Julie and Andy Miller all in on Offshore Farm

by Murray Brown

In the midst of seemingly negative happenings in New Jersey’s standardbred industry, such as the announcement that one of its leading nurseries Southwind Farms will shortly be ceasing operations, the Miller family (Julie, Andy, Tyler, and Olivia) have launched an innovative equine health center, known as Offshore Farm in the Garden State.

I spoke with Julie to discuss the new venture as well as several other areas of involvement in harness racing of the Miller family.

Given the apparent precarious state of harness racing in New Jersey where we are reduced to one racetrack, racing two nights a week, and the impending loss of the farm standing several of the most successful stallions, not only in New Jersey, but perhaps anywhere, why did you folks decide to in effect go against the grain in opening Offshore Farm?

“There is more than one answer to your question. The first is that for 20 years we were tenants at Gaitway Farm, an exemplary training center, where we were always treated exceptionally well. After being tenants for that long, we felt that it was time that we, in effect, became masters of our own ship. Our kids, Tyler and Olivia, had become involved in the family business. We felt that the time was right and we acted upon it. Like that line from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood leads on to fortune.’ We feel that applied to us and we wanted to seize the opportunity.

“Another reason is that we felt the need for a full-service equine facility in the area. Our clientele is not entirely composed of standardbreds, although they are the majority. We cater to all breeds with of course harness horses being the majority.

“When describing Offshore Farm as a full-service equine facility, we mean just that. We have 50 acres in Cream Ridge, which includes a racetrack, a 54-stall stable, a hayfield, a water treadmill, and a water spa.

We are open for business not only to our own and our clients horses, but to those in the area who might want to avail themselves of our services. Our location is quite central in that we are not too far from the racetracks and training centers in not only New Jersey, but those in New York and Pennsylvania as well.”

Let’s talk about the makeup of your racing stable. How many horses do you have in training?

“Right now, we have somewhere around 50 horses racing or about to race. The majority of them are here at the farm, with a satellite group of about a dozen in Kentucky with our son Tyler. We previously had somewhere in the area of 70, but decided that it was beneficial to us and our clients to downsize somewhat.”

Watching those you have racing, it appears that you seem to favor trotters over pacers. Any reason?

“The primary reason is that is what our clients, and I suppose we, as well, prefer. We don’t necessarily go shopping with a view to buy all, or the majority of our yearlings at one gait or the other. I try to look at most of the yearlings cataloged in Kentucky and Harrisburg. The major factor in determining which yearlings we bid on is what interests our clients most. Of course, there are other factors, especially price. Another factor is dual eligibility. We don’t consider that to be a necessity, but it is definitely a positive factor.”

It’s still early, in the season, but to me, it seems that one of the best 2-year-olds owned by the Millers, is not only a pacer, but it is one that isn’t trained by this branch of the Miller family.

“You must be talking about Dame Frances. It’s a funny story. I had looked at her and liked what I saw when I was at Hunterton Farm. She is a beautiful filly and comes from maybe the hottest pacing family in the sport today. Andy had also looked at her and liked her. I had a notation to that effect in my catalog.

Andy and Tyler were racing in Massachusetts when she sold, so we weren’t involved in the bidding. When the sheets came out, I saw that Andy’s brother Erv had signed for her. I spoke to Erv and said that if he was looking for a partner in the filly, we would be interested. We thought no further of it. A while later we got a bill from Kentucky Standardbred for a piece of Dame Frances. We were a little surprised, because it had slipped our minds. But we were also pleased to be in on her. It’s still early, but right now it looks as though she might be one of the best pacing fillies in the country. Atlee and Erv have done a great job with her. We also have a nice 2-year-old trotting filly, Wall Of Fame, who has already won three New Jersey Sire Stakes.”

You are one of the most thorough yearling shoppers around. How does your stable shop for yearlings?

“I suppose that I do most of the leg work. I go to most of the farms and narrow our lists down for Andy, who, if he has the time, will also visit the farms. In most cases, he is busy racing, so he doesn’t get a chance to see them in person until we go to the sale.

“Andy and Tyler are great believers in watching videos, me, not as much. They watch them thoroughly, maybe sometimes seeing things that I don’t. I’m a great believer in seeing them in person. Sometimes I’m able to see things, usually related to disposition that are not obvious in a video. I’m also a big believer in first impressions. I like to see a yearling come out of the stall with its ears up and a look in its eyes saying that it is ready to take on the world.”

At which tracks do you guys most enjoy racing?

“I think most people would most likely say Lexington or The Meadowlands. I certainly can relate to that. They are great places with exceptional history, where some of our most important races take place. Coming from Illinois, the great tracks at Springfield and DuQuoin come to mind.

“As for me, my favorite tracks are the ones where we can do the most good. I’d much prefer to win a New York Sires Stakes at a place like Batavia than to finish sixth at The Red Mile.”

Let’s mention some of the better horses that are alumni of your stable.

“The horse that probably put us on the map was Lucky Jim. He made the year 2009 extra special for the Miller Stable. What a wonderful trotter he was. He not only earned $1,930,302 while in the stable, but he also took us places, most notably the Elitlopp, where horsepeople only dream of going. Others that we were proud to have played a part in their careers were French Wine [$1,630,899], Mets Hall [$1,295,306], Lindy The Great [$1,498,404], Devious Man [$1,338,677], Venerate [$1,217,706], Sevruga [$1,217,021], and the Breeders Crown winning filly Max Contract.”