In Sharper Focus: Grey Light (SAf)

Tom Kiethley’s Gunpowder Fam is making its presence known, not just in American racing, but across the globe. Kiethely, who had previously worked in the finance industry, began Gunpowder Farm in 2012. “I have always been a racing fan, so I guess it was not a question of if, but when, we would become involved in racing,” The Maryland native said. “What really allowed it to happen was my retirement. Operating a small business is a new thing for me and I am finding it takes a lot of hard work and an excellent team to be successful.” 
Gunpowder’s international success was most recently evidenced by the debut win by sophomore filly Grey Light (SAf) (Tapit) over the Greyville synthetic June 13. Grey Light was both the first South African starter and South African winner for Gunpowder Farm 
Kip Elser’s Kirkwood Stable’s purchased the filly on their behalf for R700 000 at the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale. Kiethely said he was persuaded to look to South African horses after it was suggested by a friend. “The South African circuit was proposed to us by a close friend and when we had the opportunity to acquire Grey Light at a favorable price to value we bought her,” Kiethly said. “She is a lovely filly and she certainly started well, but we are perfectly comfortable taking our time with her if we need to. She is trained by Joey Ramsden and he is doing a great job bringing her along. We thought she would sell higher than she did and when we got her we looked at it as a rare chance to own a nice Tapit at an affordable price. She has an outstanding pedigree as her dam is by a Champion Sprinter out of a mare who was a Champion in three straight years. Her granddam was a grade one winner who produced three champions. There is a lot to like there.” 
Kip Elser, who along with Kiethley and wife Erica DeVinney, picked out the filly said, “She’s well-balanced, beautiful moving Tapit filly and out of a very good, fast South African family.” Elser was understandably very high on the filly’s debut. “I thought it was very impressive,” Elser explained. “She looked like she was going very easily and got slammed sideways going out of the turn. If she hadn’t been as determined as she was, it would have been plenty of an excuse for a first-time starter to get beat.” 
Although Kiethley was unable to make it to the track for the race, he cheered on the filly from his home. “We watched it live from our kitchen and I think we must have scared the neighbors with our cheering as she rolled home past the field,” Kiethley said. “It was a real surprise to see her do that first out. We had a more modest expectation going into the race.” 
Along with their current success on the track, Gunpowder is striving for success on the breeding side of the industry, too. They currently own 16 horses in training with an additional eight in pre-training. They have broodmares and breed to both sell and race. “We tend to run more fillies than colts and we do expect to be selling young horses on an ongoing basis,” Kiethley commented. “Breeding is a lot of fun because there are so many more connections to your mares to follow on the track.” 
One of those connections Gunpowder will surely be following closely is 3-year-old colt Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), who was successful in his Sandown unveiling June 13. Gunpowder purchased his dam Keenes Royal (GB) (Red Ransom) for €48,000 at Goff’s November Sale in 2012. She delivered a Holy Roman Empire filly this year. 
The operation also stands stallion K One King (Apalachee), who stands at Margaux Farm in Midway, KY for $2,500. “As happens to many horses, they can fall through the cracks sometimes,” Kiethely said of their acquisition of K One King. “We like the Princequillo/Round Table sire line that K One King comes from and we thought he might respond positively to a very focused breeding plan. As you know, it takes a long time to see results, but I would say we are happy with his first crop and looking forward to seeing them grow up.” 
Kiethley has hopeful aspirations for both Grey Light and Gunpowder Farm. “Right now we are focused on getting her off to a successful start” he said of the filly. “Once her career on the track is over we will look at our options.” As for the farm, he stated. “We breed to race and to sell so I expect to have a full spectrum of activity going on as we move forward.”