for LNJ, and five of them have been black-type placed, including the Roths' first-ever foal, Golden Valentine (Fr), the winner of the G3 Prix Minerve. She in turn produced Ancient Wisdom (Fr), who topped a session of the 2022 Arqana August Sale at €2 million, and has since gone on to win four of five races for Godolphin, including the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy S.
“In the beginning, we were in acquisition mode,” said Jaime Roth, a principal of the operation which also includes her parents, Nanci and Larry, of that initial foray to Arqana. “That led us to Europe because Alex and Jason believed it was important to invest in the finest families from across the globe.”
Roth, a lifelong sports fan whose interest in racing deepened when she started following the career of Rachel Alexandra, had just met Solis at Del Mar that summer, and both agreed that developing a broodmare band would be the goal for the new family enterprise.
First up was Gold Round. “She came from one of the best pedigrees in Europe, and we were all thrilled to have a member of this incredible family,” said Roth. “Our journey with Gold Round has been nothing short of extraordinary. When we acquired Gold Round, our hope was to obtain just one daughter from her. However, we were incredibly fortunate that she gave us six daughters. What's even more remarkable is that five out of those six daughters made it to the races and became black-type horses. All of them are now in production for LNJ Foxwoods, and the results have been astonishing.”
In addition to Golden Valentine, Gold Round has produced Luck, winner of the GIII Robert J. Frankel S. who was second in the GI Rodeo Drive; Spectaculaire (GB), a winner of the Listed Prix Right Royal; and Golden, second in the GIII Honeymoon S.
The Roths' mares and produce are kept and raised at Henri Bozo's Ecurie des Monceaux, and with so much bounty from the same family, they have decided to part with one member of the family, Roth said in explaining why Golden Attitude is coming to market.
“Occasionally, LNJ Foxwoods has sold some very special mares, such as Grade I winners Nickname, Constellation, and Lighthouse,” said Roth. “We keep an eye on the market and see a significant demand for mares with exceptional race records, striking looks, and outstanding pedigrees, as seen last week with the Niarchos reduction. This realization has prompted us to test the market with this collector's item.”
Bozo said that the Roth family is showing a growing interest in European turf racing, and have several good young horses in the pipeline at Chantilly.
“Alex Solis called me a few years ago to ask if I could have a mare or two for the Roth family,” said Bozo. “We are now partners on three exciting mares and we have eight for them at the farm. It has been a very enjoyable partnership and collaboration. The Roth are extremely enthusiastic, which is very important in our game, and they love and care for their horses. It is very easy to work with Alex, Jason and Madison [Scott].”
“They have bought this foundation mare, Gold Round, who has given them so many good fillies it is incredible. At Monceaux, we now have at Golden Valentine, already the dam of Ancient Wisdom, who could be anything next year. We also have the sisters Everlasting, Golden, Golden Attitude, Golden Box and Luck. There is so much quality there; imagine the development of this family in the coming years. I have seen the progeny of them all, I can only be optimistic. They have quality, they are correct and a good mind.”
Ancient Wisdom | Racingfotos.com
There will be no more fillies from Gold Round; she has been retired as a broodmare, and now lives at the retirement farm Old Friends in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone involved expects her daughter to be well-received at the December sale.
“Golden Attitude is an absolute beauty and is by Redoute's Choice (Aus), one of Australia's most prolific sires and broodmare sires,” said Roth. “She embodies everything the market desires at this moment and possesses tremendous international appeal. We have kept the first three foals out of the mare and have high hopes for them. We know that collector's items like this don't go to market very often, but the best buyers in the world show up for them. We are excited to see who buys her, and hopefully, we can help one another going forward with pedigree updates.”
The Roths have started to become something of a fixture in France, where they keep all of their European broodmares, and with high-profile sales in the Arqana sales ring.
“We breed there,” said Roth, “so we're breeding specifically to race in France. My parents love it. My dad loves to go to Chantilly. He loves to go to the Arqana sale.”
The Roths attended the Prix de Diane this year, where they were represented by Elusive Princess (Fr), who finished fifth before shipping to America to win the GIII Saratoga Oaks.
“My dad came away saying, `We need to race more in France,' said Roth. “We've got a lot of broodmares there and foals and yearlings and 2-year-olds, and we're looking forward to racing more there.”
Racing in France, she said, “is a totally different feel than the U.S. Not that it's not prestigious to win in the U.S.–it's amazing just to win a race–but when you win a race in France, it just feels different. You're competing against these prestigious families like the Niarchos family, or Wertheimer et Frère. When you can compete at that level and race at the top tracks, it says that you're doing something right. And that means a lot, because it's a hard game. To be successful at that level in France is a testament to the success of the stable. Oh, and the food and champagne are great…” she concluded with a laugh.
Roth has the highest praise for the operation with which she entrusted with her European stock, Monceaux.
“Henri is an amazing breeder, and an even more amazing person,” said Roth. “We're so lucky to have our horses on his farm. His land is amazing. The attention to detail, the skill of his whole team are incredible, and we share similar views. Wanting to develop our own families aligns with what LNJ is trying to do. We're just really, really lucky to have him on our team.”
Roth won't be at the December sale to see Golden Attitude sell, but will be represented by Solis, and while she said she was confident it was the right time to sell her, she said it will still be difficult.
“At the end of the day, we're breeders, and we're excited to sell her. It won't be easy, but we think it's the right time, and she'll do very well for another owner.”
Roth, who has a Master's in Sports Business from New York University and who worked for the basketball teams the New York Knicks and New York Liberty before starting LNJ, now has over a decade of managing her own sports team under her belt.
“Very little of what I learned in getting a Master's in Sports Business has translated over to horse racing,” she said with a laugh. “You can never prepare yourself to be involved in horse racing. I literally learn something every day. I know that's a cliche statement, but I can honestly say every day I am learning something new, because it's just so different.”
“It is beyond fulfilling, and I felt it in a very different way this year. Going back to France after breeding Ancient Wisdom, the pride and honour I feel to have sold a sales topper at Arqana, which is just an amazing feat, but to see him perform and to breed a Group 1 winner in France for Godolphin, who took the risk to buy him, I feel a part of it. I'm there cheering him on. I feel as if I own him, even though I don't. But we're so invested in the whole Gold Round family. To me was, that was an outstanding moment for our family, an amazing moment for us, internationally for people to see that we breed a great horse and sell one.”
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