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Derby Winner’s Family Tree Is Linked to His Owners’ Orb Fails to Deliver for Baltimore-Born Owner
(about 4 hours later)
BALTIMORE — When Orb rallied in the slop on May 4 to win the Kentucky Derby, the first for the trainer Shug McGaughey and the Phipps family, it evoked images of horse racing’s rich past and made it seem as if they had all been there before. BALTIMORE — When Orb rallied in the slop May 4 to win the Kentucky Derby, the first for the trainer Shug McGaughey and the Phipps family, it evoked images of horse racing’s rich past and made it seem as if they had all been there before.
But for one prominent member of the family, Stuart S. Janney III, a Preakness victory would matter just as much. But for one prominent member of the family, Stuart S. Janney III, a Preakness Stakes victory would have mattered just as much. Janney, 64, was born in Baltimore and resides in Butler, Md., but he will have to wait at least another year for a win in his home state’s signature race.
Janney, 64, was born in Baltimore and resides in Butler, Md. In 1998, the moody Coronado’s Quest landed Janney and McGaughey on the Triple Crown trail, but the horse’s temperament just as quickly took them off it. Orb, who was trying to extend his quest to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, surprised his trainer, his owners, his red-hot jockey Joel Rosario and even the betting public as he struggled to a fourth-place finish on Saturday. Oxbow played the role of spoiler, completing the mile and three-sixteenths in 1 minute 57.54 seconds to give his Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, his sixth Preakness victory.
A somber mood fell over the disappointed Orb camp, but true to their old-school approach, the connections said they would check on the horse first before they could even contemplate his next destination.
“Obviously, he did not run as well as we hoped he would,” Janney said. “Hopefully, he’ll come back fine, and we’ll see what we’ll do after that.”
Rosario said that Orb was in a good spot early in the race but that when they got to the half-mile pole, he had a hard time keeping up.
“I used my stick to try to get him going,” Rosario said. “He usually takes you there. He always runs hard. But today he never took off; he just steadied.”
McGaughey said: “I’m disappointed. I’ll probably be way more disappointed tomorrow, but I know the game. It’s highs and lows, probably more lows than highs.”
In 1998, the moody Coronado’s Quest landed Janney and McGaughey on the Triple Crown trail, but the horse’s temperament just as quickly took them off it.
“I grew up around it, went there all the time,” Janney said, referring to Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness. “We thought years ago that we had Coronado’s Quest all geared to go to Baltimore, and unfortunately a day beforehand, he decided he wanted to be lame for about six hours.”“I grew up around it, went there all the time,” Janney said, referring to Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness. “We thought years ago that we had Coronado’s Quest all geared to go to Baltimore, and unfortunately a day beforehand, he decided he wanted to be lame for about six hours.”
Janney’s parents, Stuart Jr. and Barbara Phipps Janney, owned the Locust Hill Farm racing stable in Glyndon, Md., and campaigned the superstar filly Ruffian. She won her first 10 starts but broke down during a 1975 match race at Belmont Park with the Derby winner Foolish Pleasure and was euthanized.Janney’s parents, Stuart Jr. and Barbara Phipps Janney, owned the Locust Hill Farm racing stable in Glyndon, Md., and campaigned the superstar filly Ruffian. She won her first 10 starts but broke down during a 1975 match race at Belmont Park with the Derby winner Foolish Pleasure and was euthanized.
Barbara inherited a love for racehorses from her mother, Gladys Mills, who with her brother Ogden Mills ran Wheatley Stable, which bred the prominent stallion Bold Ruler, the 1957 Preakness winner. Barbara’s brother Ogden Phipps became the head of Phipps Stable. Barbara inherited a love for racehorses from her mother, Gladys Mills Phipps, who with her brother Ogden Mills ran Wheatley Stable, which bred the prominent stallion Bold Ruler, the 1957 Preakness winner. Barbara’s brother Ogden Phipps became the head of Phipps Stable.
Stuart Janney Jr. especially loved steeplechase racing, and he won the Maryland Hunt Cup, a four-mile race with 22 timber fences, four times.Stuart Janney Jr. especially loved steeplechase racing, and he won the Maryland Hunt Cup, a four-mile race with 22 timber fences, four times.
“My father was a lawyer, but the other part of him was he loved to ride in the races,” his son said. “I grew up with him getting up at 6 in the morning and riding two or three horses, training them, and then getting off to work at 8 o’clock.”“My father was a lawyer, but the other part of him was he loved to ride in the races,” his son said. “I grew up with him getting up at 6 in the morning and riding two or three horses, training them, and then getting off to work at 8 o’clock.”
