KY Oaks Victory Affirms Amoss' Sharp Eye at Sales

The Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) victory of Serengeti Empress is an affirmation of the program created by trainer Tom Amoss to expand his stable by stocking it with yearling purchases after a career in which he gained a reputation as a conditioner who got a lot out of his horses, primarily claimers.

Joining Amoss in the effort to buy sale horses was Joel Politi, who owns Serengeti Empress.

"My label, maybe even up until today, has been, 'He's a great claiming trainer, he knows how to work with horses well and do that,' but I've never been known as someone that's a developer of horses, although I think I've developed quite a few," Amoss said.

"About four or five years ago, I made a committed effort to start going to the yearling sales and trying to be a trainer people wouldn't say, 'Hey, he's just a claiming trainer.' So (Serengeti Empress) is one from the second or third season we've done this, to go the sale and actively buy 10 horses, which I've never done. I usually get two or three a year. It was just the right move."

"We might buy a few more this year," Politi said, greeted by laughter during the post-Oaks winner's press conference.

SERENGETI EMPRESS A POWER PINHOOK FOR BROOKDALE

"As far as the opportunities I have had at the sales buying young horses, you would probably say I'm a bit player," Amoss said. "I don't buy the $500,000 horse, but I get to participate and am excited to do it." 

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Pin Oak Stud stallion Alternation, the dark bay filly was purchased by Politi for $70,000 from Brookdale Sales at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Previously, the filly went through the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was bought by Dixon Enterprises for $25,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency.

A multiple grade 2-winning son of Distorted Humor , Alternation stood for $7,500 in 2015 when the current 3-year-old crop was conceived.

'We bought one filly at that sale," Politi said, noting that Alternation was an under-the-radar stallion. "There was an unknown (with the sire), but we bought her on looks."

"She was really late in the sale, but the averages were pretty high," Amoss added. "I brought Joel to look at the horse, and she was extremely athletic-looking. I think the fact she was by a relatively unknown sire who had never even won a grade 1, people got off her. But we were looking for an athlete, and she's some athlete."

The back story of Serengeti Empress' breeder is almost as epic as the filly's Oaks victory.

Produced from the unraced Bernardini  mare Havisham, Serengeti Empress was bred by Tri Eques Bloodstock, consisting of bloodstock agent Jacob West, Val Henson, and Mike Hardig, the latter two the father and uncle, respectively, of West's wife, Lauren.

"The day I asked my father-in-law for his daughter's hand in marriage, I also told him I was going to get him in the horse business," West recalled. "I bought a share in Alternation for him, and he split it with my wife's uncle. We sold the season the first year, and the second season we couldn't sell the season, so I bought a mare for $5,000. We bred her to Alternation, foaled the filly out, and sold her, and she just won the Kentucky Oaks."