Marcus has been involved with horses from childhood. While Jennifer’s family may have a better-known story in the industry, Marcus’ is inspiring.
In Donegal, Ireland, where Marcus was born, he learned to ride a horse before he learned to ride a bike. And, he was hooked! From a young age, his time was spent breaking ponies for his father to re-sell. They would buy a bad-mannered or difficult horse that nobody could manage, “make them nice” as Marcus says, and sell them for the new owner to enjoy. Over the years, this experience with horses only enhanced his natural affinity and fostered his horsemanship. In Ireland, he worked for small farms as well as large operations like Juddmonte – always riding; always learning.
Determined to make his way to America to watch a Kentucky Derby, Marcus flew from Shannon, Ireland to New York City. The Big Apple was a spectacle for a kid from rural Ireland. With $250.00 in his pocket (most of which the cab ride devoured), he went straight to Belmont Park. During his time in New York, he was able to ride for some of the greatest trainers our sport has known. But, even better than that, he rode some of the greatest horses. He has thrown a leg over Saint Liam, Ghostzapper, Kip Deville, Funny Cide, Benny the Bull, Victory Ride, Spook Express, Offlee Wild, Runhappy (making the cover of the BloodHorse) and hundreds of others who he, remarkably, remembers with detailed clarity. He has intimate stories about many of them – some entertaining; some surprising.
He has had the opportunity to travel and to go to many tracks in the eastern United States. But eventually, he journeyed to Kentucky and the Derby. Marcus watched Monarchos win the Derby at Churchill Downs, something his small-town friends thought was pure fantasy. He fulfilled one of his that day. He also attended two Breeders Cups: one at Santa Anita, as Runhappy’s exercise rider, and one at Del Mar in 2021 with Jennifer, the breeder of Special Reserve.
Now, Marcus trains horses and operates a vanning business. Of course, he still throws a leg over them too. Who knows what will happen next? Maybe it leads to a Derby (Jennifer personally hopes for a trip to the Dubai Cup, the Arlington Million or the Oaks) but surely it will lead to some exciting times doing something that he loves.
Jennifer also grew up with horses in her life. The granddaughter of racing enthusiast and renowned owner / breeder Russell L. Reineman; racing thoroughbreds is in her blood. After pursuing other career paths, she made her way to the family business in 2003. As President of Russell L. Reineman Stable, Inc. she became familiar with all aspects of the industry including breeding, sales, pedigree analysis, appraisals and conformation. She had notable successes in horses like Original Spin, winner of the Arlington-Washington Lassie, runner up in the Grade 1 Test, and 3rd place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and most recently Special Reserve, winner of the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes as well as the Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes, which punched his ticket into the 2021 Grade 1 Qatar Breeders Cup Sprint. A few other black type winners were Uno Mas Modelo, Color Me Blue, Last Gran Standing, Agnostic, Humor At Last, Rite Moment, How Do I Win, Funny Proposition, one of the only fillies to beat Royal Delta, Last Demand and Glamoride to name a few. Jennifer also managed some lovable earners of over $100,000.00 like Mr. Fuzzybottom, who she and Marcus purchased from his last trainer so that they could retire him, All Joking Aside, Red All Over, Batito, etc. . . . All of these horses were, not only a result of the Reineman breeding program and matings which Jennifer planned, but also graduates of the training program Jennifer managed. Further, she was responsible for successes in the sales ring such as the highest priced Macho Uno weanling every sold and purchases of black-type horses like Cavan Thunder and Eva’s Joy, a $4,000.00 Keeneland yearling.