By Dick Jerardi
When Kathy Newell was diagnosed with breast cancer and began treatments, it was suggested by friends that when she and her husband Greg could not go out on Friday nights that they watch the show “Heartland” on Netflix.
“During a nine-year period when she had her sickness, we would watch the show,” Greg Newell said.
They not only watched the show, they eventually paid a visit to the location where it was filmed.
“It’s a show out of Canada, a 17-year running series,” Newell said. “It’s based in Calgary and we actually went on a trip and saw where it’s filmed…Every single show has something about horses. (Heartland Ranch) is a cattle farm and a horse farm.”
The show, the farm, all of it, reminded Newell of his grandparents’ house near Pittsburgh. The main “Heartland” character, Amy, is a horse whisperer. Her grandfather is Jack Bartlett.
“Somebody was always living in my grandparents’ house that shouldn’t be there, like neighbors, nephews, cousins, uncles,” Newell remembered. “They always took them in. That’s what the show’s about. Somebody’s always having some life drama. And Jack Bartlett is the grandfather you want. He’s far from perfect, can be grouchy, but man, he’d open his arms to anybody.”
Thus, Bartlett, the horse Newell bred and races with trainer John Servis, the horse that, after winning the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Penn National on August 14, has stakes wins on dirt and turf with earnings of $423,910.
“For me, those wins are personal,” Newell said. “It’s just a reminder to never give up hope for people. We had nine years. For nine years, we had this special time with her, and she never wanted anybody to feel sorry for her.”
Kathy Newell died Feb. 3.
“She was brave, never lost her faith; she just focused on helping others,” Newell said.
Which is what she did her whole life as a first-grade teacher, wife, mother, friend.
Clearly, Kathy’s Karma was there in 2008 when Servis was interested in buying a yearling by Smarty Jones. The filly did not meet her reserve so Servis went to Three Chimneys Farm and bought her privately.
Brilliant Sunshine ran 21 times with three wins, four seconds, five thirds and earnings of $185,550. After her career ended, Newell sent her to Kentucky in 2011 to be sold. He wanted $35,000 to $40,000. The bidding stopped at $27,000.
“I said the hell with it, I’m just going to keep her and breed her,” Newell said.
Greg and Kathy were high school sweethearts. His nickname for her was “Precious.”
Naturally, when Brilliant Sunshine had a filly, she was named Precious and she turned out to be the first stakes winner Newell bred on his own, earning $301,250. Then, Brilliant Sunshine foaled Pachelbel who was claimed early on from Newell and has earned $644,170. And Bartlett by super stallion Not This Time who now stands for $250,000. Newell got to him for $12,500 before he became a star.
Kathy’s Karma no doubt.
“(Brilliant Sunshine), between what the horses have earned on the track and my breeder’s awards, it’s got to be like $1.6, $1.7 million,” Newell said. “That mailbox money saved me, paid all my bills. She’s carried me for years.”
Just like Kathy, Newell gives of his time whenever asked. The former longtime president of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association is now the vice president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and a new member of the Pennsylvania Racing Commission.
Precious’s first foal is a 2-year-old by hot young sire Vekoma who stands for $100,000 these days. Newell naturally got to him for $12,500.
“Kathy’s college roommate became her best friend and they literally talked every day,” Newell said. “What a gift to have a friend you can talk to and they just shared everything, life’s ups and downs.”
The plan was to name the foal after Kathy’s friend. Her last name is Sonier. Turned out somebody from Ireland had taken the name. So the foal was named after where the Soniers live, Vero Beach, Florida, shortened by its residents to “Vero.”
Vero has been working steadily at Parx for Servis. If all goes well, Servis said the colt will make his first start on Sept. 19, Pennsylvania Derby Day. The debut will certainly be very emotional, Kathy’s Karma on full display.
