November 2015 Members of the Month: Carrie and Craig Brogden
In June, Tepin scored in the Longines Just a Game Handicap (gr. IT), becoming the first grade I winner solely bred by Machmer Hall, which has co-bred and pinhooked previous major winners. The four-year-old Bernstein filly kept improving for owner Robert Masterson, capping off the season with back-to-back wins at Keeneland in the October 3 First Lady and the October 31 Breeders’ Cup Mile (both gr. IT).
Carrie Brogden described Tepin’s triumph as “surreal.” Throughout the entire race, she said, “In my mind, I was thinking, ‘She can do it. She can do it.” She added, “It was just thrilling.” Her success is ironic because “I don’t attempt to breed for the turf,” quipped Brogden. She continued, “It’s kind of a funny deal…it’s been awesome. It’s been great.”
Machmer Hall sold Tepin as a yearling to Masterson for $140,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton August Sale at Saratoga. Machmer Hall bred Tepin out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened, who also foaled Machmer-bred millionaire Vyjack (by Into Mischief), along with graded-placed Prime Cut (a full sibling to Tepin bred by Stuart McPhee).
Life Happened was a supreme bargain, costing the Brogdens $4,500 at the 2008 Keeneland November Sale; they resold her for $750,000 at Keeneland January in 2014. “We bought her and we sold the foals out of her for a lot of money,” beamed Brogden. Her current owners plan to send the mare to Galileo, which couldn’t make her happier. She said, “I love that they’ll breed the best to the best and I can’t wait to cheer for her foal.” Brogden prefers to sell valuable broodmares. “Because anything can go wrong, especially with foaling, I like to sell the mares with the
Currently, Brogden estimates Machmer Hall’s total number of horses at 200, while the farm itself houses about 80 broodmares. The Brogdens – including Sandy, who supervises billing and accounting – plan each mating as a team. “It’s the three of us and we have a lot of meetings on it. And basically we are just brutal with our own mares, and we are just brutally honest about what they need, because no one’s perfect and no horse is perfect,” she said. “I don’t believe in nicking at all. I believe it’s statistically completely irrelevant.” First up on the checklist is that the stallion’s physical provides what the mare lacks, and vice-versa. In a stallion, she looks for balance, bone, short cannons, and a great shoulder, along with a stud fee under $60,000.
The Brogdens, who reside in Lexington with their children, hail from very different backgrounds. Australian native Craig, who serves as Machmer Hall’s general manager, fell in love with racing after going to the track with his grandfather. After working for several major international farms, he made a career in breeding.
In contrast, Carrie said, “I was born into it. My mom and dad were small animal veterinarians, and they had a farm in Virginia when I was growing up.” She became enamored with Thoroughbreds after spending time with Clem, an older stallion at her mother’s farm. One of the best members of the famed crop of 1954, Clem was a major stakes winner and completely charmed Carrie. After moving to Ocala, Florida, and back to Virginia, Carrie rode until she was sixteen. At one point, a boyfriend ended a relationship, and “he told me it was because I loved horses more than I loved him. And he was probably right,” she laughed.
Later, Carrie, who attends sales and is the farm yearling manager, came to Kentucky. After meeting and marrying Craig, the Brogdens purchased a 105 acre-property adjoining Arthur Hancock’s Stone Farm. Since then, they’ve expanded their nursery gradually to 540 acres. “Over the years, it’s been a very slow process, which I think is important. James Keogh [of Grovendale Sales] once said to me, ‘It is indicative on how fast people get into the game, of how fast they leave the game’, and I think he’s right on a lot [of matters],” she explained.
In addition to her efforts on the farm and finding new homes for retired racehorses, Brogden is working hard to breed winners of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). To that end, she pointed out Machmer Hall owns the dam of recent TDN Rising Star Drefong and also bred two-year-old Gift Box, third in this year’s Remsen (gr. II). Exclaimed Brogden, “I’ve already got my Derby blinkers on!”