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By California Thoroughbred
Jaime Roth owes everything to Rachel Alexandra.
Other players are involved: Parents Larry and Nanci make up the rest of her LNJ Foxwoods moniker, and bloodstock agent Alex Solis II is just one of many horsemen helping drive her success.
But without the talent and graceful athleticism of Rachel Alexandra, Roth would never have been hooked. Without that plunge into the sport, there would be no Covfefe, Constellation, Nickname, or California champion Cruel Intention.
“I fell in love with her,” Roth said of Rachel Alexandra. “She was a girl running against the boys.”
This rang true for the athletic Roth, who was talented enough to play on boys’ teams growing up. “She piqued my interest in horse racing. I found myself up late at night watching old races. I love animals, and I love sports. When you add that up, that’s a Thoroughbred.”
From left, Jaime Roth, along with her dad, Larry, and mom, Nanci,
enjoys a familiar spot for LNJ Foxwoods, the winner’s circle
A 2012 trip to Del Mar helped spur the decision. A family friend set Roth up with Alex Solis II – though at the time, a starstruck Roth thought she was going to be meeting Alex Solis Sr., the Hall of Fame jockey. It was with the son that Roth came up with a plan: get into ownership by way of purchasing fillies. Solis presented a business plan to Roth and her parents, and shortly thereafter they were at the Keeneland September yearling sale buying horses.
“The rest is history,” Roth said.
The support of her parents has been paramount.
“They always said to my two older brothers and me that if we had a passion and a dream and could bring a concrete plan to the table, they would do their best to get behind it,” Roth said. “True to their word, they have been very supportive. But I don’t think they themselves thought they would love it like they do, or that we would get to the level we are in eight years. No one could have guessed it would get this big, this quickly.”
LNJ Foxwoods started their first horses in 2013, and by 2015, they had grade 1 winner Nickname. The daughter of Scat Daddy broke her maiden in her second start at Saratoga, then added the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Nickname finished fourth behind Songbird in the 2015 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), but that thrill was nothing compared to her debut. Sent over six furlongs in a Saratoga maiden special weight race, Nickname drew right alongside Rachel Alexandra’s daughter Rachel’s Valentina, who went on to win.
“It is so weird to want your filly to win, but also be okay with another horse winning,” Roth said.
Nickname ultimately earned $557,710 with five more stakes placings, and he sold for $3 million at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
After Nickname came Constellation, a stakes winner at 2 in 2015 who went on to blossom at 3. She won three 2016 stakes, including the $301,035 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, earning $619,809 before retirement.
She brought $3,150,000 in foal to Curlin at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Sale a year after Nickname.
“I just adored her,” Roth said. “We always knew what a special filly she was. She had a big following because of her (Birdcatcher) spots.”
Through the years there have been other stars. Dreamologist was a grade 3 winner at Santa Anita and is now part of the Roth family broodmare band, which totals 40 mares to date.
Retro was Santa Anita stakes-placed, and Anonymity finished third in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Wickedly fast grade 1 winner Covfefe is wildly popular and one of the best sophomore fillies currently in training. Dogtag and Fancy Dress Party are both stakes winners this year.
Despite being a nationwide operation now and being a New York resident herself, Roth has always kept runners in California, due in part to the prominence of Solis and his partner, Jason Litt.
I love animals and I love sports. When you add that up, that’s a Thoroughbred.”— Jaime Roth
“The connection I had with him was so strong — he’s like a brother to me,” Roth said. “Really, working with them is almost our biggest win of everything because they are so good. We felt comfortable with our horses out in California because we knew Alex could go out every day and put his hands on the horses and touch them. The welfare of the animals was always first and foremost a priority to us.”
One of their California standouts is Cruel Intention, the California champion 2-year-old male of 2018. Raced in partnership with Jungle Racing and the Nexus Racing Club, Cruel Intention won the $196,000 Golden State Juvenile Stakes in November and went undefeated on the season. He has since been stakes-placed in 2019.
Jaime Roth gives a congratulatory hug to jockey Flavien Prat, following his victory
aboard LNJ Foxwoods’ Constellation in the grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita
The Roths are also trying their hands at standing a stallion, thanks to multiple grade 1-placed Straight Fire, who stands at Legacy Ranch in Clements. The son of Dominus—Tricky Indy, by A.P. Indy, broke his maiden by 10 1⁄2 lengths at Del Mar Aug. 6, 2016. He finished second in the $300,345 Del Mar Futurity (G1) behind Klimt, then ran third in the $300,690 FrontRunner Stakes (G1) behind Gormley. He was retired having never finished worse than third, with earnings of $146,400.
“We thought he had brilliant ability,” Roth said. “Why not take a shot and stand him ourselves? We love California racing and really want to race out there, so he’s been a fun project.”
The Roths have seven California-bred homebreds by Straight Fire. All of them are now in Kentucky preparing for their careers.
Whether she’s racing in New York, Kentucky, or California, Roth is absolutely enamored with the game.
“I love my horses like they are children,” she said. “I love them all the same.”
With more than $5.5 million in earnings in just seven seasons of racing, LNJ Foxwoods is poised to continue its climb as one of the most exciting young outfits in the sport.