Phil and Christine Hatfield celebrated their first victory as the owner when the first victory of the owners Saffron moon gathered to grasp them on February 1st Tampa Bay Downs. The victory was the result of the unshakable faith and the patience of the Hatefields in her Star mare, who only returned to Tampa a month later to achieve a second value in a row. At the age of 6 and her best step, which has the winter success of the Malibu Moon subsidiary in the best steps, she has transformed into a key player in this year's Stut- and mare Turf Division.
From a horse that is with an employee in her restaurant, to a current stable of 12 horses that run under the nickname CHP race, Phil Hatfield said Bloodhorse About the couple's company in the thoroughbred ownership, the ups and downs of their journey with saffron moon and their promise to Unmuna-3-year-old Colt. praetor .
Bloodhorse: What did it lead to the horse racing industry and thoroughbred ownership?
Phil Hatfield: It was (Christine's) idea to get into the thoroughbred business. A miniature background over us and grew up in the Arab Show Horse World. My parents had Arab horses and we showed horses in the USA and Canada. In the end I trained her and became an international judge of Arabic horses. Then I met Christine, married and continued the Arabs for a while. And then she said she wanted to get into the thoroughbreds that I knew nothing about, but I thought: “Hey, let us try.”
That was 11-12 years ago. There was a girl who worked as a waitress for our restaurant and she had a racehorse. Christine finally bought half of her horse and from there we slowly went into the business.
bra: How can you compare your experiences with showing Arabs with racing novels?
PH: Winning a race with a thoroughbred and win with an Arabic show horse is very different. With the Arabs and depending on the judge, it is very subjective. The first about the finish line is nothing subjective. There is no question about who wins and who loses. I would say that is the biggest difference.
We enjoy the thoroughbred much more. It is more electrifying. I think in my heart I would still like to have a great English amusement mare or a first -class halter mare and go to the Arab National Cup. Winning the national championship is like in the sense in which you win a class 1 in every breed in which you are.
bra: How did you get your own saffron moon?
PH: Safran Moon came from Niall Brennan. Our team for us now consists of Niall, Mike Ryan and Chad Brown. We did a few pinhooks with Niall in 2020. We bought them in partnership (for $ 80,000 at the Keeland September sale of 2020) originally as a pinhook, but they were getting better and better after she had come to training in her 2-year year. In the end we bought the partnership for you.
We have bought and owned many horses over the years, but Safran Moon is our first winner of the graded assignment. And now she makes it again. It was pretty amazing. When we first introduced the business for the first time, we always said “Oh, we live the dream”, but I really didn't know what that meant until we got a horse like saffron moon.
bra: After the two victories of Saffron Moon, coach Chad Brown has attributed her patience with Safran Moon to her recent success. Can you talk about the trip of the saffronon that you both have recorded?
Safran Moon breaks her virgin in April 2022 in Keeland
PH: It was a trip. After lifting the partners on her, she started driving this year as a 2-year-old in 2021. In her debut in Saratoga, nothing spectacular, fourth on the dirt, and then she let the driver fall out of the goal. She still had a race on the dirt, she came third, but came back sore, so we released her a lot of time.
Before she started her as a 3-year-old for the first time, Chad said: “Let's try her on the lawn.” And everything we heard afterwards was that this horse really shows us something on the lawn. And so she switched from dirt to the lawn. Her Breakout victory was in a special weight with lawn girl in April 2022 in Keeland. But she was launched for six months after this race and when she came back, she ran okay, but only had problems that she left her best. We just gave her the time out. Her two winnings are the first time that she is in a row without a long break, so tap wood that she can go on.
The biggest for me when I come from the Arabs to thoroughbred is that we only break the Arabs against the behind schedule 2-year-old, 3-year-olds, the Arabs. And they slowly bring them through their 3-4 and 5 years of years. And with the thoroughbred, as we know that they have been broken for so long, and unfortunately it seems to be demanding its tribute. At the end of the day with saffron we knew that she had the talent and we weren't really in a hurry with her. Either we only pull them back and sell them or continue. I think by giving her the time she needed, we saw a better horse that increased her value.
bra: How are you connected to coach Chad Brown?
PH: We were linked to chad by Niall. Christine and I went to Niall's farm together and Chad was over there too. Safran Moon was one of the first horses of us in which chad was on the farm, and he said: “I would like to train this foal.”
Chad was great. He is patient. He quickly stops on a horse when he sees something wrong and gives them the necessary break and then continues with them. Full awards to him and his team. He has a great team around him.
The connections of the saffron moon in the circle of the winner to the Hillsborough Stakes
bra: Well, because Safranon Moon has found her rhythm, which campaign goals do you have for you for the rest of the year?
PH: That is the huge question. I am sure Chad will bring her to Saratoga. The Up-to-date York Stakes are up there. Chad mentioned modesty on May 2. This is at the Kentucky Oaks Day in Churchill. The horse will tell us what we will do next. She is now such a huge, forceful mare. It has always been a very balanced mare that I noticed, but it is really a massive mare in the sense that it is very forceful and powerful. We look forward to this summer with her and see what she will do.
bra: Apart from stable Star Saffron Moon, you currently also have a very promising 3-year-old with Praetor, whom you work with Antony Beck (Gainesway) and Bill Lawrence. He had an impressive return to the races in Gulfstream with a nice win on March 1st.
PH: The horse is fantastic. Mike (Ryan) bought him from the Yearling Sale a few years ago (for 725,000 US dollars at the Keeland Sale from 2023 Keeland) for us. He is just a special horse. He was third in his first race and then won his second race and defeated sovereignty. He had a trailer coupling and was on October to January. However, Chad liked this horse very much and he told us that he would do his best to get it back on the (Kentucky Derby) trail. After his free time he went straight to Payson and had his first work in January.
Praetor wins an optional claimant in the Gulfstream Park
Last weekend we were for his race below and he was as professional as possible. We have some great partners with Anthony Beck and Bill Lawrence. We are all excited. You are in this business to find this type of horses.
bra: Could we see him next in a preparatory race in Kentucky?
PH: It will be all on the horse and chad. Chad and his team are very excited about him. Every owner hopes that you can make it into the huge show (the derby), and I think he can do it. He was very forceful last weekend. (Jockey) Tyler (Gaffalione) somehow turned him on the wire and still won with 7 1/2 lengths.
