Grace tells me they’ll offer 90-minute walking tours on the farm every Friday during track season this year. “The tours will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. We all agreed we want to give visitors the chance to learn about the ins and outs of what happens here – from mating and foaling, to raising young horses,  training them, and ultimately having them make it to the racetrack. We will also talk about retirement and what life after the track looks like.” If there’s a lot of interest, she says, the family might consider extending the tours into the fall months, attracting locals who might be curious about seeing the farm and learning more about the life of a Thoroughbred.

I ask if I can walk up to the fence, where I’m able to say hello to a curious mare and foal that decide they want to meet me. Sophia scrambles over the stone wall with her mom to join me. “You can tell which foals are the youngest,” Tina grins, explaining how the ones who have been born in the last few months seem to be tied to their mom’s apron strings, while the foals a few months older are running around on their own or with ‘friends’ they’ve made since their birth. “See them over there, taking a nap? Or over there, running the length of our fence? Mom is still in the vicinity, but not like in the beginning.”

Grace explains how, at about five or six months old, the mares and foals kinda- sorta part ways. The mares might be pregnant again and need to conserve their energy while the foals are off in another field, doing their own thing, socializing with others. Because they’re separated for a while, out in the fresh air, or in the barn, they eventually lose the scent of each other. Maybe the horses pass each other in the barn or out in the fields again, but they don’t recognize that they’re related any longer.”

For some reason, this makes me a little bit sad. Really? They don’t know they’re related? “They’re ready for it,” Tina tells me. “Think of it like this: a teenager graduates and is excited to go out and explore the world on their own. And mom is just as ready for a break! Right?” Well, I can certainly relate, and find myself chuckling when she puts it like that…

As we walk through the barns, which are spic-and-span, by the way, I find myself looking at the nametags on the front of each stall and the beautiful horses inside. My favorite is so handsome, and his name seems to fit his muscular form just right! It makes me wonder how horses are named.

“One of the fun parts of racing is naming the horses,” Tina explains when I voice what I’ve been thinking. “It can also be one of the hardest, since our choices need approval, and sometimes they’re sent back to the drawing board. Many people combine part of the sire’s name with the mare’s. That’s not me, never has been,” she laughs, and Grace joins in. I’ve watched the two women together over the last hour – it seems like they have a nice and easy relationship, which is nice to see. “Years ago, we named a horse Ruffino, and he turned out to be very successful on the racetrack. From that point on, Jim and I decided to combine two things we really love – horses and Italian red wines – when naming our horses. It’s become a tradition that’s brought us a lot of joy over the years.”

The fan package included a delicious buffet breakfast at the Saratoga Race Course. It was fun to walk in before the day’s card began. I was seated near the rail and got to watch the world-class Thoroughbreds warm-up while enjoying the hot-and-cold offerings. Think piping hot scrambled eggs, savory French toast, fresh seasonal fruit, cereals, assorted muffins, Danish, yummy bacon, sausage, plus coffee, tea, and juices. (I had a mimosa at an extra charge.) I mean, why not, right? When the time came, I met others at the pickup spot out in front of the Clubhouse, and we were ready for an adventure!

We boarded an open-air trolley and took a long, leisurely ride to the James Bond Racing Stables, our guide pointing out interesting things along the way. We were excited to experience a behind-the-scenes look. Even though most of us were strangers on the trolley, we chatted as if we’d known each other for years. Some of the folks had been on the tour before, but to a different farm, while others, like me, were part of it for the first time.

I was interested in seeing where the work with horses begins, and the guide talked about this breeding farm, particularly the mystery of 007. “I read that all of the horses going to the track have a '007' saddle cloth, but that’s the extent of a connection to the actors or the movies of the same name,” one attendee said. You could hear chuckles at that. The 90-minute tour was sure to be educational, and we suspected it would be entertaining, too. 

It was obvious that everything had been done with the horse’s level of comfort in mind. From the expansive meadows where the horses run free, to the barns, where the stalls are designed for cross-ventilation to promote horse health. We were led by two women who walked and talked with us, educating the group about their breeding practices. The event was something to write home about – and certainly let us see how Thoroughbred racing supports many varied sectors of our local economy. It gave us a fantastic chance to watch remarkable animals in their earliest stages of life, there on the farm. 

Tina and Grace both share how the farm is a full-circle business. From even before the foals are born to the day they die, the farm and family are there to make sure all of them are healthy and happy. I find myself interjecting. “Do you ever have a depressed horse here?” Tina pauses for a minute. “Well, I suppose they can be a little melancholy when they first retire. Their whole life has been racing, and they love the sport. So, when they retire, it’s a big adjustment. Yet, they have many years left to live and be productive. So, it’s important that they learn something new. They need to switch gears and master new disciplines. Some begin breeding at this stage in life. Or, perhaps they train and become a jumper, instead.” The important thing is that the family is committed to ensuring every horse they breed has a home – even the retired Thoroughbreds.

Retired horses are still young, fit, and sprightly, so I assume they must need another outlet for expending some energy? Grace nods in agreement. “Barrel racing, hunting, trail riding, and dressage are a few ways they can remain active and feel useful,” she tells me. “We work hard to help train the horses in transitioning and learning about life after the track.” I’m also sure some horses are forced into retirement due to illness or injury. I like to picture them resting in luxury and relaxing on a wonderful farm like this one.

“You know,” Tina says in a serious tone. “Those of us lucky enough to have horses in our lives are so blessed. Every single day, in so many ways. Horses have a way of teaching us, grounding us, and healing us – all at the same time.”

I watched an interview a year or so ago with the Bond couple. Jim shared that he and his wife “have been best friends for over forty years. When you work with your best friend, great things happen. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” I think the horses here on Song Hill feel the exact same way.