Dispersal Planned for Rea's Regis Farms
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Canadian Nat Rea's foray into horse racing and breeding is coming to an end with the Sept. 1 announcement that 41 horses owned by his Regis Farms will be consigned to the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
According to a release, the horses to be consigned by Three Chimneys Farm will be offered without reserve. The Regis dispersal consists of 15 broodmares, six weanlings, and 20 horses of racing age. Plans for Rea's farm are likely to be announced in coming weeks, according to the release.
Rea, who resides in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, began building his Thoroughbred racing and breeding program in 2012 after retiring from Martinrea International, an auto parts company he founded and grew into a multi-billion dollar manufacturing business before selling it.
Highlighting the dispersal are 2015 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) runner-up Shook Up; Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian Filly Triple Crown winner Sealy Hill, in foal to Medaglia d'Oro ; and Bijou, a half sister to grade I-winning juvenile fillies Certify and Cry and Catch Me. Also included in the dispersal are graded stakes winner Seduire, winner of the 2015 Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II); Tapas, in foal to Distorted Humor ; stakes winner and graded-placed Zindaya; and stakes winner and graded stakes-placed colt Donworth.
In a statement, Rea said he remains passionate about horses but has refocused his business interests into oil.
"I have shifted all my business focus to oil," Rea said. "I see great opportunity in that business today. I'm passionate about both industries, and love the horses but I can't devote my time to both, so I had to make a choice.
"My relationship with (Three Chimneys') Gonçalo Torrealba is why I chose Three Chimneys as my agent for this dispersal," Rea said in the statement. "I'm impressed with what he and his team are doing at Three Chimneys Farm. I told him I had decided to sell all of my equine interests and my farm, and within a week Three Chimneys structured a deal that was a win-win on every level. I am not certain who else would have been able to so fluidly construct such a seamless deal. As part of the agreement, all of the great staff at Regis Farms will remain fully employed going forward, which was extremely important to me. I will miss the business and sincerely wish buyers the best of luck with their purchases from our consignment."
"We are honored to act as agent for the Regis Farms dispersal," Case Clay, chief commercial officer of Three Chimneys, said in the release. "Mr. Rea has accumulated an outstanding group of horses with high-quality pedigrees and physicals to match, and they fall into various categories and price points, so there will be something for everyone. Three Chimneys will catalog over 90 horses in November including this outstanding group, so we will be busy preparing for November."
"Keeneland is very appreciative that Nat Rea has selected the November breeding stock sale as the venue for his dispersal," Keeneland president and CEO Bill Thomason said. "Mr. Rea could not have chosen a better time to offer his bloodstock at Keeneland as our hosting of the Breeders' Cup just prior to the auction will only enhance what we anticipate to be a strong and broad market."