Barbie and Paul Rothfuss are the Breeders of Record of the filly, “By The Light,” the best horse that we’ve ever bred. She’s so good, and we’re so proud of her, that we thought she deserved a spot all her own! Here’s her story.
"By The Light" @ Victory Lane Farm, Millbrook, NY. Ten days old and already a beauty!
By The Light was foaled at Victory Lane Farm in upper New York State in March of 2005. We purchased her dam, Dixie Tempo, for the expressed purpose of racing her foals, and we fully intended to race her.
But in the fall of 2005, needing cash to carry the rest of our horses, we broke our plan and entered By The Light in the January 2006 sale at Keeneland. She was re-sold in September, 2006, in the Maryland Yearling Sale. Purchased by Jay Em Ess Stable, she was named “By The Light” (her sire is Malibu Moon - cool, huh?), and sent off to begin her racing career.
We’ve not had the pleasure of meeting the folks who own Jay Em Ess Stable, Mace and Samantha Siegel, but we do know they’ve invested a lot of money in Thoroughbreds, so they deserve to have good horses. We’re glad ’our’ filly turned out to be one of them. Besides, they gave her an outstanding name! We’re hopeful that we can meet the Siegel’s one day.
"By The Light" - Airborne & flyin' home in her first start at Belmont Park, 7/11/07.
Now for the good stuff!
By The Light broke her maiden in her first start - July, ’07 - at Belmont Park. She next traveled to Canandaigua, NY to the Finger Lakes Racetrack – September, ’07 - where she won the Lady Fingers Stakes and nearly $100,000. In October she returned to ‘the Lakes’ to win the New York Futurity and over $150,000, beating colts in the process. And if that wasn’t enough, in December she went to Louisiana Downs and won the Boyd Gaming’s Delta Princess Stakes and $180,000, defeating four other stakes-winning fillies in the process!
For ‘07, By The Light was four-for-four with $450,000 + in purse winnings. We were mighty proud for us and very happy for the Siegel’s. Still are. But for us, the best was yet to come.
NY Champion Two Year-Old Filly - 2007
In May of ’08 at the meeting of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Association in Saratoga Springs, “By The Light” was named New York Bred Two Year Old Filly Champion, and Barbie and I were awarded the beautiful bronze trophy that is pictured above.
We were totally taken aback when they opened the envelope and announced her name. ‘Riiiiiip.’ “And the winner is…..” This was comething we never expected, and was a very emotional and meaningful moment. The trophy is positioned proudly in the center of our mantle.
The following year (April 13, 2009) By The Light was named the 2008 New York-Bred Champion Female Sprinter. We’re honored to show you that trophy, as well.
NY Champion Female Sprinter - 2008
The sale and subsequent success of By The Light gave us the idea for All Play Stable. By rights we should have called it “By The Light Stable!”
To date, By The Light has won nine stakes and has never been off the board in nineteen starts, and she’s earned almost $900,000! We hope to breed another horse as good as she, and race that horse with you!
