Mare bought for $1000 on million-dollar budget takes Lowe to new highs

A couple of years ago when Ken Lowe went to his first broodmare sale on his own, he was looking for the right mare to mate with his group 1 winner Rebel Dane.

He hoped that he would breed a talented racehorse eventually but couldn’t have imagined that it would lead to so much more.

Subterranean wins the group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast.Credit:Michael McInally

Lowe, a successful businessman in the IT industry, had been bitten by the racing bug. He had already had his share of success with good mate Steve Grant, who owns Silverdale Stud, and Henry Field’s stallion syndicate.

He had often been at the sales and watched as the stock he dreamed of owning were bought. On this day, though, he was on his own with a $1 million line of credit limit to buy broodmares for Grant, who couldn’t make it to the sale.

“I went there not knowing anything and, when I sat down, lot two came in,” Lowe recalled. It was a Bernardini mare called Caves.

Laurel Oak Bloodstock principals Steve and Louis Mihalykla, who syndicated Rebel Dane, prepared Lowe for his mission.

’The mare just had a big arse, and I thought, ‘that’s what I’m looking for’.′

“They worked out these mares I should bid on for Rebel Dane,” Lowe continued. “Then this lot came up and it just had a big arse, and I thought, ‘that’s what I’m looking for’.

“The old science thing came into it, and the genetics, so Rebel Dane was a bit of a sprinter and I wanted something to match with him that had what he didn’t, and that was a big bum. I bid at $500, $600, $700, $800, $900 and, finally, they knocked her down to me at $1000. She was the first horse I bought in the sales ring. She has worked out OK.”

Caves went to Rebel Dane and the product of the mating is group 3-winning colt Subterranean, which returns in the Up And Coming Stakes at Kembla Grange on Saturday. At least Lowe hadn’t put a dent in the budget on his fancy, which gives him bragging rights to this day.

“I have always been frugal,” he said. “Later in the day there, was one I suppose to buy for Steve and it went for $38,000. I wouldn’t go to 40 and he still reminds me about it.”

Subterranean holds a special place for Lowe, whose Carpe Diem operation holds a share in three-year-olds like Stay Inside, Artorius and Captivant, all group 1 winners.

But this son of Rebel Dane means that little bit more. He talks about him like a family member as he is returns after a short spell following a Brisbane winter where he won the Ken Russell Classic and was fifth in the JJ Atkins.

“The word is that Subbie has a bit of improvement left in him because he has a long preparation ahead of him, but I always expect a lot of him,” Lowe said.

Lowe will only have eyes for one horse in the Up And Coming Stakes, even though he has interests in four other colts in the group 3 race – Tiger Of Malay, Construct, Revivalist and Concocted.

“I think they are all going to run a good race, but I know Matty Dunn is fired up about what Subterranean can do,” he said. “We should have the winner there among them.”

Subterranean has linked Lowe back to his family, which hails from Quirindi, after they sold a half-share in the colt through trainer Matt Dunn. One of his clients was there when this unfashionable colt worked at Murwillumbah one morning and was taken with him and bought into him straight away.

“It ends up we are second or third cousins. I left the races that with goosebumps,” Lowe said. “He just keeps surprising us, Subbie. He has helped put Rebel Dane on the map and, hopefully, he can continue to do more in the spring.”

Dunn has Subterranean on a path to the Spring Champion Stakes and believes the residual fitness from his winter campaign will carry him through his return. Only $2.60 favourite Tiger Of Malay and Subterranean, an $8.50 hope, carry above the limit in the Up And Coming, but that doesn’t worry Dunn.

“He had about 10 days, so he didn’t have a long break,” Dunn said. “He has trialled well, but he’s not fully fit. However, he is where he has to be to go to a 1300m race first-up.

“He has been competitive against similar fields to this one, and he has the advantage of coming off that winter campaign.

“He is the quietest colt to train, he really is captain casual, nothing really worries him. It helps him because he’s so efficient through his races, which helps him quicken better. I think he will just get better as we stretch him out.”

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