Plot strains inside Foley’s bloodstock profession—which noticed him to attempt to purchase Mage at a 2-year-olds sale, then buy Dornoch as a yearling 4 months later—have converged at a unprecedented stage in 2024.

BloodHorse: What did you do whenever you labored for Darley?

Conor Foley: I labored for John Ferguson and Dan Pleasure, who’re two phenomenal people. It was a bloodstock job. I used to be principally making an attempt to foretell how nicely the stallions have been gonna do, and I might assist and purchase racehorses both for the secure or as stallion prospects. 

BH: What made you wish to go away Darley and exit by yourself?

CF: I had been doing the identical factor for seven years, and I used to be most fortunate to be doing it, however I used to be prepared for an enormous new problem. I might go to each sale, and I simply wished to do it alone.

I nonetheless have a ton of associates at Godolphin and I root for them at any time when they’re in a race. I owe an infinite quantity to Sheikh Mohammed. I am the largest Godolphin fan outdoors of Godolphin there may be.

BH: Previous to this unimaginable yr, what was the most effective horse you had purchased on the gross sales?

CF: Positively our work with Donegal, serving to Jerry Crawford get his horses. I feel our first yr serving to him we purchased Eager Ice. It was a good way to begin. And Puca was in that group, too.

Puca was Jerry’s first filly he ever purchased or stored. Trying again at it, I put Jerry in a clumsy spot. Jerry had put up the mare for a foal share with Large Brown, and the stallion season was put up by Paul Pompa. We ended up bidding towards Paul for her. I assumed she was particular, and it wasn’t a loopy quantity of  cash for her both ($90,000).

BH: You stated “our first yr.” Who else is in your group?

CF: Jim Hatchett and I do each sale collectively. He’s full-time with me. Everybody thinks he is my Dad, and I do not even appropriate them.

And Nick Esler helps me at sure gross sales and occasions of the yr, equivalent to September. These are the fellows that assist me on the gross sales.

BH: Your unimaginable yr kicked off with Tuz profitable the Golden Shaheen. He was Hip 4000 within the final ebook of the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. What do you recall about that buy?

CF:  The entire sale that yr was 20 days, and 19 of the 20 days have been beautiful sunny climate. I had been carrying shorts and golf shirts, after which the final day it acquired tremendous chilly and wet and depressing. I assumed he would price between $80,000-$100,000. I assumed he was the most effective horse promoting that day. I used to be shocked he price $7,000. He did not appear like a sprinter, he kinda seemed like a two-turn horse.

BH: How do you strategy the again books of Keeneland September?

CF: You do it the identical manner you do every other sale. Get each horse checked out. There can nonetheless be some good bodily athletes in these books. We’ve got individuals who race within the Center East or different elements of the world who’re pleased to race with a lesser pedigree. However we do not change something. We do the whole lot the identical. The horses simply price much less.

I like to take a look at these stable sires that folks hand over on simply because they have not had a horny horse. A few of them look lesser as a result of much less cash is put into prep. Weight and toes, I’m fairly forgiving on these horses on stuff like that.  But when the horse seems to be quick and it seems to be like it will possibly keep sound, you may tackle a little bit danger on stuff like that whenever you’re paying $20,000 for a yearling.

BH: So clearly you remembered you helped purchase Puca whenever you have been shopping for her son Dornoch as a yearling. Was that vital in your determination?

CF: Nicely, I had tried to purchase Mage on the (2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic) 2-year-olds sale, after which 4 months later I see Dornoch, and I did assume Dornoch was an excellent higher specimen. He and Mage look fully totally different, however Mage was additionally very athletic.

For me, the Puca half had nothing to do with liking these horses at first. I knew the maternal facet was a very good athlete, and I assumed hopefully they might attempt to win races like she did, however that is actually all I need out of that half. She was very proficient and he or she ran big just a few occasions, however she was very unfortunate.

However for me it is all concerning the athlete. I actually do not take into consideration pedigree till I determine who’s getting vetted. Simply purchase the most effective conformed athlete attainable. That horse has to rise up and prepare laborious every single day and nonetheless be sound a yr from whenever you’re shopping for them. In the event that they’re gonna be any good as a 2- or 3-year-old, they’re coaching fairly laborious in September a yr after you purchase them. That is the primary requirement.

This half is an artwork type too, as a result of a horse’s conformation can change. You’ll be able to inform after they’re at a developmental stage, however they nonetheless need to be athletic sufficient to appear like they don’t seem to be gradual. After you’ve got been doing this for awhile, a gradual horse form of reveals itself.

Dornoch was a little bit leggy as a yearling, however he was extremely nicely made, very appropriate. The two-year-old guys might need stated it is going to be laborious to get him to go quick early, however he was very athletic, very nicely coordinated. And each time I went to go see him, it was like a replay of the time I noticed him earlier than.

I at all times revered Good Magic as a racehorse, and he throws a really well-balanced horse, however for me it is actually simply the person athlete.

CF: The primary time I assumed, “This one may very well be actually actually good,” was after I noticed him gallop at Raul Reyes’ place in Ocala (King’s Equine) in April of his 2-year-old yr.

After which I used to be again down there for the June sale, and I went over to Raul’s once more. They acquired the pay-per-view for a boxing match. We’re out again barbecuing a bunch of stuff on his grill, and Raul is inside, and he principally had his assistant, two foremen and two riders there. 

I do not assume they knew I had something to do with Puca, so I requested them, who’s the most effective horse on the farm this yr? Raul has some fairly huge shoppers, however with out hesitation, all of them stated, “the Puca-Good Magic.”

On my journey again to Lexington from Ocala, I bear in mind considering, “Huh, I ponder how good this horse is?”

BH: Dornoch was a $325,000 yearling in ebook 2, however Society Man was in ebook 4 and solely price $85,000. What was he like whenever you purchased him?

CF: After we purchased Dornoch, Good Magic solely had a pair winners at that time. He was an outstanding athlete and he bought early within the day. I assumed he’d price half 1,000,000, and we might have gone to that. I used to be simply tickled to dying we acquired him for ($325,000).

Society Man was actually, actually athletic and a horse that I assumed would price $150,000 to $200,000. He undoubtedly was a horse I hoped would develop a little bit bit, however after I checked out his pedigree, I noticed a number of late-developing blood.

Sadly he was a sizzling head the primary a part of his profession, and (coach Danny Gargan) reduce him. I want we hadn’t reduce him, however it’s what it’s. I at all times hate to do it, however generally it’s very crucial. I do not love to do it earlier than they flip 3.

However actually Dornoch helped us consider in Society Man, as a result of Society Man was the one horse within the barn who might play one-on-one basketball with Dornoch. We made an enormous determination to run (Society Man) within the Wooden, and he ran big and validated our determination and acquired into the Derby.