Profitable New York Proprietor/Breeder Riggio Dies at 83

Revolutionary ebook retailer, philanthropist, and profitable Thoroughbred proprietor/breeder Leonard “Len” Riggio died Aug. 27 in New York Metropolis, in response to a household spokeswoman and reported by a number of media retailers. He was 83 and had Alzheimer’s illness.

Riggio raced and bred beneath the title My Meadowview, a farm he owned on Lengthy Island, N.Y., that started as the house of present horses campaigned by his spouse Louise and daughter Stephanie and later grew to become the birthplace of his New York-bred Thoroughbred racehorses.

A local from the Bensonhurst part of Brooklyn, Riggio loved going to the races and dreamt of someday proudly owning his personal horses. In 2001 he campaigned with Joseph Cornacchia his first winner, a colt by Pulpit named Father Steve who he purchased via coach Nick Zito for $900,000 on the 2000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt received 3 times out of 11 begins.

Riggio raced his first black-type performer in 2005 with Noble Causeway, who was runner-up within the Florida Derby (G1) and went on to change into the proprietor/breeder’s first starter within the Kentucky Derby (G1), the place he completed 14th. The next yr, his secure’s Doc Cheney was runner-up within the Dwyer Stakes (G2). Homebred Marion Ravenwood  grew to become Riggio’s first stakes winner within the 2011 Capades Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack and would later play a much bigger position in his breeding program.

“Having Noble Causeway with Nick Zito actually acquired his juices flowing. He wished to do extra than simply purchase yearlings, he wished to be extra part of the method,” recalled Lincoln Collins, president of Kern Bloodstock, who managed Riggio’s Thoroughbred operation from 2007 till 2023, when the final of the farm’s Thoroughbred inventory was offered. “Within the late 2000s, he started assembling fairly a proficient group of mares.”

These earlier purchases included grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Andujar ($2.5 million), stakes-placed, graded stakes producer Oatsee ($1.55 million), and grade 1 winners Love Theway Youare  ($1.45 million) and Interesting Zophie  ($1.1 million). 

My Meadowview bred and raised the dams of a number of grade 1 winners. Marion Ravenwood (a daughter of Andujar) grew to become the dam of 2021 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Idol   and Nest , a three-time grade 1 winner who additionally was runner-up within the 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1). Nest was second within the Belmont Stakes to Mo Donegal  , who’s out of the My Meadowview homebred winner Callingmissbrown . The farm additionally bred Riviera Romper , the dam of 2021 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) winner Lexitonian  ; and, Lemon Liqueur , the dam of 2022 New York Stakes (G1T) winner Bleecker Road .

Riggio didn’t breed and lift Interesting Zophie, however he bred her most achieved foal Tapwrit  , a son of Tapit   that he offered throughout the 2015 The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s boutique choose yearling sale, for $1.2 million to Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Companions, and Robert LaPenta. The colt, consigned by Denali Stud, went on to win the 2017 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Tapwrit stood the 2024 breeding season at Gainesway for $7,500.

Riggio’s most achieved runner as an proprietor is Journey a Comet , a colt by Sweet Journey   out of Interesting Zophie, whose three graded stakes wins included the 2018 Del Mar Derby (G2T), and he was second within the 2021 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. Riggio raced Journey a Comet with John Oxley.

Collins described Riggio as a beautiful, beneficiant man who cherished his horses. He valued journeys to Kentucky to see his mares and foals boarded there and loved the coaching hours at Saratoga Race Course. His shut connection to the horses he bred and raised was mirrored in his early dedication to assuring their transition to different careers after racing or into a snug retirement.

“His entire household was very conscientious about caring for the horses they bred. They have been actually approach forward of the curve on that,” mentioned Collins. “To start with, they’d declare their horses again after which later Len determined none of their horses have been to be run within the claiming ranks. In the event that they weren’t adequate to be maiden particular weight or allowance horses then they have been discovered a brand new job or retired.”

One of many present retirees at My Meadowview is Samraat , the farm’s New York homebred son of Noble Causeway who received the 2014 Withers Stakes (G3) and Gotham Stakes (G3) earlier than ending second within the Wooden Memorial Stakes (G2). Samraat delivered Riggio his greatest end within the Kentucky Derby, when he ran fifth in 2014—lacking fourth place by a nostril.