Rancho San Miguel

2010 Record: (3-3-0-0)

2010 Earnings: $31,025

2010 Win %: 100% In-The-Money %: 100%

Owner(s): Tom and Nancy Clark
Born: Tom, July 16, 1954
Residence: Westchester County, N.Y.
Family: children, Caitlin, Meghan, Andrew and Michael
Education: Tom has business degrees from Virginia Tech and Harvard. Nancy holds a degree in animal science from the University of California, Davis
Professional Background: Tom is a former N.Y. investment banker, who spent 13 years with Morgan Stanley before starting his own business ... Nancy, who managed a California horse farm before their marriage, takes an active role in the ranch and breeding operation
Web site: www.ranchosanmiguel.net
Racing Background: Tom Clark grew up on a Pennsylvania horse farm. "I've always had this passion for horses," he said. "Now, I'm living my dream." ... His grandfather, Francis "Buck" Clark, trained on the Maryland-Philadelphia circuit for many years. His father, Tom Sr., owned Thoroughbreds for decades, mostly claimers ... He caught the bug and bought his first horse in the 1980s
Racing Career: 2007 Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Hystericalady, co-owned with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and Dr. George Todaro, is Rancho San Miguel's most accomplished stakes performer to date. Other stakes winners for the farm include Press Camp and Congressionalhonor, winner of the 2004 Bay Meadows Derby ... Hystericalady was purchased at Keeneland in September 2004 for $125,000, by Jerry Hollendorfer in partnership with Dr. George Tadaro and Rancho San Miguel. With her win in the 2008 Delaware Handicap, she became the richest horse in Hollendorfer's career and the richest horse to come from Northern California. (Hystericalady trains under Hollendorfer at Golden Gate Fields) ... This year, she has won four of seven starts. She won the 2008 Fleur de Lis Handicap by seven and a half lengths, giving up nine pounds to her rivals. In the 2008 Delaware Handicap, she romped home by four lengths, tackling the distance of 10 furlongs for the first time in her career. Also in August of 2008, she won the Molly Pitcher for the second straight year, taking it by nine lengths with great ease. In September 2008, running on a synthetic surface (where her record stands at 0-for-5), she struggled the entire length of the stretch, while battling with fellow speed horse, Santa Teresita, and finished second to divisional leader Zenyatta in the G1 Lady's Secret
Breeding/Racing Operation: Clark retired before age 50 and launched a second career 3,000 miles from his Westchester County home. In 2000, he and wife Nancy bought Rancho San Miguel near Paso Robles in Central California with a plan to turn the former training and rehab center into a major breeding farm. Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the 250-acre farm, managed by Clay Murdock, is surrounded by vineyards in the popular wine-growing region ... They were familiar with the facility because they had kept horses at the farm for 16 years. Since purchasing the farm in April of 2000, the Clarks have transformed Rancho San Miguel into one of the leading stallion stations in California and the nation, investing in new pastures, barns, equipment, and housing for employees. In 2005, Rancho San Miguel ranked as California's top stud farm with $9.07 million in earnings from its stallions – Roar, Marino Marini, Storm Creek, Comic Strip, Bartok and Formal Gold. They have added two stallions for 2009 – California champion McCann’s Mojave and Sought After, with Formal Gold, Marinos Marini and Comic Strip remaining in the stud line-up for next year ... Hystericalady was purchased as a racing prospect, but also because of her potential as a broodmare ... "She was a racing prospect but also has a very good pedigree," Clark said. "She has plenty of residual value as a broodmare prospect. Distorted Humor is the hottest sire right now." ... Rancho San Miguel owns about 125 total horses including its broodmares, unraced 2-year-olds, yearlings and foals. The racehorses are spread among trainers in California, Pennsylvania and Maryland.. Hystericalady was the Clarks' first Breeders' Cup starter, but under prior ownership, Rancho San Miguel started Sudden Hush (13th, Juvenile) in the 1992 Breeders' Cup. The Clarks plan to eventually make their home on the farm after their youngest children complete high school. In the meantime, they make frequent cross-country flights.