Stephanie Got Even, the winner of the American Beauty Stakes and runner-up in the Spring Fever Stakes at Oaklawn Park this season, has been sold by the owner/trainer team of Joe and Tim Martin.
The Martin brothers, Hot Springs natives, turned a $1,200 investment into $97,573 in track earnings and a $200,000 sale price. The 4-year-old filly is now on her way to South Florida.
“She’s just so nice and I can’t wait to see her stretch out,” said Joe Martin Feb. 26. “We are going to miss her, but you can’t turn down deals like this. When you do, it always seems like it never works out. She was great for us and I know she’s going to make some money for them because you can tell she’s a real racehorse, but we just had to take the offer.”
The Martins had been planning on racing her next in the Carousel Stakes at six furlongs March 27, but instead she is ticketed to join trainer Marty Wolfson at Calder Race Course. Taylor Made Sales of Lexington, Ky., brokered the deal.
The daughter of Stephen Got Even surprised the Martins when they were able to buy her from the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearlings sale for just $1,200. That allowed them to be patient as she outgrew the ailments that often plague young horses.
After losing her first two starts on a synthetic surface last June, she moved to natural dirt at Mountaineer Park and rattled off four straight wins. She shipped to Oaklawn this winter and upset the American Beauty at 23-1 on Jan. 23, then saw her winning streak stopped when she ran out of ground in the 5 ½-furlong Spring Fever Stakes Feb. 20.
“We got calls right away and I turned down $150,000,” said Joe Martin. “It moved up to $200,000 and Taylor Made made the deal quick. They had a contract right to us and we quickly got her vetted. This was Wednesday morning (Feb. 23) and she was on a van later that day.
"I don’t know the new owners, but I do know it was contingent on her staying in racing. It happened fast, but my brothers and I have been feeling good about it since. I may regret it later, because I really know she’s going to do great, but right now I feel good.”
