New Horizon Makes First Foray Into 2-Year-Old Market
Mario Teran, Alejandro Hernandez consign a pair of colts at OBS March Sale
Longtime friends Mario Teran and Alejandro Hernandez grew up around horses in Venezuela. Decades later, the pair have turned their passion for Thoroughbreds into a business, having formed New Horizon Farm one year ago. The Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training represents the entity's first foray into the competitive 2-year-old marketplace with a pair of pinhooks slated to go through the ring—an unnamed Violence colt (Hip 108) and Monument Man (Hip 370), a colt by Declaration of War.
New Horizon Farm resides atop a recently acquired 78 acres in Morriston, Fla., near Ocala, where the operation, which features a training center, is based. Teran and Hernandez, both residents of Miami, are shaping New Horizon Farm into a full-service facility with an emphasis on breaking, training, and sales prep. Breeding and racing are also part of the ambitious business plan. colt (Hip 108) and Monument Man (Hip 370), a colt by Declaration of War.
New Horizon Farm resides atop a recently acquired 78 acres in Morriston, Fla., near Ocala, where the operation, which features a training center, is based. Teran and Hernandez, both residents of Miami, are shaping New Horizon Farm into a full-service facility with an emphasis on breaking, training, and sales prep. Breeding and racing are also part of the ambitious business plan.
"We have been around horses most of our lives and Alejandro's father was involved in the horse business in Venezuela when it was flourishing in Latin America 25, 30 years ago," said Teran whose main business interests involve e-commerce and digital marketing ventures, including CityCell GSM, which sells electronic and technological products. "We started New Horizon last year by pinhooking some yearlings at Keeneland. We have 12 2-year-olds this year, and we're excited to see where it goes."
Veteran horseman Blas Perez is handling the 2-year-old sale consignments for New Horizon and also helped Teran and Hernandez navigate the waters in selecting their first yearlings last year. In addition to the pair of colts on offer this week, New Horizon has another group of individuals targeting the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training April 20-23.
"I enjoy the (horse) sales, and my know-how is in sales," Teran said. "We are looking at growing slowly. We want to take our time, and that philosophy carries over to the horses. We want to give each of our horses plenty of time to develop at their own pace.
"We liked the pedigree on both of these big, good-looking colts (in the March sale)," Teran continued. "And Blas, who is a close friend of ours, has a good eye for conformation and all the rest. He has a great reputation in the business after 30 years; that is hard to do."
The Violence colt, bred in Kentucky by Debby Oxley and acquired by New Horizon for $35,000 out of the Darby Dan Farm consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is produced from the A.P. Indy mare My Heart's Love. Hailing from the family of grade 3 stakes winner Mo Cuishle and multiple graded stakes winner Tricky Squaw, the chestnut colt breezed an eighth-mile in :10 3/5 on March 11 at the first of three under tack previews for the March sale.
"He breezed well and had a good gallop out," said Perez who also has a consignment of his own in the March sale. "He looked good. He has been consistent. He is a well-balanced horse and is really starting to grow. At this point, we just want them sound and happy, that's our philosophy."
Teran added, "We don't ask them for a lot at this early stage of their development. We don't force anything."
Monument Man, bought last year for $25,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the Keeneland September sale, is out of the Champali mare Bear Canyon, a half sister to stakes winner Miss Hockaday. Bred in Kentucky by Mendy Abrahamson and Abrahamson Equestrian, Monument Man breezed a quarter-mile in :22 4/5 during the March 12 breeze show.
"He is the only Declaration of War being offered in this sale or at the (Fasig-Tipton) Gulfstream sale," Teran said. "He is a big colt, and he was always forward on the farm."
Teran is hopeful New Horizon's initial public offerings will appeal to buyers, but he is prepared to race the colts in New Horizon's colors if they fail to meet expectations in the auction ring.
"They are both nice horses," Teran said. "If they don't bring what we want, we will race them. Some of my best business outcomes have been a result of beginnings that did not go as planned. So, either way, we will just have to wait and see."
Looking beyond the March sale, Teran is optimistic about New Horizon's consignment for the OBS Spring sale which will include juveniles by PracticalJoke, Nyquist, Mastery, Pioneerof the Nile, and Liam's Map .
In total, New Horizon currently owns 40 head, including yearlings, 2-year-olds, broodmares, and racehorses. Teran envisions that number growing to 100 or more within a few years. Among the outfit's horses currently in training in South Florida with trainer Victor Barboza Jr. are American Dollar, a 3-year-old Exaggerator olt purchased for $40,000 at last year's OBS July Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age, and Short Circuit, a 3-year-old Street Boss filly that cost $30,000 at the same auction.
Teran indicated that New Horizon privately bought and sold Nutsie, a son of Exaggerator who subsequently won a maiden special weight last year at Saratoga Race Course in his career debut for owners Ivery Sisters Racing and DJC Racing Stables. Nutsie was a $35,000 RNA for Taylor Made Sales Agency at the 2019 Keeneland September sale.
"This is more than a business for us," Teran continued. "It's a passion and we love the horses. We're starting slow, and we're excited to see what happens."