New York Breeder Schosberg Dies at 85

A stalwart of New York's racing and breeding programs, Jane Mindlin Schosberg died peacefully March 15, surrounded by her family. She was 85. Schosberg grew up near Scarsdale, N.Y., and attended Scarsdale High School, where she met Paul Schosberg, her high school sweetheart. After attending Bennington College and earning a liberal arts degree, Jane married Paul in 1959. Their daughter Jill was born in 1960, their son Richard a year later. Paul's career in politics took the couple to Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., where he worked as chief of staff to two members of the House of Representatives. Jane had grown up riding horses, and it was in Virginia that she and family began the racing and breeding operation that continued to her death, and where the Schosberg family bought their first farm. Jane gave riding lessons at Deerfield Riding Academy in Great Falls, Va., while her daughter Jill became an accomplished show rider and her son Rick, in his words, "mucked out stalls as fast as I could." "One day, Mom and I were out riding in Virginia," remembered Rick. "She was riding her Thoroughbred mare Dot in Spot, who became our foundation broodmare. I was riding a little Arab Welsh cross named My Fair Lady, and she was anything but. There was a pond in the middle of the field, and Mom told me to gallop through the pond. "My Fair Lady decided that she liked being in the pond, and my mom turned around and yelled, 'Kick kick kick! She's going to roll on top of you!' I was too stupid to get off, and of course the horse knelt down and rolled on me. Once mom realized I was OK and breathing, she started laughing and made me get back on and do it the right way." In 1974, the Schosbergs purchased Pine Lane Farm near Katonah, N.Y., and brought Dot in Spot with them. Dot in Spot produced 10 foals, with nine of them bred in Jane Schosberg's name, all bred in New York. The mare produced nine winners led by multiple stakes-placed winner Lotus Delight, with more than $243,000 in earnings; and stakes-placed winner Tim's Lady. As a broodmare, Tim's Lady produced stakes winner Mellow Roll, who earned more than $555,000 and was voted New York-bred champion 2-year-old male in 1997. Schosberg also bred six other black-type stakes winners, including Cyanea, the 1982 New York-bred champion 2-year-old filly. She often visited Kentucky and was a regular at the Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton sales, developing strong relationships with Denali Stud, Ashford Stud, and Coolmore America. Though mostly a lifelong New Yorker, she was an ardent fan of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Schosberg was predeceased by her husband, Paul, in 2017 and her daughter Jill Stoller in 2021. She is survived by her son Richard and her daughter-in-law Dawn; her sister Katherine Reinleitner; her son-in-law Timothy Stoller; grandsons Travis and Ryan; granddaughter Jenna Stoller Grimshaw and her husband Sean; and two great-grandchildren Bryce and Nora. Schosberg is also survived by Waffles, her beloved Corgi, who now lives with Schosberg's best friend Donna Klemas in Canada. Rescued from Lexington, Waffles hitched a ride on a Morrissey's horse van to become her constant companion. Services will be private. Those wishing to honor Schosberg's life and legacy are encouraged to donate to the Mayo Clinic, to Take2/Take The Lead, or to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.