Una Palabra shines a light-weight on Coal Creek Farm

Coal Creek Farm in Bellevue, Wash., has been within the recreation since 1981, however the recreation runs deep within the household’s veins. The Ratcliffe household connections span many generations. Now Rick Ratcliffe and his mom, Barbara, run the steady, which incorporates 4 racehorses. High on this record is Una Palabra . The three-year-old filly by McCraken and out of Dayjur mare One for you began her pitching profession properly, going 2-2-0 in 4 begins at Turf Paradise. He was nominated March 19 for the Sunland Park Oaks, which is scheduled for March 26 and is within the Street to the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Rick shares how his household received began in Thoroughbred breeding and racing in addition to the exceptional mare, who at 22 remains to be producing.

MarketWatch: How did the household get began in horse racing?

Rick Ratcliffe: It is form of twofold. My grandfather owned horses when my mother was in her 20s. And after that, my dad and mother received into the horses. It was the early 80s and he received his first horse at Longacres in Washington after which went from there to assert a couple of extra horses. After which my dad was one who at all times tried to grasp the enterprise, so he went from claiming horses to purchasing a small dairy farm and turning it right into a horse farm the place he boarded the horses. He then went to Florida, purchased some mares, after which introduced them again to Washington and mainly began the breeding enterprise. And we form of simply received out of there. After which, after my father died, we had plenty of racehorses and broodmares. And my mother actually saved it going. After which he moved the breeding now to the place we do all our breeding in Kentucky. So we went from Washington to take the mares again to Kentucky, they reside there and we do all our breeding there.

MW: Many individuals do not assume to affiliate Washington with Thoroughbred Horse Racing. What are the challenges you’ve confronted being away from residence?

RR: There aren’t many challenges. The breeding business right here at one time was considerably sturdy. We used to ship mares to Kentucky, even in these days, breed them to Kentucky stallions after which convey them again right here and promote them out. And then you definately mainly run the Kentucky bloodlines in Washington and the West Coast.

MW: Inform me extra concerning the operations.

RR: The mares are actually in Kentucky. We have downsized during the last 5 or 6 years, however we’re down to simply three mares in Kentucky now that she’s breeding and actually, that is simply based mostly on the place the enterprise has gone. And likewise, we’ll say attrition. I imply, the mares received outdated and could not produce anymore. And so we did. So we have now saved some mares there. And we breed them and promote a number of the infants and generally hold them, all of it relies upon. So, as Una Palabra was the one which was truly held on the Kentucky sale and he or she did not make the reserve, so we introduced her residence and determined to race her.

MW: You talked about Una Palabra. It has some critical upside. she’s 2-2-0 in her 4 begins. What has been the important thing to her success to date?

RR: The important thing to her success, I might say, is that we have been very affected person in bringing her alongside. This complete household, this mare, One For You, has been a superb producer. All however one in all her horses has gone to the races and gained. However we have realized with this household that it is only a matter of taking the time and never essentially dashing them to 2. They’re simply not fairly prepared then. So Una Palabra is an ideal instance. We put her in coaching in February of final 12 months, February of 2022. And we labored her as much as 5 furlongs, after which we gave her 4 months off, after which we despatched her to Vann Belvoir in Phoenix at Turf Paradise. And I informed him, “We’ll wait. We’ll run her at 3.” And he was going properly there after which there was a race, I feel, proper earlier than the primary of the 12 months (a maiden non-obligatory declare, December 15). So we ran her there, and he or she’s operating second. We introduced her again after which she simply progressed from there. So it is actually a matter of taking our time and letting the horse inform us the place he must be.

MW: What does her success imply to you and your mom?

RR: It has been some time since we have had a stakes winner (2018, Devoted to you ). So it has been actually enjoyable to see her go to date and progress a lot in such a brief period of time. And along with her, we’re excited to see what the nice ones are. As a result of she’s actually taken off. And it was a bit sudden. We did not know what to anticipate from her when she was 2 years outdated and even when she began her 3 12 months outdated profession. It was form of, tell us what he desires to do alongside the best way. I imply, it appears prefer it might have big upside. It stays to be seen what the subsequent race will convey.

MW: You talked about One For You and she hasn’t been probably the most profitable on the observe however as you stated she has produced some excellent runners. What’s it about her?

RR: This very household has a horrible coronary heart proper right down to their cursed Katherine Jean, who was a Temperance Hill mare. I imply, they’re simply runners and we simply saved that household. And One For You was a duo. So her identify is One For You. After which there was her twin sister And one for me . So we put them collectively and they’re One For You And One For Me. So we bred And One For Me a couple of instances and her infants weren’t as profitable. I imply, he produced some winners. They have been decrease stage contenders. However One For You, it was simply very constant. It’s a excellent dam. she is an excellent mom for the infants. And I imply she simply had a foal three days in the past Innovator His son Uncle Mo . It is over 20 years outdated, however nonetheless producing.

She and each one in all her horses however one was a winner on the observe. And what wasn’t was what we saved. As soon as she suffered an damage in coaching, (we) went forward and introduced her up. He went on to a breeding profession and was simply badly damage throughout a coaching incident.

MW: Once I spoke with Vann, he could not cease raving about not solely Una Palabra, however One For You and the entire household for that matter, and their prowess on the dance ground.

RR: Vann was an enormous a part of it. She has skilled a lot of the horses which were produced from this mare. Sooner or later she both developed them as a 2 12 months outdated after which raced them or we despatched her some just a little later of their profession however she has skilled or has nearly all her infants.

MW: What conjures up you to maintain doing this? What do you’re keen on concerning the business that motivates you?

RR: A part of the motivation is that you simply at all times aspire to make it to the largest race to get to the Kentucky Derby or the Breeders’ Cup. However alongside the best way, there’s plenty of enjoyable in primarily having your individual sports activities franchise. As I inform my buddies, I’ve tried to draw many individuals to the enterprise through the years. And I inform them, , you’ll be able to go to a soccer recreation and watch the sport and win or lose, have enjoyable on the recreation and go residence and it would not have an effect on your life. You purchase a racehorse and also you mainly turn out to be the proprietor, the supervisor, you’ll be able to discuss to the coach or the coach. You’ll be able to discuss to the gamers and riders. And on the finish of the day, you are invested financially and also you’re taking pictures to your quarter-hour of fame, and there aren’t many different sports activities or actions that may provide that. And there is nothing like successful a race. You sit on high of the world when that occurs, whatever the race.