Photo by Dan Costello
THE amazing family that is Leap To Fame and Swayzee continues to grow and get more exciting.
Much has been said and written about the fact the two best pacers in this part of the world are half-brothers and have amassed 73 wins – 15 at Group 1 level - and over $5.1 million in prize money between them.
They pair is to add to that when they clash for the fifth time – Leap To Fame holds a 3-1 lead – in Saturday night’s Group 1 Hunter Cup at Melton.
They are both out of the Art Major mare Lettucereason, Leap To Fame by Bettors Delight and Swayzee by Rock N Roll Heaven.
Amazingly, they are two of only three foals Lettucereason has had to the races. The other, Maximus Red, was no slouch with 47 wins and almost $500,000 in earnings.
Another of her foals, Reason For Fame, didn’t race but obviously has huge value as a broodmare. She is another half-sister, being by Sweet Lou.
Reason For Fame had her first foal, a colt by Bettors Delight on October 1, last year.
In other exciting family news, Lettucereason herself had another foal on September 22. It’s a filly by Bettors Delight, making it a full sister to Leap To Fame.
Both foals are owned by Justin Kahlefeldt, who also bred Leap To Fame and Swayzee.
Lettucereason was a talented performer herself on the track with 51 starts for 17 wins, 17 placings and $180,073.
She ran third in the Group 1 Bathurst Gold final and second in the Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge final as a two-year-old in 2011.
At three she ran fifth in the NSW Oaks and third in the NSW Breeders Challenge final.