Faith, family and friendship bring Deo Volente Farm to life

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Faith, family and friendship bring Deo Volente Farm to life by Nicole Kraft Mike Gulotta has no doubt that the hand of God has long directed his life. Gulotta was in his New Jersey office at 9 a.m. Sept.

1 Faith, family and friendship bring Deo Volente Farm to life by Nicole Kraft Mike Gulotta has no doubt that the hand of God has long directed his life. Gulotta was in his New Jersey office at 9 a.m. Sept. 11, 2001, learning from Aon Corp. coworker Ed Straub about the jetliner that had just crashed into Tower I of the World Trade Center. Gulotta should have been with Straub in Aon s Tower II offices that morning, but an appointment kept him away. At 9:03 a.m., a plane struck Tower II and Gulotta s phone went silent. Straub along with 3,000 other souls lost in America s deadliest terroristic attack 54 hoof beats APRIL 2009 photo by mark hall hoof beats APRIL

was never heard from again. In the years after Sept. 11, horses like world champion Worldly Beauty and stakes winner Little Miss K provided a salvation for Gulotta and his family, and at 7:30 p.m. June 10, 2006, Gulotta was in his New Jersey home, watching one of his new purchases in the second race at Woodbine.

The phone rang with Willinger calling to celebrate what was clearly a successful merger. Gulotta s greeting: To God be the glory.

They came to again thank the Lord for all they have been provided and the bounty of their lives.

2 was never heard from again. In the years after Sept. 11, horses like world champion Worldly Beauty and stakes winner Little Miss K provided a salvation for Gulotta and his family, and at 7:30 p.m. June 10, 2006, Gulotta was in his New Jersey home, watching one of his new purchases in the second race at Woodbine. The pacer Lis Mara, on whom Gulotta had joined as a partner with Louis Andy Willinger just five days earlier, rocketed to the front of the six-horse field of the Open pace and won in 1:48. The phone rang with Willinger calling to celebrate what was clearly a successful merger. Gulotta s greeting: To God be the glory. In June of 2006, on the eve of Lis Mara competing in the Canadian Pacing Derby, Gulotta, a committed and fulfilled Catholic, visited Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, N.J., with his wife, Madeline. They came to again thank the Lord for all they have been provided and the bounty of their lives. A sign at the church caught his eye, promoting a program called Food for the Poor that built houses for the needy of Haiti. Gulotta promised Madeline and God that if Lis Mara won the $830,370 Pacing Derby, they would build those Haitians a house. That victory actually bought three homes for Haiti residents, and 14 more followed before Lis Mara called it a career the next autumn. By May of 2007, Michael Gulotta had lived the fullest of lives, recently retired from the fullest of careers and enjoyed the fullest of racing experiences. He had his faith, his family and friendships. Among his most fulfilling relationships was that which he found in Willinger, who was less a partner than a brother, the pair joined as if by the hands of God. Their bond was sealed by their amazing similarities, their mutual love of racing and their overpowering faith in a higher power. And like any of life s pilgrims with faith, that higher power led them to the Promised Land in this case a bucolic stretch of land in Franklin Township, N.J., on which they developed a farm equaled by none other. It is a bold new venture that combines revolutionary technology, agricultural excellence and the very best in Standardbred bloodlines. The name they chose for this spot of green in north central New Jersey was Deo Volente. Translated from Latin: God willing. The house that Lis Mara built Sixty miles west of New York City, after the urban streets have given way to amber waves of grain and corn, and flat landscape turns to rolling hills of green, a driveway turns off Quakertown Road in Flemington, N.J., and leads to an equine utopia. A life-size bronze sculpture, appropriately titled A Mare and Her Foal, welcomes visitors who meander around the wrap-around Belgian block driveway. A NEW BREED: Far left: Only 30 mares can call Deo Volente s 15 paddocks home. Left: Deo Volente founders Andy Willinger (left) and Mike Gulotta. Below: The foaling barn s interior boasts expansive aisles, and state-of-the-art safety and security features. chateau-like barn of stone and wood rises amid the grassland, the grounds before it sparkling with flowers of fuchsia and goldenrod, scarlet and periwinkle. Shining brightest of all, however, are the smiles of Gulotta and Willinger, as they move through the castle-sized front door into the sunlight, both dressed in matching beige golf shirts with green Deo Volente logos. Gulotta s right arm is outstretched in greeting; Willinger stands beside him and puts a hand on his shoulder: Don t we look like brothers? Truth be told, they don t Gulotta, dark-complected with a New York drawl, Willinger fair-haired, offering a Kentucky twang. But it is a chosen family that has joined together to bring Deo Volente to There Once Was a Farm Steven Tarshis, mayor of Franklin Township, N.J., is proud to call his community militant when it comes to maintaining green space. So it is no wonder that he was all atwitter when a prime tract of land, which had been in the hands of developers, came up for purchase. The township many years ago had the opportunity to buy the land before the developer had the opportunity to put it through the land-use development process, but didn t, he said. [The developer] went through the process of obtained approvals for a certain number of building lots, and he was going to build. But the township was given one last opportunity to acquire the property, and this time we did. The price was over $3 million, and we took a lot of flack for it, because the first time we could have purchased it for $1 million. It was a very lengthy process, but between state funding and county funding, a certain portion of the acquisition price was recovered, and then the property was put up for public auction with the understanding that it was going to be restricted. Basically the development rights were sold, so that the property could be maintained only as a farm or with one single residence. Enter Deo Volente. Mike Gulotta and Steven Tarshis didn t meet until after the land had been purchased by the partners, but the mayor was immediately taken with their vision. And he is not alone, having received a stack of s from neighbors saying how thrilled they are to welcome Deo Volente. I m a horse person, and I thought it was wonderful, Tarshis said. I had no idea at the time that it was going to turn out like this. I thought a very nice facility was going to be built. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that the preeminent Standardbred breeding facility in probably the East Coast, if not the United States, would be in our town. 56 hoof beats APRIL 2009 photos by mark hall hoof beats APRIL

