October 2020 Member of the Month: Robert Lothenbach

Robert Lothenbach is the TOBA October Member of the Month.

As the world has gone through an unprecedented 2020, Robert Lothenbach has continued to succeed in his breeding and owning enterprises. Most recently, Lothenbach-owned Bell’s the One won the Sept. 5 Derby City Distaff Presented by Derby City Gaming (G1) by a nose.

“It was just unbelievable,” Lothenbach said of winning on the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) undercard. “I could not believe we won that race.” He added, “It just set up so well and she’s such a competitor.” Bret Jones bred Bell’s the One in Kentucky. At the 2017 Fasig-Tipton July Select Yearling sale, Lothenbach purchased the Majesticperfection filly for $155,000.

“She was a great individual, very athletic-looking,” Lothenbach said, “and [trainer] Neil [Pessin] just loved her from the day he’d seen her, and he’s done an unbelievable job with her.” Undefeated in three starts at two, Bell’s the One won the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at three. This year, she also captured the May 30 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Next up is the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.

A resident of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Lothenbach was named the state’s TOBA’s 2019 outstanding breeder of the year. “I’m passionate about Minnesota and also about the racing industry and, just anything I can to do help it, I want to,” he enthused. Enthralled with horses from a young age, he recalled, “Well, when I was a kid, seventeen, I used to drive to Chicago to go to the races. I just loved horses—I had a horse when I was young.”

When Canterbury Park opened in the mid-1980s, he jumped at the chance to get involved. “Me and three other guys each threw in a thousand dollars,” he said, “and we claimed a horse, and we did well with that horse. And then me and two other guys claimed, I think, one, and then another one.” Once those last horses were claimed, Lothenbach branched out on his own.

Lothenbach boards horses at Chesapeake Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and Wind-N-Wood Farm Ltd. in Saint Michael, Minnesota. He has 34 broodmares, 93 horses of racing age, 22 yearlings, and 22 foals. His homebred stars have included millionaire Mister Mardi Gras and grade 1 winner Mayo On the Side. Lothenbach-bred runners include millionairess Vacare, while Lothenbach Stables raced 2010 Pan American Stakes (G3T) winner Bearpath and 2017 American Derby (G3T) victor Sonic Boom. Lothenbach also owned a portion of multiple graded stakes winner Saint Ballado, North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings in 2005.

Lothenbach bred five stakes winners, including Vacare and grade 3 winner Single Solution, from his Appealing Storm (by Valid Appeal). Last year, her Malibu Moon colt Captivating Moon took the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes, while Captivating Moon’s full sister, Appealing Audrey, broke her maiden at Arlington Park. Appealing Audrey has won once from eight starts in 2020. Appealing Storm also foaled 2011 Prix Thomas Bryon (G3) winner Abtaal (by Rock Hard Ten) and 2017 Unbridled Sidney Overnight Stakes victor Nobody’s Fault (by Blame), while Single Solution, a Flatter filly, foaled stakes winner No Fault of Mine (by Blame).

Of Appealing Storm, Lothenbach recalled, “I won, like, a 16-way shake, if you can believe that—16-way shake—and we won her and she was an unbelievable broodmare, unbelievable.” Asked what Appealing Storm imparts to her foals, he answered, “A competitive heart. She absolutely gave it her all and all her offspring are like that.” He described her offspring as “unbelievable competitors.”

Another smart purchase was Sweet Lorraine, a yearling filly by Warrior’s Reward. Lothenbach bought her for $110,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. Sent to Race Day, Sweet Lorraine produced Mom’s Red Lipstick. The Lothenbach Stables homebred (by Race Day) won the 2019 Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes; she has won once in 2020.

The founder of Imagine! Print Solutions, Lothenbach has since sold his business. Besides his horses, he devotes his time to managing family investments and property and helping the Literacy Matters Foundation. Improving literacy is near and dear to his heart and Lothenbach wants to help those with similar struggles. “If I can help others not have to deal with what I dealt with or still deal with,” he said, “it’s a big deal to me.”