Bethany Baumgardner has received two races in a coaching profession that started in April because the Florida coach for Glen Hill Farm. Each these winners might be in motion this weekend at Kentucky Downs: Ocean Membership to run within the $1.5 million Girls Dash (G2) Aug. 31 and Bridle a Butterfly within the $1 million Juvenile Dash Sept. 1.
Ocean Membership supplied the 34-year-old Baumgardner, a former jockey each on the flat and over jumps, her first coaching victory. Ocean Membership had beforehand been skilled by Glen Hill’s longtime coach Tom Proctor, for whom Baumgardner labored as an assistant at Del Mar final 12 months.
Baumgardner did her job, successful the Could 18 Monroe Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her solely race with the filly, and Ocean Membership was despatched on to Jack Sisterson, who trains her for Saturday’s race.
“It was all the time understood that my base can be right here in South Florida with the farm, and when greater tracks or alternatives occurred for these horses, they’d be going there,” Baumgardner mentioned. “I attempt to get them the most effective I can get them and ship them off hopefully to do nice issues.”
Baumgardner plans to work a bunch of horses in Florida Saturday morning, hop on a flight to Nashville and hopes to make it to Kentucky Downs in time to look at Ocean Membership run.
Her mission at Kentucky Downs is to run Bridle a Butterfly, a handsome winner in his July 28 debut at Gulfstream, in Sunday’s 6 1/2-furlong Juvenile Dash.
“It’s superb,” Baumgardner mentioned. “It is a $1 million race, and there clearly are some very good horses in there. However I am simply as enthusiastic about our horse. I believe will probably be good to get him on that huge stage and see the place we stack. I’m past excited. That is so cool to get to come back to Kentucky Downs with this chestnut who jumped up and confirmed he is obtained a pleasant little flip of foot.”
Bridle a Butterfly, a son of the adjudged 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Nation Home , seems to be the nicest prospect out of the Storm Cat mare Sly Storm , who was bought in 2006 for $500,000 as a yearling by Glen Hill founder Leonard Lavin. She raced from 2008-2009.
Lavin constructed up Alberto-Culver Co. till promoting the corporate in 2010 for $3.7 billion to Unilever. Lavin died in 2017, along with his grandson Craig Bernick taking on the breeding and racing operation.
“She was a very good runner and really well-bred,” Bernick mentioned of Sly Storm, “and only a full failure as a mare. We bred her to many, many, many good stallions: Medaglia d’Oro twice, Good Strike, Tiznow, Malibu Moon, Arrogate, Sweet Journey and by no means had a runner, something resembling a runner.”
Bridle a Butterfly is her dam’s fifth winner. The 2 better of her siblings earned between $53,000-$56,000.
Baumgardner is now a non-public coach for Glen Hill, with horses at their farm monitor in Ocala and Gulfstream’s Palm Meadows Coaching Middle. Bridle a Butterfly has been coaching over an undulating turf gallop on the farm.
“She’s a very good horse individual,” Bernick mentioned of Baumgardner. “She labored for the leap coach Tom Voss, and she or he labored us one winter on the Truthful Grounds. Then she ended up on the farm over Covid. I used to be there too, and actually preferred her. I used to be impressed together with her … Final summer time, they had been nonetheless in Tom (Proctor’s) title, however she took 9 of our horses to Del Mar. We made the deal, ‘Go to Del Mar, return to Florida, run the barn. After the Championship Meet at Gulfstream, we’ll flip the horses over into your title.’
“All of the horses begin out together with her. It is handy to the farm. They will win races at Gulfstream, particularly this time of 12 months, which is necessary. The actually good horses will go to New York or Kentucky or California. She’s agreed to that and finished an awesome job for us, and it is a good alternative for her.”
Baumgardner mentioned nothing in her using profession, on the flat or steeplechase, compares to this, although it was an enormous thrill to have owned, skilled and ridden her personal horse in stakes races.
“That is an unimaginable alternative,” she mentioned. “Even at Gulfstream it is an unimaginable alternative to be coaching for Glen Hill Farm and to have their horses there. I am so excited to have the long-lasting Glen Hill colours behind me.”
This press launch has been edited for content material and magnificence by BloodHorse Employees.