Deo Volente life just two years after Gulotta first laid eyes on the property that became his heaven on earth. Few would have seen the potential 120 acres between Manhattan and Allentown, Pa.

But few have the vision of Gulotta, who dedicated months of care and cultivation, of vision and design, to craft mere dirt into a Standardbred farm for the future.

God was willing. God sent us Lis Mara. He produced the cash flow. Every penny from him went into this facility. We reinvested in the sport we love.

Fidencio Cervantez was a vision in maroon and white, managing the stallions that helped leading New Jersey breeder Perretti Farms rise to the upper echelon of Standardbred breeders.

3 Deo Volente life just two years after Gulotta first laid eyes on the property that became his heaven on earth. Few would have seen the potential 120 acres between Manhattan and Allentown, Pa., which for 60 years was a cornfield. But few have the vision of Gulotta, who dedicated months of care and cultivation, of vision and design, to craft mere dirt into a Standardbred farm for the future. And few had two million ways to reinvest in the sport the earnings of 2006 Older Pacer of the Year Lis Mara. You have to dream big, but you also have to be open to God s will, said Gulotta. God was willing. God sent us Lis Mara. He produced the cash flow. Every penny from him went into this facility. We reinvested in the sport we love. God may have sent Lis Mara, but Willinger was the one who bought him for $12,000 as a yearling to race in Canada with trainer Al McNeil, and The Man in Charge For nearly 20 years, Mexico native Fidencio Cervantez was a vision in maroon and white, managing the stallions that helped leading New Jersey breeder Perretti Farms rise to the upper echelon of Standardbred breeders. Nowadays, he dresses in green and beige, but his expert handling still works toward making a farm and its residents the best they can be. In July of 2008 Cervantez left Perretti to manage Deo Volente, taking with him his wife, Andrea, to be office manager, and his years of experience with some of the world s best Standardbred stallions, including Muscles Yankee, Artiscape and Matt s Scooter. Cervantez left Mexico at the age of 16 and followed a friend to the gates of Perretti Farms in New Jersey. He started cleaning stalls and 14 years ago began handling the stallions. It was a great opportunity, said soft-smiling Cervantez in heavily accented English. I raised all the stallions through the job, and it was like having your children. You work with them every day, and that s something very special. Cervantez was at Perretti for the best and worst of times. He helped build the stallion careers of Hall of Famer Muscles Yankee and 2005 Horse of the Year Rocknroll Hanover, and foaled too many champion mares to count including the first foals of Worldly Beauty and Little Miss K. He also rushed from his house one March night in 2006 in a futile attempt to save horses consumed in a barn fire, and held Windsong s Legacy in his arms when he died March 1, 2008, after breeding. It was very hard for me to leave [Perretti], Cervantez admitted. But you have to do what you have to do. Though Cervantez had known Gulotta for more than 15 years and cared for his horses at Perretti Farms, the Deo Volente connections actually interviewed three candidates before selecting their farm manager. Though all were qualified, Cervantez was an easy selection. Neither of the other two had Fidencio s impressive portfolio of talents, said Gulotta. As Tina Turner sings, He was simply the best, better than all the rest. Cervantez called Deo Volente a very special place, made even more special by the house Gulotta and Willinger built for him and Andrea across the street from the farm, and the state-of-the-art living quarters for farm help located on the barn s second level. I m grateful to have the opportunity to be here, he said. This is great for me. I don t need anything big just to have nice horses and a great job. I think it s going to be a great place. We re going to do good. We re going to raise good horses. INSIDE AND OUT: Far left: The foaling barn opens to the breeding shed, where Tell All will stand his second season at stud. Left: Farm manager Fidencio Cervantez leads a mare and foal. Above: The triple-level security and fire-system ensures the safety of the farm s residents. eventually realized the son of Cambest had maximized much of his opportunity at the level they were competing. Gulotta got a tip the pacer was for sale and was ready to buy him for $350,000 on the advice of his trainer, Erv Miller. It was to be a straight-up deal paper for pacer but then the owner of old and the owner of new got on the phone. Mike and I talked he talked about Worldly Beauty, I talked about some of my history in this sport, and for whatever reason, we clicked, said Willinger. That s the Lord at work. There was something beyond business between us. And Mike said, Hey, would you want to stay in on the horse? and I said, Sure, why not? It s from above, truly, because when I had that phone conversation it should have been just a conversation of us working on the financials he was calling me for a fax number and some wiring instructions. And we just started talking. We talked about our kids, remembered Gulotta with a broad smile, and horses. We have the same malformations 58 hoof beats APRIL 2009 hoof beats APRIL

