E. Paul Robsham Stables, which bred and raced such grade I stakes winners as Awesome Maria and R Heat Lightning, will completely disperse its Thoroughbred breeding stock at the 2013 November Breeding stock sale at Keeneland. Lane’s End Farm will act as agent.
In all, 24 horses will be cataloged in the dispersal, including seven broodmares, three broodmare prospects, four weanlings, and 10 yearlings.
“Together, Paul and Joyce Robsham built a racing and breeding operation that competed at the highest levels of the sport,” said Lane’s End Farm’s Bill Farish. “Since Paul’s death several years ago, Joyce has continued to pursue their passion with great success. She loves her horses, and enjoys every aspect of the game.”
The Robshams first became involved in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in 1983. Joyce Robsham continued the operation upon the death of her husband, a prominent real estate developer and philanthropist, in 2004. That year the stable ranked as leading owner by number of wins during the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park.
The Robshams bred and raced grade I stakes winners Awesome Maria, Discreet Cat, R Heat Lightning, Discreetly Mine, and Pretty Discreet; and grade II winners Discreet Dancer and Trippi's Storm.
Other graded-stakes winners campaigned by the Robshams in their distinctive maroon and gold silks were Trust N Luck, Canadian Frontier, and Travelin Man.
Joyce Robsham will continue her racing stable. Discreet Dancer, winner of the 2013 Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II), will be sold privately, according to a release from Keeneland.
Awesome Maria, currently in foal to leading sire Giant's Causeway , is among the broodmares to be offered in November. During her four-year racing career, Awesome Maria won nine of 16 starts, including eight stakes, highlighted by the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I), Matron Stakes (gr. II), Shuvee Handicap (gr. II), two editions of both the Rampart Stakes (gr. III) and the Sabin Stakes (gr. III), and earned more than $1 million.
Discreetly Awesome, dam of Awesome Maria and a half sister to Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) winner and millionaire Discreet Cat and King’s Bishop Stakes (gr. I) winner Discreetly Mine, also will be sold, in foal to Malibu Moon .
“The Robshams maintained a small breeding operation of remarkable quality,” Keeneland vice president of sales Walt Robertson said. “We appreciate the opportunity to include such an exceptional offering in the November sale.”
Other broodmares featured in the dispersal will be R Heat Lightning, winner of the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I), Gulfstream Oaks (gr. II) and Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II), in foal to Bernardini ; Broadway's Alibi, winner of the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) and Comely Stakes (gr. III), in foal to Smart Strike; and Feline Story, winner of the Floral Park Handicap (gr. III) and Sorority Stakes (gr. III), in foal to Discreetly Mine.
R Holiday Mood, winner of the 2012 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (gr. III), and stakes winner R Gypsy Gold, both homebreds, will be offered as broodmare prospects.
