Dream Thoroughbreds has had plenty of successes buying through the yearling sales, securing horses such as Group 1 placegetter Mr Sneaky (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Group 3 winner and now Swettenham Stud stallion I Am Immortal as well as three winners last weekend alone.
Back in 2019, Lenny Russo of Bluegrass Bloodstock, a long-term confident advisor of Dream Thoroughbreds' David Azzopardi, picked out a promising trialler from the stables of Roger Lang at Cambridge.
Lee Freedman and David Azzopardi | Image courtesy of Dream Thoroughbreds
"Lenny specialises in purchasing horses out of New Zealand, mainly tried horses and this horse won his trial very well over there. Lenny approached me and said there is a 3-year-old over there who has trialled well and is buyable and the owner wants to sell him," Azzopardi told TDN AusNZ.
"A guy called Tim Harrison bred him, he breeds a lot of horses and has had a lot of success. I knew Tim had a good reputation as a breeder and Lenny has got a great record with these horses out of New Zealand and we were offered him. Tim stayed involved as well.
"He was the first one we have purchased out of New Zealand and he's been a great success for us."
"He (Open Minded) was the first one we have purchased out of New Zealand and he's been a great success for us." - David Azzopardi
In his 17 starts for Anthony and Sam Freedman, the now 5-year-old Open Minded has won eight races and nearly $350,000 in prizemoney and on Wednesday is looking to open his stakes account in the Listed John Dillon S.
The gelding has more than paid for his initial investment but he also provided an insight into an opportunity in the syndication business for Dream Thoroughbreds, one it has looked to explore further.
Anthony and Sam Freedman
"We've had huge success with our yearling purchases but we also recognise now that there is a market for people who want these horses that are ready to go, who don't have to wait for these horses," he said.
"We have branched out with these New Zealand tried-horses and we have also looked at the Ready to Run types at the sales as well.
"We want to try and get horses where the wait time isn't as long for these owners and we are finding those horses are selling really quickly. Pretty much within 48 hours, as soon as we are ready to sell them, they are being snapped up."
"We want to try and get horses where the wait time isn't as long for these owners and we are finding those horses are selling really quickly." - David Azzopardi
What Azzopardi has also found is that the majority of people that want to invest in that profile of horse are new clients, keen to get involved for the first time.
"I'm finding there are a lot of people coming to me that have never been owners before. They have been watching races through COVID and they’ve decided to throw their hat on the ring and buy a share," he said.
The market for such horses has meant that Dream Thoroughbreds no longer has to rely so heavily on a very strong yearling market, giving it some diversity in its supply.
Open to improvement
The concept also has a readymade 'poster boy' in Open Minded, whose owners have lived the dream of eight racetrack wins to date the latest all the way over 1400 metres at Caulfield earlier this month.
Open Minded (NZ) with connections after winning the Cameron Rose H. at Caulfield
A half-brother to two stakes performers, Open Minded was passed in short of his NZ$50,000 reserve when offered through Book 2 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2018. A grandson of the Listed winner Adagietto (NZ) (Sackford {USA}), he also hails from the family of Group 1 winner Southern Lord (Stratum).
So taken were Dream Thoroughbreds by the family that it has since secured Open Minded's unnamed 3-year-old half-brother by Vadamos (Fr), who has also recently joined the Freedman stable.
It's been a great return in that punt taken on Russo's advice back in 2019.
Open Minded (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
"He's exceeded our expectations, not many horses win eight from 17. We’ve taken him through his grades and he's earned his prizemoney, but he keeps stepping up to the plate. Right now, he is at a stage where he desires that crack at Listed grade," Azzopardi said.
"Now is the time in his prep where he has his best runs. He comes back to Listed grade tomorrow and is rock-hard fit. He's a horse that has a high cruising-speed and likes to lead, so he looks like he’ll lead again."
Open Minded tackles the in-form mare Lighthouse (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) on Wednesday as she looks for a fifth straight victory. The Freedman 5-year-old does boast the advantage of race experience around Caulfield, having won three from three on the track.
"Now is the time in his (Open Minded's) prep where he has his best runs. He comes back to Listed grade tomorrow and is rock-hard fit." - David Azzopardi
He also gets Damien Thornton, who has ridden him in six of his eight wins, back in the saddle.
Azzopardi said a strong performance on Australia Day would likely see Open Minded tackle 'better races over 1400 metres' at Caulfield next month, alluding perhaps to the G1 CF Orr S. and G1 Futurity S.
Chasing the Dream up north
Dream Thoroughbreds also holds strong ambitions for a few of its other emerging stars, including Queensland-based pair Self Indulgent (Foxwedge) and Soothsayer (Divine Prophet).
Self Indulgent was an impressive winner for Tony Gollan at Doomben on Saturday and took her record to two wins from four starts.
Self Indulgent | Image courtesy of Dream Thoroughbreds
"She's heading to the QTIS Jewel race on March 19 which is a race restricted to QTIS horses," Azzopardi said. "She was targetted for that at the start of the prep and she is well on track to get to that and she should be one of the favourites for that race."
Soothsayer, a 3.5l victor at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, became the first winner Dream Thoroughbreds have had with Lee Freedman since the Hall of Fame trainer's return to the Gold Coast from Singapore.
"I've been friends with Lee Freedman for a number of years. When we started our syndication business 12 years ago, Lee was training with Anthony and we had our horses with them at the time. Lee went to Singapore, and we kept in touch, when he came to the Gold Coast, I supported him and I have got five horses with him now," Azzopardi said.
"When he (Lee Freedman) came to the Gold Coast, I supported him and I have got five horses with him now." - David Azzopardi
"Soothstayer was our first runner with him. He had his second start on Sunday and he's a 2-year-old who I purchased from the QTIS March Sale. Lee has progressed that horse really well. We thought he was a winning chance but we didn't think he'd do that through the field."
Soothsayer has been spelled but will be aimed up at stakes races up to 1600 metres in the Queensland winter.
Dream Thoroughbreds has all the members of the Freedman family training its horses now, with Lee in Queensland, Michael and Richard in New South Wales and Anthony and his son Sam in Victoria.
It also has horses in its home state of Victoria with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and Amy and Ash Yargi.
The Yargi-trained Florescent Star (Zoustar) ran second in the Dream Thoroughbreds colours at Moonee Valley on Saturday and is now headed for stakes company. She will tackle the G3 Bow Mistress Trophy at Hobart on February 11.
"We don't syndicate a lot of horses. We might buy six or eight a year, but the results at the moment are really strong," Azzopardi said.
Magic ambition
Dream Thoroughbreds and Bluegrass Bloodstock combined to buy two horses at the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, a colt by Invader for $30,000 and a filly by Hellbent for $250,000.
"We purchased a really nice Hellbent filly. We went harder than we normally do, because it’s the strongest sale in Australia by far. You can't go weak at that Sale or you end up getting nothing," Azzopardi said.
"We purchased a really nice Hellbent filly. We went harder than we normally do, because it’s the strongest sale in Australia by far." - David Azzopardi
"She's out of a More Than Ready mare which we think will be a 2-year-old type for us in the next year and that Blue Diamond time. She's a sprinting filly, very athletic and strong already. She has gone to Anthony Freedman as well."
