David Anderson calls it serendipitous and somewhat eerie. The same year his father, Bob Anderson of St. Thomas, ON, was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame as a builder, Bob’s favourite horse, Rare Opportunity, was named the Outstanding Broodmare for 2015 at the 41st annual Sovereign Awards.
“Without a doubt, she was his favourite horse on the farm,” David said referring to the 24-year-old daughter of Danzig Connection—Andora by Conquistador Cielo that Bob first spotted in a field at Calumet Farms in 1993.
“He went on a reconnaissance mission out to Calumet Farms looking for some well-bred fillies,” David said. “Tony Cissell, who is the farm manager out there, took him out to a field of fillies that they decided not to sell as yearlings for whatever reasons. Rare Opportunity was in that field. He spotted her running across the field. (Calumet) decided to put all those yearlings in the January Keeneland Sale and sell them as two-year-olds either as a racing or a breeding prospect. That’s where he bought her for $5,400. He brought in his buddy Rod Ferguson and gave the mare to Roger Attfield and she was only beaten once and that was by the great Serena’s Song in the Black-Eyed Susan (in 1995).”