Deo Volente THREE GENERATIONS: Deo Volente Farm co-owner Mike Gulotta (right) with his son, Michael, and grandson, Luke Michael. in our teeth. We both got married in May.

It also flowed to those in need, through the Haiti houses and donations to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. And then Gulotta got the idea to build a farm.

There was an auction, and it was to be sold as a residential development, Gulotta recalled.

Then they sold the development rights and put it into farm preservation. Then, what are they going to do with the land?

Despite the bargain that they could not refuse, Gulotta and Willinger seemed like the least likely of farm owners.

Willinger, born in Kentucky, had once, with his parents, owned a Thoroughbred training center, and made his living as CFO of a Cummins Engine Company distributor before founding a certified In April

time of your life. What matters most is relationships and that you enjoy life. After all, today is not a rehearsal.

You also realize that you are at the stage of your life when it s time to give, mostly of yourself to help others grow, and to be the very best they can be.

4 Deo Volente THREE GENERATIONS: Deo Volente Farm co-owner Mike Gulotta (right) with his son, Michael, and grandson, Luke Michael. in our teeth. We both got married in May. We re both the oldest and have two sisters. It s crazy, isn t it? And the money flowed with Lis Mara on the track and, ultimately, in the breeding shed. It also flowed to those in need, through the Haiti houses and donations to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. And then Gulotta got the idea to build a farm. People see that you re investing in the industry, maybe they ll invest in the industry, he said simply. Welcome home And what an investment they made, guided, the partners believe, by the hand of God. There was an auction, and it was to be sold as a residential development, Gulotta recalled. But the town wanted to focus on the equine industry and encouraging farms, so it made an offer to the builder and bought the property. Then they sold the development rights and put it into farm preservation. Then, what are they going to do with the land? So what they did was put their property up for auction and we bought 120 acres for $950,000. Without the farmland preservation Words to Live By easement, it would have cost $5 million. Despite the bargain that they could not refuse, Gulotta and Willinger seemed like the least likely of farm owners. Gulotta grew up in Brooklyn, surrounded by concrete with just one tree on his home block. He had never even seen a horse until his grandfather, who lived in the Bronx, took him to Yonkers Raceway. Willinger, born in Kentucky, had once, with his parents, owned a Thoroughbred training center, and made his living as CFO of a Cummins Engine Company distributor before founding a certified In April of 2000, on the occasion of his 50th birthday, Mike Gulotta crafted the following message for himself and those around him: You realize that it truly doesn t matter what numerals measure the elapsed time of your life. What matters most is relationships and that you enjoy life. After all, today is not a rehearsal. Regardless of your age, you should look at everything as though you are seeing it for the first time, or for the last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory. You also realize that you are at the stage of your life when it s time to give, mostly of yourself to help others grow, and to be the very best they can be. Finally, you truly understand that love is the only rational act, and that the love you share with others will endure forever. Love defies time. 60 hoof beats APRIL 2009 public accounting practice. The father of six children, his youngest was adopted from China after being abandoned on a doorstep. But the investment was supported by numerous members of their families, from their wives and children, to Worldly Beauty partner Craig Lipka, and members of his MJG Racing Stables: Jim Hess, John Jarka and Otis Ray, who Gulotta credits with much of the Deo Volente vision. And they knew they wanted only the best in all aspects of their endeavor. The land purchase was just the beginning. Rutgers University next performed soil analysis to help determine the best quality grass to plant, and found that chemically and nutritionally the soil s closest relative was Kentucky dirt. The partners then visited countless farms, including Thoroughbred facilities, to determine what features they had to have. They would settle for nothing but the very best, including: A 36-stall barn and four stallion stalls Foaling stalls that are like operating rooms, complete with 110-pound cushioned floor mats with temperature controlled by sensors, increasing and decreasing heat based on the occupant and the outside temperature See Deo Volente on page 110 photo by mark hall Mark Hall photos Thank you to the Good Lord for all our blessings. We are especially appreciative of all the people who helped build our dream and to the people who help make it a reality day to day (Fidencio Chato, Andrea, Lisa, Misael and Angel). Lis Mara p,4,1:47.3 ($2,141,661) Dam: Angelic Art 487 Quakertown Rd. Flemington, NJ Phone: Fax: Deo Volente Farms a dedication to quality and a true love and appreciation of the sport. Here are some of Lis Mara s first crop of foals by some outstanding mares. Dam: Finlayson Dam: Kiss Of Heaven p,3,1:50.3 ($216,405)

