Lothenbach Tries the Pinhooking Game

Longtime owner and breeder Bob Lothenbach has participated in virtually every facet of the racing game, but he'll be venturing into new territory during next Wednesday's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale when he offers three juveniles purchased last summer at Saratoga specifically to pinhook.

“I've been in the business for a long time and pinhooking is the only thing I think I haven't gotten into,” Lothenbach explained. “I started off with low-end claimers and started getting more into a better stable, got into breeding and started selling, but the thing that I have not done was to try pinhooking. That was our main focus with the ones we picked out in Saratoga.”

A native of Bloomington, Minnesota, Lothenbach's love of racing has been a lifelong passion.

“I love the animals,” he said. “I had a horse when I was a kid, it's always been my favorite animal. When I was a kid, I used to drive from Minneapolis to Chicago to go to the horse races. I loved it. I love the horses and I love the track.”

What has become a racing stable of some 100 runners and a breeding operation of 15 broodmares began harmlessly enough.

“There were four of us and we each threw in $1,000 and claimed a $4,000 horse,” Lothenbach laughed. “And it's grown from there.”

Lothenbach's biggest success on the racetrack came via his homebred Vacare (Lear Fan), who won the 2006 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup before selling for $2.8 million at that year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Sale. He also bred and campaigned Grade I winner Mayo on the Side (French Deputy) and multiple graded stakes winner Mister Marti Gras (Belong to Me).

With the support of racing manager Drew Nardiello and trainers Chris Block, Ian Wilkes and Neil Pessin, as well as input from Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Lothenbach was busy at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, ultimately purchasing six yearlings for a total of $1.21 million. Three of those youngsters will return to the sales ring Mar. 1 at Gulfstream Park. A colt by Curlin out of Dress the Part (Malibu Moon) will sell as hip 48. The juvenile was purchased for $240,000 at Saratoga. Hip 101, a filly by Oxbow out of Mexican Moonlight (El Prado {Ire}), was purchased for $125,000 and hip 154, a colt by Into Mischief out of Sweet Seventeen (Hard Spun) was a $200,000 purchase last summer. In addition, an Arch filly, purchased for $190,000 at Saratoga last year, is catalogued to sell as hip 254 at the upcoming OBS March sale.

Asked what his team was looking for in pinhooking prospects, Lothenbach answered perspicaciously, “Good marketable, hot sire lines.” He added, “And also an individual that, if I don't sell them, I'm totally ok with that. It's more about something that I'd be happy with keeping. The focus is on pinhooking. If I can sell them and it goes well, that's great. If not, I'll keep them.”

Lothenbach founded Imagine Print Solutions in 1988 and sold the printing company last winter, freeing up capital he has been more than happy to put into his passion for racing. In addition to his Saratoga buying spree, the Minnesotan also purchased seven yearlings at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for a total of $2.655 million. His highest-priced purchase at the September sale was a $650,000 son of Tapit (hip 209).

“I sold my business in March, so last year I spent a little more than I normally have,” Lothenbach explained. “And this year, again, I have a little more liquid money and that is fun money.”

As much as he loves the racing game, there is one place you can count on not finding Lothenbach.

“I don't like to go to the sales,” he laughed. “As a matter of fact, I don't go. I went one time. I went to one Saratoga sale and I knew I was not the guy to be sitting in that seat. So, I'll have three people that will give me an evaluation on what they appraise the horse at–and they don't communicate. I get that number. I look at what I appraise them at from a distance, without seeing the individual, and I come up with a number. If I can get them for that or less, I buy them. If they are $1,000 more, I don't. I've been very diligent that way. I guess I have bought a couple where I get above what my set price was because I like it, but I found when I went to the sales, I exceeded it by a bigger percentage than I normally would have.”

Lothenbach has already enjoyed success at the highest level on the racetrack. He'll be looking to add to his resume with his initial foray into the pinhooking game when Fasig-Tipton returns to Gulfstream Park next week.

The under-tack show for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale will be held Feb. 27 beginning at 10 a.m. The sale will be held Mar. 1 in the Gulfstream paddock with bidding scheduled to commence at 4 p.m.