Milt Policzer has been quite successful in breeding and racing Cal-bredsMilt Policzer is the first to joke that he’s done nothing but lose money breeding horses, but the emotional reward is worth the investment.
“I was a horse racing fan for a long time, but until 19 years ago I couldn’t aff =ord to participate,” he said. “Suddenly I had a little bit of money, so I started wasting it on horses, and I’ve continued to waste it on horses ever since.” Jokes aside, Policzer has been a longtime supporter of the California racing and breeding industry, having bred several six-figure earners.
He first got involved in small partnerships before buying a Carson City filly named Bella Sierra in 2001. She finished last on debut and continued to run poorly until she was claimed out of her only win in January 2004.
That experience taught Policzer to stay in partnerships, where the cost could be spread among several partners.
“Over the years I’ve shared a lot of horses with a lot of other people and almost none worked out well,” he said. “But to be honest, my original plan was to be solely a breeder and sell them. If I had stuck to that, I would have done a lot better. That is essentially what I’m doing now.”
Policzer’s last horse on the track, Sweet Treat, was a winner at Del Mar Nov. 15, 2018.
“The only reason I claimed her was to be a broodmare,” Policzer said. “My trainer, Mike Puype, took a look at her and said she could win if we ran her again. So we brought her back and she won.”
Sweet Treat, a daughter of Candy Ride, was claimed out of that win for $16,000, and Policzer ultimately had to buy her back. She is now a broodmare in Kentucky — his only one outside California — and foaled a Lord Nelson filly April 23.
Policzer’s four other broodmares are boarded at Rancho San Miguel, where he is supporting the stallion he owns a percentage of, Richard’s Kid.
Policzer is a big advocate for young sire Richard’s Kid, shown winning the Pacifc Classic
Richard’s Kid was a major force in the older horse division for several years, as the son of Lemon Drop Kid—Tough Broad, by Broad Brush, won 12 of 47 starts with $2,482,259 in earnings. He was a stakes winner at Laurel Park before moving to California in 2009 and taking the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) over the likes of Einstein, Rail Trip, and Colonel John likes of Einstein, Rail Trip, and Colonel John.
He finished sixth in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) won by Zenyatta but continued to succeed in 2010 with a win in the $150,000 San Antonio Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita. After running third in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), he took another Pacific Classic. He also added the $250,000 Goodwood Stakes (G1) to his resume that fall.
Richard’s Kid was retired to Magali Farms after winning the $150,000 Cougar II Handicap (G3) and running fourth in the Pacific Classic in 2013. He relocated to Rancho San Miguel in 2017 and has since produced 24 winners from just 29 starters. He has progeny earnings of more than $1.5 million, with his leading runner, Sapphire Kid, a stakesplaced winner.
“I had a whole bunch more broodmares last year because I was trying to support the stallion,” Policzer said. “I sold them in foal. I’m a really big advocate for Richard’s Kid. His numbers are astonishing considering how few mares he’s gotten.”
As for his own mares, Policzer is trying to focus on quality “because I can’t afford quantity.” His four mares in California are Kiss At Midnight, Tiz Gentle, Jade With Envy, and Secret Sonnet.
But to be honest, my original plan was to be solely a breeder and sell them. If I had stuck to that, I would have done a lot better. That is essentially what I’m doing now.”
— Milt Policzer
Kiss At Midnight is a stakes-winning daughter of Decarchy. She won five of 21 starts for earnings of $364,850. Kiss At Midnight produced a Lord Nelson filly last year and had a Richard’s Kid colt in 2020.
Tiz Gentle is a Tiznow daughter of the dual Grade 2-winning Be Gentle, by Tale of the Cat. Tiz Gentle was winless in two starts, but her first foal, Chasin
Lucas, is a three-time winner. Her second foal, by Richard’s Kid, is two-time winner Adorably Sweet. Tiz Gentle produced a full brother to that runner this spring.
Policzer bred Jade With Envy in partnership with Bernie Fleming and Michael Timchenko. After she earned $267,578 on the track, Policzer bought the daughter of Ten Most Wanted back as a broodmare. She has a 2-year-old colt by Point of Entry. Policzer sold him for $65,000 at the Fasig-Tipton California fall yearlings sale last September. Jade With Envy has since produced two more foals by Richard’s Kid.
“I was pretty happy with his price,” Policzer said of the Point of Entry colt. “I’ve done reasonably well breeding over the last two to three years. I’m usually in the middle of the list of breeders, which is pretty good considering I have only a few mares.” Policzer is chasing the success he had early on with Curiously Sweet, one of the first horses he ever bred. The California-bred daughter of Mud Route won four of seven starts, including the $107,200 Cat’s Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park in 2007. She also ran second in the Melair Stakes and earned $207,600.
A horse he bred one year later, Husband’s Folly, went on to run 83 times for earnings of $435,006. The Cal-bred son of Decarchy had eight wins, 13 seconds, and 16 thirds and ran from September 2010, through October 2019.
Policzer is also the co-breeder of stakes-placed Rebecca’s Surprise, a Cal-bred daughter of Marino Marini. The gray mare won 14 of 39 starts for earnings of $378,778. She traveled the country, running in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Florida over four seasons. She was sold as a broodmare prospect for $32,000 in 2016.
Any mare that he owns not being bred to Richard’s Kid is visiting Rancho San Miguel stallion Curlin to Mischief, better known as the Curlin half brother to leading sire Into Mischief and multiple champion Beholder.
“I’ve really cut back over the last year with my number of mares, and primarily I’ve been selling yearlings,” Policzer said. “But I may be racing the ones that didn’t meet their reserves last year.”
Among them are homebreds by Decarchy, Grazen, and Vancouver, and they could all lead Policzer right back to the racetrack for another try.