Heartland

--- You know, there are moments—rare, fleeting—when you feel the tectonic plates shift beneath your feet, and you realize you’re standing at the beginning of something… meaningful. That was Heartland. A colt who appeared, at first glance, like so many others—young, precocious, a flash of brilliance in a single start. But brilliance… real brilliance… that’s something you *feel* before you measure.

It was last summer, during Del Mar season, when Elliott Walden from WinStar came to me. He leaned in the way horsemen do when they have a secret, and asked me a question no man asks lightly: *“What do you think of Heartland?”* A once-raced maiden winner. Beautiful. Regal. A half-brother to Classic Empire—yes, *that* Classic Empire. Elliott had the glint of belief in his eye, the kind men carry when they know something the market hasn’t priced in yet.

Now, you’ll appreciate this—he brought up Malibu Moon, sidelined after two starts. Maclean’s Music—one. Both brilliant. Both, ultimately, sires of consequence. So why *not* Heartland? He ticked the boxes. Bloodlines? Exceptional. Physique? Sculpted. Potential? Limitless. Yes, he had an injury. But injuries are not indictments—they are, sometimes, nature’s way of redirecting greatness.

He asked me if I could tell how fast the horse had gone six furlongs in debut. I smiled. *Of course* I could. But what mattered more—what always matters more—was the *way* he did it. The rhythm. The efficiency. The *intent*. You don’t measure future stallions by clocks and charts alone. You measure them by presence.

So I dug. I analyzed. I obsessed. What began as curiosity became conviction. The more I unearthed, the more undeniable it became. This was no ordinary project. This was legacy. I put together a presentation—meticulous, thorough, convincing—and before long, I realized: I didn’t want to *recommend* Heartland. I wanted to *join* him. https://www.winstarfarm.com/flipbook/heartland/

Click on Heartland for a wonderful brochure.

So we made the deal. Two mares. A grandson of Justify—yes, the *great* Justify. Into Mischief may object, and I’ll accept my scolding from the king, but sometimes you don’t follow the market—you lead it. So we made the deal for the two out of my three mares to go Heartland. Yay!

The third one, Officer Leah, was in foal and soon to drop a foal, when she coliced and we lost the foal. I desperately wanted to take her as well to Heartland.

Ah… *Officer Leah*. Now there’s a name that carries both strength and sorrow in equal measure.

---You see, in this life, particularly in the world of breeding and bloodlines, timing is everything. But nature—nature couldn’t care less about your schedule, your hopes, or your meticulously crafted plans. No… nature has her own cruel sense of rhythm. And so it was with Officer Leah.

She was heavy in foal, days—perhaps hours—from delivering the next chapter in a carefully plotted saga, when the call came in. Colic. I’ve received many calls over the years—calls that chilled me to the bone, calls that turned my blood to ice—but this one… this one was different. We lost the foal. And with it, a little piece of the dream.

I had every intention—*every intention*—of sending her to Heartland. She was meant to be part of this venture, this vision. But suddenly, that future evaporated. I stood at a crossroads, the kind where hope and responsibility must have a difficult conversation.

You don’t rush these things. Not with mares. Not with hearts. So I turned to the veterinary staff—the true stewards of life and recovery—and I said, *“Tell me when she’s ready. Not before. No heroics. No shortcuts. Just truth.”* That was three months ago.

And then… this morning. The phone rang. A simple message, delivered with a calm resolve that belied its importance: *“Officer Leah is doing great. She’s ready to be bred.”*

Just like that, the fog lifted. The chapter that had been put on pause is once again being written. A small victory in a business where triumph often hides behind tragedy. But I’ve learned… it’s not the setbacks that define the story. It’s how quietly, how patiently, we wait for the chance to begin again.

So now… Officer Leah joins the mission. Not just as a mare, but as a survivor. A testament to resilience. And soon, perhaps, the mother of something extraordinary.

--- Here is Officer Leah produce record - Her foals have recorded 59 starts with 18 wins. 31% win total. Wow~ the only none winner whom started was Sigesmund, whom was fast but had a paralyzed flap. We gave him away, to be a pony. Speed is what Officer Leah passes on. Both Officer Quigley and Leah's Legacy both won first out and paid double digits, Yes, we bet them both!

So we have 25% available, which includes Stud Fee for the one time purchase price and off we go.

Breeding’s not a gamble, my friend. It’s an *act of faith*. And Heartland… well, he might just be the horse who justifies it.

Contact Bruno at Bruno@racingwithbruno.com, but be aware when we booked the first two mares, shares were gone in a few hours.

Let's go Heartland.