After watching his promising 2-year-old filly, Quickick, rally for third in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar, owner Greg Tramontin turned his attention this week to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and expanding his broodmare band.
He has good reason to, as he is finalizing the purchase of Siena Farm, the horse farm near Paris, Ky., previously headed by Anthony Manganaro, who died last year. Manganaro's Siena Farm was among the co-owners of 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline and 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming .
"All the inspections have been completed satisfactorily. We're just now waiting on title work," Tramontin told BloodHorse Nov. 6 in a telephone interview.
With the Manganaro's surviving family retaining the name Siena Farm, Tramontin said he would rename the Central Kentucky property. He mentioned Greenwell Farm or Greenwell Thoroughbreds as possible names of the farm, either of which would be a nod to his biological father's last name of Greenwell. Tramontin took the last name of his adoptive father.
A businessman who amassed wealth from the automobile insurance industry, Tramontin, 70, is also experiencing success in the horse industry. In addition to twice grade 1-placed Quickick, who is getting 60 days off before resuming training and racing at age 3, he has owned other stakes horses, including grade 1 winner No Parole. He won the 2020 Woody Stephen Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park for Tramontin and co-owner Maggi Moss.
Tom Amoss trained No Parole and conditions Quickick.
Though Tramontin has recently become more involved in Thoroughbred racing, he is not a newcomer to racing. He co-owned stakes winner Artic Tracker with his friend, Bobby Asaro, in the early 1990s.
Asaro encouraged his involvement in the sport then and helped renew Tramontin's participation after the businessman stepped away from ownership to focus on his automobile insurance pursuits.
"I don't know if I should thank him or send him some hate mail for getting me in the horse business," he quipped.
According to Tramontin, Amoss is integral to Tramontin's yearling inspection team, as is Julie Cauthen, Joel Politi, Chris Richard, Ron Faucheux, Brent Sumja, and others. Together, they look at every yearling each year during the massive Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Cauthen, a bloodstock agent, and Ignacio "Nacho" Patino, general manager at Siena, have advised him in broodmare purchases during the ongoing Keeneland sale, Tramontin said. Patino will "stay on" when Tramontin's purchase of the farm is finalized, according to Tramontin.
"I think he's just the perfect person to help me get into the farm," the owner said.
Tramontin bought one mare for $285,000 during the opening session of the November Breeding Stock Sale, Night On the Town (Hip 21), a Street Sense mare in foal to Good Magic . Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, she was part of the Siena Farm dispersal of breeding stock.
Then, Wednesday, Tramontin bought Moody Woman (Hip 298), a stakes-winning Gormley mare in foal to Uncle Mo for $325,000, and Music Street (Hip 307), a graded-placed Street Sense mare in foal to Taiba , for $500,000. Grovendale Sales consigned both. Tramontin was leading buyer by gross at Wednesday's session with the two purchases for $825,000.
"We're going to support the farm and give that a head start," said Tramontin, who divides his time between residences in Florida, Louisiana, and should all go well, Kentucky.
Asked about his plans for his racing stable and farm, he mentioned the development of fillies before retiring them as broodmares "to not only become a buyer at the sales but to eventually become a good seller."
