Leap To Fame’s dam eyes spot in history

The thrilling win of Queensland superstar Leap To Fame in the $800,000 NZ Trotting Cup at Addington has virtually assured his dam Lettucereason of a unique place in Australian harness history.

Already a three-time winner of the prestigious Winona award for Australian Pacing Broodmare of the Year, Lettucereason looks certain to collect an unprecedented fourth trophy when the ballots are done early in the new year.

The daughter of the great Art Major currently shares the record with celebrated matrons Alldatglitterisgold (2013, 2014 and 2020), Liza Storm (1988, 1989 and 1990) and Maori Miss (1977, 1978 and 1979).

Lettucereason has left four winners from four starters this year and they have won 29 races including five Group 1’s and a hefty $2,717,594 in stakes between them.

Leap To Fame (by Bettor’s Delight) leads the way with 17 wins and $2,004,129, Swayzee (by Rock N Roll Heaven) has won five and $607,881, the three-year-old filly Senses (by American Ideal) has won five and finished runner-up in the NSW Oaks for $76,434 and Maximus Red (by American Ideal) has notched two successes in America and banked $29,150.

Since producing Leap To Fame in 2018, Lettucereason has left the unraced Reason For Fame (by Sweet Lou), Senses, the yearling filly Claim To Fame (by Bettor’s Delight) and a weanling filly by Bettor’s Delight.

Leap To Fame, Swayzee and Maximus Red were bred by Wagga (NSW) hobby trainer and breeder Paul Kahlefeldt under the Redbank Lodge Standardbreds banner, while his son Justin has bred the last three foals out of her.

Claim To Fame was sold privately as a weanling last year to Waikato owner Jim Haines, a client of Burnham professional trainer Mark Jones.

“I’ll be keeping Lettucereason’s weanling and racing her,” Justin said.

“She’s been served by Bettor’s Delight and is due to foal in December and is now back in foal to Bettor’s. As she’s getting a bit older we have decided to use embryo transfer with the last two services.

“We’ll keep going back to Bettor’s based on what the family’s done.”

Justin, the Melbourne-based general manager commercial of the Australian arm of global betting giant FanDuel, is also breeding from one of Lettucereason’s daughters, Reason For Fame (by Sweet Lou).

“We sold her first foal, a colt by Bettor’s Delight, at the Sydney sales to Rickie Alchin and clients back in March,” he said.

“She’s got a Captaintreacherous weanling filly and is about to foal to Bettor’s, then she’ll go back in foal to ‘Captain’. We are sticking with the best.”

Justin has been breeding standardbreds for almost a decade and currently has six well-bred matrons.