What is a Bloodstock Agent?

Headley Bell drives into the Mill Ridge Farm entrance as day breaks over the green rolling fields, struck with a sense of awe for the beauty of this land and the horses who live here. As the owner and bloodstock agent for Nicoma Bloodstock at Mill Ridge Farm, he’s humbled that fate allowed him to witness the beauty of this farm for the past 30 years. He enters the gate to partner in the miracle of the land and these horses, and prepares to begin his day alongside the people who make raising horses the best work on the planet.

Headley Bell started as a groom and has worked in all facets of horse care. His journey into bloodstock research began 40 years ago. He spent hours studying pedigrees, inspecting horses, and taking notes. His knowledge of pedigrees is complemented by a natural-born instinct for all things thoroughbred. One might say it’s in his blood. He is a fifth-generation horseman. His mother and grandfather are both in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. His mother said of him, “My son Headley has an eye for a horse – and a natural talent for mating mares.”

Whether you are just getting started in the thoroughbred horseracing industry or are a seasoned thoroughbred racing pro, the ins-and-outs of thoroughbred ownership and racing can be very tricky to navigate. You need an experienced bloodstock agent to guide you. Headley Bell of Nicoma Bloodstock seeks to establish accessible communication and mutual trust in his client relationships. His experience, record of integrity, and results will position you for two main objectives: financial reward, and perhaps more importantly, enjoyment. 

What exactly is Bloodstock?

Simply, bloodstock refers to the breeding of thoroughbreds used for racing. While the definition of bloodstock is straightforward, the role of a bloodstock agent is complex. 

Thoroughbred bloodstock agents work with you to find the right thoroughbreds for your horse portfolio. They know when it’s the best time to purchase or sell, provide insider thoroughbred racing information, advise on industry trends, and assist in implementing and developing a thoroughbred breeding program.

What Is a Thoroughbred Horse Portfolio?

Think of bloodstock agents as your primary consultant to manage your thoroughbred portfolio. When you partner with an experienced bloodstock agency, you get top quality bloodstock, carefully selected stallions, and the expert industry knowledge of the Mill Ridge team. It’s not just talented racehorses. By partnering with a team with proven results on the track, you’re getting one step closer to the winner’s circle. 

While younger, less-proven horses are less expensive, with the right upbringing and training, these thoroughbreds will gain experience and offer wider investment opportunities. As the horse garners more attention, more people will want to invest. Having a bloodstock agent at your side will help you know how you get the most return out of your investment.

Bloodstock agents like Headley Bell offer invaluable expertise and assistance with:

• Advising clients on the ins-and-outs of the thoroughbred horse racing industry.

• Identifying and establishing your thoroughbred industry racing goals.

• Creating and executing a plan to help reach your goals.

• Investing money across this spectrum of risk, just like a financial portfolio.

• Assisting current racing industry professionals to improve their chances of success.

• Buying and selling horses on your behalf.

• Finding the best breeding opportunities.

In addition to the in-depth racing industry experience, an experienced bloodstock agent can advise clients on breeding, racing prospect knowledge, if and when it is a good time to buy a broodmare, what the best broodmare and stallion pairs are for breeding, ways to create your own family line within the thoroughbred racing industry, and best practices for raising thoroughbred racehorses. 

What Makes a Good Bloodstock Agent?

Two words: Integrity and results.

The best bloodstock agents always act with honesty and integrity, and they raise their thoroughbreds to win. Nicoma Bloodstock is associated with the matings of 14 G1 winners including two Arc de Triomphe, two Kentucky Derby, one Kentucky Oaks, four Breeders’ Cup, and two Horse of the Year titleholders.

In addition, in order to help put a stop to unethical buying practices, Headley Bell was instrumental in creating and encouraging integrity enforcement organizations. These organizations help agents, buyers, and sellers work together fairly.

These integrity enforcement organizations include:

• Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau

• Organization of Racing Investigators

• Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity

• National Thoroughbred Racing Association

If you’re considering investing in a thoroughbred racehorse, look for an agent who takes a disciplined approach. Horse racing isn’t a volume business. A good bloodstock agent will spend your money like it’s their own. They communicate with you and won’t sign big ticket items that aren’t worth it. The best agents let their results speak for themselves.

Why Not Use an Owner or Trainer Instead of a Bloodstock Agent?  

Thoroughbred owners and trainers have their own specific industry experience, but they are busy running their racing business or training horses. A bloodstock agent focuses on pedigrees and matings in order to give owners the best possible return on their investments. 

Additionally, bloodstock agents understand the complexities of the breeding process and how to best advise you based on your goals and investment budget. They can advise on broodmares to purchase, qualities to mate for, and stallions to choose to achieve those qualities.

Good judgment and trustworthiness make top-quality bloodstock agents stand apart from the rest. They are often purchasing a horse on behalf of a stable or owner, and typically work in collaboration with trainers.

Certain sales may run for a few days, and your bloodstock agent will stay the entire time. This will help narrow down the horse search and offer a good way for agents to network and build relationships.

In fact, most bloodstock agents sell and purchase horses for their clients at public auctions and privately with an agreed upon fee that is generally a percentage of the transaction. Agents often handle the behind-the-scenes management, such as making arrangements to transport the horses once a sale is finalized.

How Do You Choose a Bloodstock Agent?

When choosing a bloodstock agent, you want to look for someone you enjoy working with who has deep industry knowledge coupled with industry integrity. You want to choose someone in the industry that shares a love of the horses and the sport but also understands your financial goals. 

