“We’ve never won”: Horse Racing World Unveiled the Significance Behind a Groundbreaking $5,000 Worth Historic Claim

Mares and their owners have always had special relations with each other. Owners are the sole protectors of horses. Grooming, training and even assisting them with foaling are some tasks that equestrian sports enthusiasts help their equine partners with. Interestingly, the Daley family takes pride in their farm-bred mare Sandhill Lady, who clinched numerous opulent purses.

The Daley Family thoroughbreds have a heartwarming tale that started with a $5,000 worth of historic claim. They recently shared the incredible spree of Sandhill Lady and shared various nooks and crannies about her 

Ground-Breaking $5,000 Historic Claim

Named Sandhill Lady, the beautiful dark bay-colored mare is a Colorado bred. She was sired by Oliver’s Twist. Twist was Colorado’s leading sire at that time. Seeing her capability, the Daley family thoroughbreds did not want to miss out on a wonderful opportunity.

Talking to paulickreport, Neil Daley says, “We took her from the $5,000 claiming because she had a lot of potential.” Both Neil and his brother Rodger run the Daley Family Thoroughbreds. Since then, Sandhill Lady has proven her potential perfectly.

In 2015, Sandhill Lady took part in the Spicy Stakes at Arapahoe. Winning the race, she finished first at the $46,055 stakes race. This would be “the highlight of her career,” as per Neil. Stakes races are the highest qualification in horse racing.

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Proving her worth in the race, Sandhill showed her capability with a whopping $46,055 purse money. The victory elated the Daley family. Expressing the surprise, “We’ve never won a stakes race before, so it was a special, special moment,” said Neil. But this is not the only time Sandhill brought victory home.

Daley Family Goes Down the Memory Lane With Sandhill Lady

Sandhill Lady broke her maiden as a five-year-old in her first race at the Arapahoe Park. She was trained by Gale Deisley. Since then, there was no turning back. “Watching that little baby grow from the time Sandhill Lady was taking care of her to today when she’s winning her first race, yeah, I got tears in my eyes,” said Margie Marlin, Neil’s partner. She further added, “right after Flying Lady broke her maiden at Bally’s Arapahoe Park. “That race, she looked a lot like Sandhill Lady, coming up from behind with sand all over her chest.”

The beautiful looking mare has also won a seven-furlong allowance race which took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She went from last to first in the race, flawlessly demonstrating her endurance. In 2017, Sandhill gave up racing, thereby announcing her retirement.

Since her retirement, the mare has foaled twice. Giving birth two two healthy fillies named Flying Lady and Sahara Kara in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Sher has proved to be a perfect broodmare in every sense. Her stamina, power and capabilities are testament to the fact that with good grooming, mares are destined to bring laurels in equestrian sports.

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