By Jessica Martini
When Marvin Little, Jr. passed away in July of 2017, the legendary horseman left one goal unfulfilled. The breeder of 1991 GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S. winner Hansel wanted that missing jewel in the Triple Crown. A year plus later and Little's daughters Teresa and Marilyn hope to accomplish that dream on behalf of their late father. The sisters will take a first step in their mission with their first consignment under the Little's Bloodstock banner at the Fasig-Tipton October Sale.
“The one dream my father had, he won the Preakness and he won the Belmont, he won the Tremont and the Breeders' Cup, but he never won the Kentucky Derby,” Teresa Little said. “At my father's funeral, I sang 'My Old Kentucky Home,' and people said that wasn't a good thing to do. But it was for me because it's the only thing my father wanted to win. He wanted to breed or sell the winner of the Kentucky Derby.”
Marvin Little served as farm manager at the historic Newstead Farm in Virginia before moving to Kentucky after the farm dispersed its bloodstock in 1985. In addition to Hansel, he also bred G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Kinsale King.
The Little family started out the yearling sales season with a bang at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale. Through the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment, the family sold a colt by Into Mischief for $300,000.
“We let Taylor Made sell them [at the July sale], but now we're kicking off Little's Bloodstock,” Little said. “And I am telling you, it's in my dad's name. We are going to rock it. We're going to do it for him.”
Little's Bloodstock's first October consignment features 10 yearlings. Included in the group is a colt by Blame out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Pampered Princess (Indian Charlie) (hip 157); a half-brother by Stormy Atlantic to stakes placed 'TDN Rising Star' Just a Smidge (Into Mischief) (hip 1109); a filly by Lea out of a half-sister to graded winner Royale Michele (Elusive Quality) (hip 1211); and a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) out of Stellabymoonlight (Malibu Moon) (hip 1367).
In addition to the sales consignment, the Littles will also continue to breed commercially at their Little's Bloodstock Farm.
“We're also going to have Little's Farm,” Little said. “We are going to keep dad's mares. We are selling a few with Taylor Made, but we are going to continue on and we're going to breed that Derby horse.”
While it will have its initial foray at the October sale, Little's Bloodstock will expand going forward.
“We are going to do Kentucky [sales] and absolutely do Saratoga,” Little said. “We're going to be boutique, we'll have a few clients, but we'll be boutique. We might get a little bit bigger, but our focus is going to be on Marvin Little, Jr.'s way.”
Asked to describe that way, Little said, “Brains and class. He always said it was brains and class. And you can't teach it.”
Little's Bloodstock will also pay tribute to its patriarch's notorious love of the New York Yankees.
“I am going to put New York Yankees in every corner,” Little said. “My mother beat cancer when they won the Pennant and dad faced every huge event in the world based on the New York Yankees. We're doing all of this for him.”
The Fasig-Tipton October sale runs from Oct. 22 through 25 at the company's Newtown Paddocks in Lexington. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m.
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