Some questions you might want to ask a potential bloodstock agent include:

• How long have you been in the racing industry?

• What bloodstock do you prefer?

• How do you choose a broodmare?

• Do you offer services for raising thoroughbreds at your facility?

• How many bloodstock clients do you currently work with?

• Can I speak with your past clients or references?

• What have been your results?

Success in the thoroughbred racing industry takes patience, money, and a love for the horse and sport. Watching racehorses develop their racing skills and running in races is an unmatched feeling of freedom and pure athleticism. Thoroughbred racehorse owners and those in the industry often comment that you will never find another breed of horse with more heart than the thoroughbred.

An interesting aspect of horseracing is that a 25% success rate will get you into the Hall of Fame. It’s important to manage your expectations and be patient while your racehorse develops. You are part of the racing experience, and it’s not all about winning the Kentucky Derby. There are plenty of talented thoroughbreds and bloodlines out there to help you build your dynamic horse portfolio. Even if your thoroughbred doesn’t win the Kentucky Derby, there are a multitude of stakes races that can set your horse apart from the field. You want to build your horse up to his or her fullest potential and always put your horse’s welfare first.

What’s the Return on Your Investment? 

The thoroughbred racing industry, financially, is a long-term investment with joy and excitement along the way.

With the help of a Kentucky bloodstock agent, you start by making your purchase. If you buy a broodmare in foal, you will experience the excitement that comes with a foal's arrival. You will see it grow and mature over the next 12 months into a yearling. During this time, the horse learns how to be handled, walked, groomed, bathed, and many other essential aspects of life.

If your portfolio goals were to sell your yearling in a sale, you would celebrate that achievement once your horse is selected for sale. You will experience visiting the farm or receiving updated photos and videos from the farm where your yearling is boarded. When it's time for the sale, your horse will ship to the sale grounds and be shown to prospective buyers. You can attend the sale to witness your horse sell. The horse will enter the ring, and the bidding will begin. With everything going according to plan, you will celebrate a triumphant return on your investment.

When things don't go according to plan, your bloodstock agent will guide you through the next steps of the process. You can sell privately, choose to send your horse to two-year-old training, and enter him in a two-year-old sale or race your horse.

A good bloodstock agent understands the opportunities you will have as a thoroughbred owner. They know how to best match your broodmares with selected stallions. They understand pedigrees that will fit your racing goals. Bloodstock agents will be the best to advise you on your investments over time. They don't get caught up in the thoroughbred stallion trends, and they won't make reactive purchases based on the current state of the market.

Understanding Bloodlines

Thoroughbreds come in many shapes and sizes. While you may be drawn to the big bay horse or the slender gray one, remember not to get too hung up on appearances alone. The most important qualities of thoroughbreds lie in their history and bloodlines.

In thoroughbred racing, you want to breed for certain characteristics of broodmares and stallions. Experienced bloodstock agents in Kentucky, like the Nicoma Bloodstock agents at Mill Ridge Farm, can help you understand the complexities of pedigrees and bloodlines. 

Our team is filled with experts. Headley Bell is an industry expert and understands bloodlines better than anyone. He spends countless hours studying the pedigrees and physical aspects of horses. When you partner with a good bloodstock agent you get the deep knowledge a person has of horse families that reach far back in history.

You’ll get a bloodstock agent that can ask, “What aspect of each horse is going to present in this mating? How do we combine those aspects to make the best racehorse?”

A bloodstock agent is like a filing cabinet of knowledge that takes years of education and experience to accrue. That’s a valuable asset for anyone stepping into the business and for people who have been in this thoroughbred horse racing business a while.

Taking the Next Step in Thoroughbred Horse Racing

From casual racing fans and those new to the industry to seasoned professionals, having the best experts on your racing team is key to developing your thoroughbred portfolio. 

For nearly 60 years, Mill Ridge has been breeding, racing, and developing bloodstock that run with heart and have the competitive spirit that makes thoroughbreds a magnificent breed. Family owned and operated for six generations, Mill Ridge understands the importance of breeding and raising thoroughbreds to bring out their best. Mill Ridge bloodstock and the racehorses in training at their farm get to experience the life horses need. They go out in the pasture with other horses to play, graze, and run together. They learn important horse skills from other horses, such as boundaries and communication. They get to enjoy life as a horse should, which makes them more willing and ready to perform at their best on the track.

The Mill Ridge team will meet the needs of anyone looking to get into the industry or to help current industry professionals meet their goals. Your experience is always customized to you and your horses. Our team has raised 36 Grade 1 winners since 2000, a record not held by many. But the family and farm history make Mill Ridge truly special; Mill Ridge offers the keen eye of a professional bloodstock agent in Kentucky with the family's boutique farm experience.

At the end of the day, Headley’s work maintaining the beauty of the Kentucky land his family has cultivated for generations brings a smile to his face. Thoroughbred fans come for tours of the farm to get a glimpse at life on a working thoroughbred racehorse farm, and they will likely see Headley right there in action. He has passed his knowledge, expertise, and deep love for the sport and horses to his family who help him run the farm today. Like the thoroughbreds they raised, Headley and his family at Mill Ridge welcome the next generation of thoroughbred racehorse enthusiasts at all levels of the industry.

The squeals of yearlings playing and racing through pasture shape the farm’s landscape as the sun sets over the hills. The young horses strengthen their muscles and start developing racing skills on the same hills where they were born.