HOLLYWOOD PARK : Mayberry Barn Loses Key String

An owner-trainer partnership that appeared to be successful ended Sunday when the Mace Siegel family moved its 48 horses from Brian Mayberry to four other trainers at Hollywood Park.

In explaining the switch, Mace Siegel said that while there were numerous stakes winners in the eight years with Mayberry, the stable operated at a loss of more than $7 million.

“This wasn’t about the bottom line,” Mayberry said. “It was about stroking. They [Mace Siegel, his wife, Jan, and their daughter, Samantha] wanted to be stroked, and I’m not a stroker. I’m a horse trainer.”

Said Mace Siegel: “We had a few good years with Brian, but the last three or four years have been not so good. On top of that, the line of communication deteriorated. Brian wanted more control, more autonomy. Brian is old school. We’re forming a team that is new school.”

Mayberry said that he had quit the Siegels, not the other way around. He saddled two of their horses Sunday, but starting this week Don Devine, Randy Bradshaw, Ron Ellis and Dan Hendricks will be training the Siegel horses. Devine, who will take over more than half of them, has been Mayberry’s assistant for more than 20 years.

Mayberry, 57, had most of his success for the Siegels with young horses. The standouts included Stormy But Valid, Fluttery Danseur, Edgy Diplomat, Tasteful T.V., Doyouseewhatisee, Noassemblyrequired, Ramblin Guy, Cold N Calculating and Urbane.

“I had three real good young colts in the barn right now,” Mayberry said. “I guarantee you that at least one of them will be in the Kentucky Derby next year.”

The high point for the Siegels and Mayberry came just before the Breeders’ Cup at Gulfstream Park in 1989. In two days, Mayberry saddled winners of four $100,000 races.

Mayberry and his wife, Jeanne, combined with Samantha Siegel to pick out many of the horses at public auctions. Mace Siegel said his family had spent $11.6 million on about 200 horses under Mayberry.

“We spent another $4.5 million getting them ready to run,” Siegel said. “Only one group showed a profit, and that was only a profit of $50,000. We had a lot of good sprinting fillies, but only one of them, Urbane, ever won a graded stake around two turns. Of the 20 horses we bought for $100,000 or more, only one won a stake.”

Siegel said that he partly blames himself for the breakup.

“Brian feels that he’s not appreciated,” he said. “I usually work well with people, and I should have kept this from happening.”

Mayberry, who plans to remain in California, also trains for Jerry and Ann Moss, who won the Kentucky Oaks, the Hollywood Starlet and the Del Mar Debutante with Sardula.