Colette VanMatre is the TOBA June Member of the Month.

Colette VanMatre

Aspiring breeders dream of buying one special mare, nurturing that female family, and producing a Grade 1 winner. And Colette VanMatre is living proof dreams can come true. On April 7, the VanMatre-bred Defining Purpose – a maternal granddaughter of her foundation mare, On the Point – captured the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

Defining Purpose is co-owned by VanMatre, Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), and James Ball. Not only did the gray filly spring a 20-1 upset in the Ashland, but she also beat divisional champion Wonder Wheel in doing so. The victory also punched the sophomore star’s ticket to the May 5 Kentucky Oaks presented by Longines (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“I think I’m still on cloud nine,” said VanMatre, a commercial property manager in Westfield, Indiana. “It was an amazing and a shocking day, for sure, for me and for all the owners. But just something that’s real after a 13-year journey, to be able to be where we are. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity. And the horse, she’s really earned her way.”

VanMatre found her way to the winner’s circle in a unique way. “My interest in breeding started 15 or 20 years ago. It started from a friend that bred champion German Shepherd dogs. Watching him plan the matings and studying the results, I thought, maybe I can actually do something.

“It wasn’t until 2010 when a coworker and I were having lunch and I said, ‘Yeah, I’d like to do something I could do into retirement.’” VanMatre realized Thoroughbreds had become her passion, saying, “I watched the Road to the Oaks and the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown and everything. And my coworker says, ‘Well, maybe there’s some way you can combine the two.’ And I said, ‘Do you mean breed a racehorse?’”

Colette began searching for a foundation mare. “I always remembered it was the bigger, stronger female dogs that were the best producers,” she recalled. In July 2010, she was searching online when she spotted a retired three-year-old Point Given filly in Ohio. She drove out to the farm and bought the filly, named On the Point, for $2,000. “I knew she was big. She was probably 16.2 hands, heading towards 16.3, on the bigger side of things,” she said. “But I knew she would be able to carry a foal without being all crumpled up and everything. She was just nice and scopey, good substance and bone about her and great temperament.”

VanMatre immersed herself in all things bloodlines. She also enlisted the help of pedigree consultant Anne Peters and attended TOBA pedigree and breeding seminars. In 2014, On the Point foaled a Strong Hope filly called Defining Hope, an Indiana homebred who became VanMatre’s first runner. Winner of four Indiana-bred stakes, On the Point produced stakes-placed Everything’s Rosy (by Blueskiesnrainbows) and stakes winner Uphold (by Lententor), still running at age eight. Colette boards her horses at R Star Stallions in Anderson, Indiana, though Defining Hope was boarded at Margaux Farm in Midway, Kentucky for a time.

On the recommendation of Cecil Seaman, VanMatre bred Defining Hope to Cross Traffic. The resulting filly RNA’ed for $14,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. “When she didn’t sell and meet her reserve, I thought, there’s a reason – there’s a purpose – that she’s still mine,” VanMatre said. “I remember when the gavel went down, and wondered, ‘Do I still get to keep her?’ And I was told, ‘Yeah.’ And I thought, ‘Yes.’ So, I was elated that I got to keep her. And so that’s why I thought, ‘There’s just a reason and purpose and I’m meant to do this. She’s going to have a purpose.’” Defining Purpose earned her name, becoming trainer Kenny McPeek’s third Ashland winner. “Kenny really embodies the true purpose, I think, of the sport. And he realizes the importance of developing the bloodline. And he’s a great communicator,” VanMatre said.

As the Oaks inches closer, Colette is excited for the race. As for her co-workers that inspired her journey, they couldn’t be happier. “They’re all thrilled. And they’ve exclaimed to me, ‘Oh my gosh, you hung in there.’ Because they got to hear all the trials and tribulations along the way. So yeah, they’re just thrilled for the whole thing. And so, maybe a couple of them might be there and perhaps others will be watching!”