by the EIE Editorial Team
It was a great day for Eye Luv Lulu on December 4th at Aqueduct Racetrack. Lulu, a stakes winner and also graded stakes placed gelding, was claimed by his breeders, the Newman family, and retired to be sent to the place where he was foaled. Lulu was followed closely on social media and celebrated when the 9 year old veteran found a soft landing. His impressive career of 61 starts included 11 wins and finished 16 times for place and 10 times for show – earning an impressive $931,174.
Equine Info Exchange learned from Adam Newman that his father, Donald Newman who passed away in December of 2014, was involved in the horse racing business for 45 years ago in the mid 70’s. “We grew up in Queens, NY, and horses were foreign to us. But my father got involved at first by claiming horses and then breeding. We had modest stock at first but his involvement grew over time. He got out of claiming and would buy horses privately and breed at a higher level – which mirrored the growth and evolution of the New York breeding program,” says Adam Newman. “It was really an achievement for our family as small breeders to have bred a horse which earned almost a million dollars.”
Fast forward to Eye Luv Lulu, the horse was named after his dog Lulu. The horse is also as sweet as his canine namesake. The New York Bred didn’t have a fancy pedigree. He was by Pollard’s Vision out of Honkey Tonk Trick by Phone Trick and was the first foal of the mare his father purchased. The mare won a race but was injured and retired. She wasn’t big but always tried - a heart that Lulu clearly inherited.
Lulu was the last horse that Donald Newman got to see run. The Newman family started racing Lulu in October of 2013 and continued to race him until the spring of 2015. After 2 lackluster efforts, the Newmans were surprised that Lulu was claimed at Belmont on June 21st, 2015, the first Father’s Day after Donald Newman passed away. Lulu clearly fit in those conditions as he won by a neck, paying $24.60 to win, and was claimed by owner/trainer David Jacobson for $40,000.
In Saratoga on July 31, 2016, Lulu finished 3rd and claimed for $40,000 by Jason Servis. After a two month break from racing, Lulu was like a new horse, winning an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Belmont on October 9th, 2016 and drew off in the stretch – winning by 7 ¼ lengths and was claimed by trainer John Toscano Jr. Lulu remained with Toscano until Feb 18, 2017 when he was claimed, again for $40,000, this time by trainer Rudy Rodriguez.
After another 2 month break from racing, he was transferred back to Jason Servis for the Hudson Handicap on October 21, 2017, at Belmont Park where he was only beaten by a neck to finish second in a field of 10. During that time, Lulu achieved his greatest success on the track including winning the Affirmed Success Stakes and a 3rd place finish in the Belmont Spring Championship (Grade 2) and In March of 2020, Servis was suspended from racing and Covid19 suspended racing in New York. For Lulu’s next start in August 20, 2020, he was under the guidance of trainer Rob Atras.
The Newmans always kept an eye on Lulu (no pun intended) and continued to reach out to the horse’s connections along the way – offering a home if he needed one. They got “outshook” (meaning that multiple people wanted to claim Lulu and a name is drawn to select who claims the horse) on three separate occasions prior to claiming him last Friday. They tried to claim him when he ran 2nd at Monmouth for a $12,500 tag but they STILL got outshook for the horse and Lulu went to trainer John P. McAllen.
The Newmans prevailed on at Aqueduct on December 4th with their trainer Ray Handel who wrote on Twitter, “Happy to be a part of it. Rich Newman and the Newman Racing family have been trying to get him for a while now. He’ll be headed to the farm early next week.”
For now, Eye Luv Lulu will unwind for a while at the place he was foaled, Fawnridge Farm, located about an hour from Saratoga Springs, NY. Then, the Newmans will discuss appropriate next steps for Lulu – always keeping the horse’s best interest in mind. Perhaps he will be a riding horse or, since he has a huge following, he may live in a retirement home where adoring fans can see him.
Equine Info Exchange will continue to provide updates. Like many racing fans and horse lovers, we’d like to collectively says “KUDOS” to the Newman family, and so many other racehorse owners and breeders, who recognize the responsibility of ownership and ensuring a safe, forever retirement and second career for the horses that give so much on the race track.
You can find other interesting stories in our section on Retire & Rehome.
