By Michael Adolphson
Racing revels in a narrative. It cheers the underdog and subtly rolls its collective eyes at the well-fancied blue-blood. Adoring its humble figures and finding ways to flaw the forthright, the Sport of Kings, crowns and castle balls willingly rides the waves of eternally twisting plot lines, while hoping for Cinderella to earn her way from soot to celebrity.
What happens, though, when a character comes along who is so dynamic in nature that the industry cannot help but cheer for their success, no matter how privileged or plain-spoken they may be? Someone whose energy outweighs any archetype; whose nature overrides the narrative, turning said paradigm upside-down.
Such is the case with Charlotte Weber, whose Live Oak operation–Plantation (stable) and Stud (farm)–had a remarkable 2017, including a championship-worthy winning performance by homebred World Approval (Northern Afleet) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Decades into the sport, one of the heirs to the Campbell's Soup dynasty has, much like said product, flourished against the fire; developing a world-class racing operation, enviable broodmare band and state-of-the-art farm that can each hold their own against any on the planet.
As well-rounded in delivery as the red polka dots on her familiar silks, Weber does things her way, but is wise with her counsel. Competitive, clever and candid, she has carefully chosen her advisors through such filters and understands that while success in racing is elusive, a wise executive mind in the industry examines as much as they execute, if not more. With her Ocala, Florida-based operation competing at the highest level, despite sporting numbers dwarfed by the powerhouses of global racing, Weber is a 50-year force in Thoroughbred world, if not an icon.
“I was raised outside Philadelphia and, in the late 1960s, I bought my first horse,” Weber, 74, said. “I really wanted something to do that would be fun and a way to meet people. Some of my family was into steeplechase horses and I thought that was way too complicated. I figured, let's take the obstacle out of the equation and that's how it started long ago. Of course, without having the wonderful legacy of Campbell's Soup, there would be no horses. What they do have in common, though, is that you have to mind your business and keep your integrity.
“When I was in my 20s, my ex-husband and I we were looking for a place to raise a family and he also wanted to raise some cattle, so we went to Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and California before we decided on Ocala,” Weber continued. “Joe O'Farrell originally asked me if I would be interested in Florida and the more time we spent in Ocala, the more we just fell in love with it. The thing that really got us was the weather. It is just a beautiful place to raise horses and has these big, beautiful Live Oak trees.”
A 4,500-acre commercial thoroughbred training operation and cattle facility, Live Oak has been a beacon in racing for decades. Whether through the breeding or training, it has reared such banner-bearing standouts as aforementioned World Approval and his fellow Breeders' Cup Mile-winning half-brother Miesque's Approval (Miesque's Son), Eclipse finalist To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), Kentucky Derby runner-up Laser Light (North Light {Ire}), Kentucky Oaks runner-up In the Gold (Golden Missile) and Grade I winners Solar Splendor (Majestic Light), Sultry Song (Cox's Ridge), My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), Brilliant Speed (Dynaformer), High Fly (Atticus), Zo Impressive (Hard Spun) and Victory to Victory (Exchange Rate). Overall, Live Oak boasts in excess of 60 graded stakes victories from more than 30 graded stakes winners.
In 2017, Weber's warriors include four graded stakes winners: talented lightly raced sophomore Souper Tapit (Tapit), GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile third-place finisher Awesome Slew (Awesome Again), turf sprinter Holding Gold (Lonhro {Aus}) and four-time GI winner World Approval. Those four Mark Casse cadets, plus rapidly improving stakes-winning turf sprinter and Mike Trombetta trainee We Deer You (Hat Trick {Jpn}) each earned at least six figures in 2017.
Live Oak has 35 broodmares that beget an average of 25 in training per year, which Weber reports with palpable pride. When “not chasing a sale or a golf ball,” Weber is gladly watching them develop and checking on her mares with a dedicated hands-on approach that has trickled down to the tune of a 19.2% strike rate since the turn of the century and in excess of 700 victories. Weber's red, white and black silks upped their game in 2017, to 21.2%, and have hit the board 50% of the time, with earned purses approaching $4.5 million.
“That's what I'm trying to do: perform at the top level with my horses,” Weber said. “I would rather have fun with a bowl of cherries instead of with a bushel of whatever. I want to keep the sport in its excellence and that's very hard to do, but I enjoy trying. It's hard to compete when you don't have the numbers, but I think I have a very nice group of horses right now. Obviously, I don't want to jinx myself, but I'm very excited about World Approval, Victory to Victory and a few of our other 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. I'm just looking for a strong season. That would be just wonderful.”
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