My Fantastic Lady, pictured with trainer/rider Courtney Somers of Woodbrook Farm, has been a surprise from the moment her owners Angie and Sabrina Moore learned her mother was pregnant with her. Photo by Lydia Williams
It has been nothing but surprises since Angie Moore decided to take in a broodmare six years ago.
The first revelation was discovering that Lady With a Kick was in foal to Graded Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup participant Fantasticat, a Storm Cat son.
“I had no idea the horse was even pregnant, and when I was told how impressive the father was, I started to get really excited that we had a Cinderella on our hands,” Moore says. “Everybody kept telling us we’d have a racehorse on our hands, and I was very excited to race her.”
The next curve ball turned a bit serious when the broodmare had a difficult birth, bleeding excessively as she brought the Cinderella foal, who they named My Fantastic Lady, into the world. The mare’s uterine wall tore during delivery and she bled heavily, nearly losing her life.
My Fantastic Lady
Barn name: Fancy
Sire: Fantasticat
Dam: Lady With a Kick, by Well Decorated
Foal date: Feb. 27, 2008But mother recovered as her bright bay foal grew up and set the Moore family’s heart to hammering with excitement. “We sent her to train at Bonita Farm in Darlington, Md., with Kevin Boniface and she was funny,” Moore says. “She’d leave the gait real strong, and be out in front. But as soon as another horse kicked dirt in her face, she stopped trying.”
My Fantastic Lady was nothing like her old man in the racing department, and after a few starts on turf the pretty mare was brought home, where she was soon paired with rider Courtney Somers of Woodbrook Farm, in Jarrettsville, Md. It took Somers only five minutes to figure out that within this fantastic lady beat the heart of an exceptional jumper.
“She’s an amazing jumper and a beautiful mover,” Somers says. “She jumps very round, and she always has her knees up and square, and she’s very tight with her front end. The only thing we’re working on is slowing her down so people can appreciate how pretty she is.”
My Fantastic Lady wins the 2014 Totally Thoroughbred Show at Pimlico. Photo by Lydia Williams
After just weeks of show training, My Fantastic Lady was the 2014 winner of the Totally Thoroughbred Show at Pimlico!
“We couldn’t believe it,” says her co-owner Sabrina Moore. “We were shocked. Last year I was joking with some friends at Pimlico that we’d bring her here this year and she’d win. But we didn’t really think she would. My mom left early because she didn’t think she would. But she’s truly a fancy horse!”
Her mother agrees.
A source of constant amazement from the moment she announced herself to the Moore family, to now, My Fantastic Lady is keeping her family and trainer on their toes, as she embarks on a future she seems born to.
“I’m just amazed with this horse,” Angie Moore says. “She has been the source of constant surprises. But once she started with Courtney, it’s like she found the thing she loves to do, she found what she really loves, and where she belongs.” ♥
Wonderful pair!! More good things to come to them for sure!
What beautiful mare!!! She most definately has the look of eagles.
Thank you Susan for the lovely article.
I do want to say that it’s been more than a few weeks of show training to get her to this point. She has been showing since April. We had her on our farm in January to get to her first show. Before then, she had several months of other training. I’m sorry for any mix up. I don’t want anyone to get the idea that this happens overnight.
Hi Courtney,
She’s great! And obviously what you’re doing is working wonders with her training. I meant she has been showing for mere weeks. Or three months. Impressive to win Pimlico after being so new to it!
She’s gorgeous! Glad she found her calling!!
I was following her through the Pimlico show. She, indeed, is a beauty. I’m glad she’s doing what she loves to do. But what happened to her mom? I hope she’s in a safe place.
Pam,
Her mother is happily retired with them. And she won’t be bred again because of her tendency to bleed during labor.