As his parents grew older, and racing in the Hunt Cup became a bigger challenge, Gladys Mills gave them a couple of mares. She also gave their stable fairly regular matings with some of the stallions she had, including Bold Ruler and his son Reviewer, the sire of Ruffian. As his parents grew older, and racing in the Hunt Cup became a bigger challenge, Gladys Mills Phipps gave them a couple of mares. She also gave their stable fairly regular matings with some of the stallions she had, including Bold Ruler and his son Reviewer, the sire of Ruffian.
“I was there for all her races, maybe saving one,” said Janney, who received a law degree from the University of Maryland. “I wasn’t described as active in the sport. I was working in Washington at the time. So I was more a Saturday afternoon person.”“I was there for all her races, maybe saving one,” said Janney, who received a law degree from the University of Maryland. “I wasn’t described as active in the sport. I was working in Washington at the time. So I was more a Saturday afternoon person.”
When Janney’s parents died within a year of each other in the late 1980s, he inherited their stable and was faced with a difficult decision: sell their stock and leave the game, or buckle down and invest in their passion.When Janney’s parents died within a year of each other in the late 1980s, he inherited their stable and was faced with a difficult decision: sell their stock and leave the game, or buckle down and invest in their passion.
“It was pretty clear in my mind that it wasn’t something that I necessarily wanted to do then,” Janney said. “I was professionally doing other things that were taking a fair amount of time, my family was young, and all the rest. I also realized that if I dispersed the stable that I would probably never pick it up again. I knew it was something that my parents really enjoyed immensely, particularly as they got older.” “I was professionally doing other things that were taking a fair amount of time, my family was young, and all the rest,” Janney said. “I also realized that if I dispersed the stable that I would probably never pick it up again. I knew it was something that my parents really enjoyed immensely.”
That is when his uncle Ogden Phipps stepped in and persuaded him to keep his parents’ stable by offering to buy half-interests in some of the mares and to mentor him in the family business. He demanded only that the horses be trained by McGaughey. That was when his uncle Ogden Phipps, who died in 2002, persuaded him to keep his parents’ stable by offering to buy half-interests in some of the mares and to mentor him in the family business. He demanded only that the horses be trained by McGaughey.
“I didn’t want him to be a silent partner,” Janney said of Phipps, who died in 2002. “I wanted him telling me what I should be doing. He was always happy to help if I asked him. Janney sold Phipps a half-interest in Steel Maiden, Orb’s great-grandmother. But Ogden’s son Ogden Mills Phipps, known as Dinny, was so unimpressed by Orb’s mother, Lady Liberty, as a broodmare that he tried to persuade Janney to sell her. Instead, Janney bred her with Malibu Moon, who began his stud career at Country Life Farm in Bel Air, Md., and had regional success. That pairing produced Orb.
“I really didn’t know Shug really well then. I had seen him in a few races, but he had a growing reputation as a trainer. It all just seemed like a great thing to do.” McGaughey, who trained Orb’s mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, knows something about family. Janney and Dinny Phipps, 72, do, too. Janney took over for Phipps as chairman of the family’s Bessemer Trust in 1994 and is vice chairman of the Jockey Club. Phipps is a member of its board of directors.
Janney sold Phipps a half-interest in Steel Maiden, Orb’s great-grandmother. But Ogden’s son Ogden Mills Phipps, known as Dinny, was so unimpressed by Orb’s mother, Lady Liberty, as a broodmare, that he tried to persuade Janney to sell her. Instead, Janney bred her with Malibu Moon, who began his stud career at Country Life Farm in Bel Air, Md., and had regional success. That pairing produced Orb. “I don’t think either Dinny or I would be where we are with Orb if it weren’t for my parents or his father or for our grandmother,” Janney said of his colt, who had won five straight races before Saturday. “It’s a continuation that I like a lot.”
After Orb won the Derby, Dinny Phipps, 72, said, “He outsmarted me and bred her with Malibu Moon, and here I am.” Despite the loss in the Preakness, the one that Janney really wanted to win, the Orb team can still cherish the thrill of earning their first Derby.
McGaughey, who trained Orb’s mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, knows something about family. “We had a great run two weeks ago,” McGaughey said. “My hat’s off to Wayne to win his sixth Preakness; that’s pretty remarkable.”
Janney and Dinny Phipps do, too. Janney took over for Phipps as chairman of the family’s Bessemer Trust in 1994 and is vice chairman of the Jockey Club. Phipps is a member of its board of directors and was its chairman. They have relied on the wisdom of their great-grandfather Henry Phipps Jr., a titan of the steel industry with Andrew Carnegie.
“He’s not really my first cousin, he’s really my best friend,” Phipps said of Janney. “He’s just a wonderful individual.”
Janney is cherishing every minute of their ride with their prized colt.
“We both have the same outlook on what we would like to accomplish in the horse business,” he said, “and obviously have the same kind of relationship with and affection for the trainer that’s doing this.”
He added: “I don’t either think either Dinny or I would be where were are with Orb if it weren’t for my parents or his father or for our grandmother. It’s a continuation that I like a lot.”