Bob Feld
Photo courtesy of theclubllc.com

2016 was a banner year for horseman Bob Feld. The bloodstock agent bred Miss Temple City, a 5-year-old filly (Temple City – Glittering Tax, by Artax) who tallied three grade I wins in 2016, ending the season with a nose victory in the December 4 Matriarch (gr. IT) at Del Mar.

Miss Temple City also defeated colts twice at Keeneland: first, with a 1 ¼-length triumph in the April 15 Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes; and once again, with a head victory in the October 8 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (both gr. IT). Eventual Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) hero Tourist finished third in both.

Feld, who heads up the eponymous Bobfeld Bloodstock, was a fan of grade II winner Temple City, a handsome son of Dynaformer. “Well, he was a gorgeous individual. I was there the day he broke his maiden,” he said. Impressed by “the size and the scope of the horse,” Feld sent stakes-placed Glittering Tax to him, producing both Miss Temple City and her full sister, 4-year-old grade III winner Pricedtoperfection.

At the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale, Feld sold Glittering Tax, in foal to grade I winner Verrazano (like Temple City, a representative of the Hail to Reason sire line), to Keystone Bloodstock for $275,000. At the same sale one year later, Glittering Tax, pregnant to the cover of Medaglia d’Oro, went under the hammer for $475,000 to bloodstock agent John McCormack.

Feld is a racetrack lifer. “I went from high school right to the racetrack at Santa Anita,” recalled Feld, now residing in Monrovia, California. A hot walker, then a groom, and finally an assistant trainer, all for his brother, he took time away to have a family, then re-entered the business through Clover Racing Stables (later renamed Team Valor).

In that capacity, Feld met powerhouse owner-breeders John and Jerry Amerman, for whom he has consulted as a bloodstock agent since. Other clients are Karl Pergola, Dr. Steve Kramer, and new addition Silverton Hill. For the Amermans, Feld acquired eventual Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) winner Siphonic for $210,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale. Other horses Feld acquired for the Amermans include 2003 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I) victress Adoration and Devine Actress, dam of the Amermans’ homebred Oscar Performance, who won the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT).

At the sales, Feld primarily looks for balance and a good top line. “A prime example? A Thunder Gulch filly later aptly named Balance; she became a three-time grade I winner and a half-sister to Zenyatta. Feld purchased Balance for $260,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September sale. Balance went on to reproduce her value many times over—both on the track (earning over $1 million) and at stud. In 2010, her yearling A.P. Indy colt, eventually named Mr. Besilu, sold for a record-setting $4.2 million.

The next chapter for Feld is a stallion syndication venture called Climax Stallions with his son Sean. In this capacity, Feld is working to “syndicate stallions the same as they do racehorses, share in all the profits and actually own a piece of stallion, not just a breeding right.” He added, “It’s really where the big money’s made. It’s tough to stand a successful stallion.”

Climax Stallions currently stands grade I winner Haynesfield, Bullet Train (a three-quarter brother to Frankel), and Curlin to Mischief (a Curlin half-brother to Beholder and Into Mischief). Bullet Train’s pedigree and race record were standouts. Feld commented, “He won a group three, talented racehorse, big Timeform number”, adding, “The blood is there…so we thought we’d pay a fair price for him.” Curlin to Mischief’s “bloodlines are very, very strong and current,” while Haynesfield, recently moved from Kentucky to California, has a bright future. “He’s a very young stallion prospect,” said Feld. “You know how it works in Kentucky—they need some numbers quickly or they move on.” His trust is already paying off—Hay Dakota (by Haynesfield) won the Commonwealth Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs in November.

Feld enjoys collaborating with family. “The Felds get along pretty well, although when we discuss things, people think we’re arguing,” he admitted, adding, “Blood is thicker than water and it’s a real pleasure for me.” And bloodlines prove true: a young Sean, who once got up at 5 a.m. to accompany his dad to the barn, was involved in purchasing champion Beholder for Spendthrift Farm and is also rebooting Kids to the Cup, a program devoted to bringing young horse racing fans to the track and into the industry. Feld enthused, “He’s always been very good at the game, a very natural talent at it, and understands it. He was basically bred to be in the business.”