Dr. Barry Eisaman and his wife, Shari, had a big day Santa Anita Park earlier this month when two horses they had sold captured graded events. I'll Have Another triumphed by 2 ¾ lengths in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) in Feb. 4's sixth race. Two races later, Ultimate Eagle, who was a grade I winner last year on grass, rolled to a 7 ¼-length victory in the Stub Stakes (gr. II).
The Eisamans, whose Eisaman Equine operation is based in Florida, sold both horses when they were juveniles.
Victor Davila, who works for the couple, purchased I'll Have Another for $11,000 from Brookdale Sales, agent, at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale. The following year, Eisaman Equine, agent, resold the Flower Alley colt for $35,000 to Dennis O'Neill at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.
In 2009, Eisaman Equine bought Ultimate Eagle for $57,000 from Warrendale Sales, agent for Whitechurch Farm, at the Keeneland September sale. The next year, Eisaman Equine, agent, resold the Mizzen Mast colt for $70,000 to B.J. Wright at the OBS spring sale.
If you visit the Eisamans' website, http://www.eisamanequine.com/, you'll see numerous other talented runners the couple has worked with as part of their pinhooking ventures or their breaking and training operation that serves various owners and breeders. They include Friends Lake, Gozzip Girl, Hot Cha Cha, Lion Tamer, Lucifer's Stone, Pampered Princess, Ruler On Ice, and The Factor.
In other words, the Eisamans have a lot of experience with young horses. Recently Shari Eisaman offered some observations about racing prospects that could help shoppers seeking runners at the upcoming juvenile auctions.
"When you look at a horse's pedigree and they have some kind of (indication of being able to go a) route (of ground) and then look at their (under tack video) and see a lot of speed, it sort of translates into a good horse," she said. "If they have early speed sometimes it helps them go a route. I don't know why that is, but I follow these horses (after they start racing) and there is something to it."
A good example, according to Eisaman is I'll Have Another, who is out of an Arch mare. Both his sire and broodmare sire were grade I winners and were able to win at 1 1/4 miles. I'll Have Another worked an eighth of a mile in a brisk, but not spectacular, :10 2/5 prior to being sold as a 2-year-old.
Eisaman also talked about attitude in young horses. Some buyers look for horses that are cooperative and even-tempered, thinking those behaviors will translate into willingness to learn and run. But according to Eisaman, they could be making a mistake by overlooking a horse that acts up.
"If they are a fast learner and a good mover that's the main thing that tells us that a horse can run," she said. "We've had plenty of good movers that behaved badly and were problem children, and they went on and ran well. If they have a bad attitude but are good movers, they can overcome that attitude and go on and do better things."