Deo Volente from page 60 Internet-based cameras in the foaling stalls, so owners can watch their foals being born A balcony with a view of all stalls, which will be utilized during a foalwatch

flat screen TVs, original artwork and trophies from across racing A triple-level, state-of-the-art security and fire system, featuring a paging system, keycard access, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide

That doesn t even begin to address the aesthetics from the shape of the eaves, to the style of the wood, to the color of the paint that seeks to instill a feeling of peace and harmony.

5 Deo Volente from page 60 Internet-based cameras in the foaling stalls, so owners can watch their foals being born A balcony with a view of all stalls, which will be utilized during a foalwatch program with students of the Franklin Township School District High-definition surveillance cameras, day and night Pristine offices and conference rooms to rival any high-rise business, complete with flat screen TVs, original artwork and trophies from across racing A triple-level, state-of-the-art security and fire system, featuring a paging system, keycard access, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide monitoring, backup generator and 50,000-gallon underground water tank. That doesn t even begin to address the aesthetics from the shape of the eaves, to the style of the wood, to the color of the paint that seeks to instill a feeling of peace and harmony. Sue Agopian, another partner and neighbor of Gulotta, walks slowly, yet with purpose, as she guides visitors around the exterior of the barn and office space, explaining the coordination of colors to call it just green and beige does not do justice that went into the Deo Volente feel. We were looking for understated elegance, but forward-looking, understated elegance, she said. You look at barns and they have specific themes, very traditional looking. Mike looked at the future and what the future will be projecting, and tried to come up with a style that s not in your face, that s very elegant. And why green? It s the color of money, Gulotta said with a hearty laugh. If you build it While some farms seek quantity and hope quality falls in line, Deo Volente aims to find success by starting with the best. Only 30 mares and their offspring may call its 15 paddocks home, with 20 of those spots belonging to farm-owned mares. The criteria to be one of the 10 Deo Volente boarders will be significant racing or breeding success. When a glance to one field reveals Year-Old Filly Pacer of the Year Worldly Beauty and her Western Ideal filly, and a visit to another shows off She s A Great Lady winner Little Miss K and her colt by Rocknroll Hanover, it s clear they are on the right track. And grazing in one of the biggest pastures is the farm s latest and maybe soon-to-be most famous resident, 2007 Pacer of the Year Tell All, who recently took up stallion duties under the management of Brittany Farms. Gulotta hopes three additional stallions eventually follow. Managing all of the equine inhabitants of the farm will be Fidencio Cervantez, formerly of Perretti Farms, who learned his trade caring for such greats as Matt s Scooter and Muscles Yankee (see sidebar). We don t aim small, acknowledged Gulotta. There s no such thing as unlimited resources. The key is to take the resources and allocate them properly. Allocation is the key to investment return. You have to treat this like a business, and you need diversification not only in terms of where the resources come from, but also the revenue sources themselves. We re all financial guys. That s our business platform. There are those, however, who would say real business-minded people would run as far and as fast as they could away from farm ownership, especially a racehorse breeding farm, especially in the state of New Jersey. But where others see the pitfalls of the Garden State s lack of VLTs and struggling marketplace, Gulotta and Willinger see opportunity built on tradition. We believe New Jersey will get things right, said Willinger. In the long term the program will be right. It s a horse state. It shocked me when I finally did some research on it and found out how many horses were here the numbers rival Kentucky, if they aren t greater. And this is still the center of our industry, added Gulotta. Andy and I both have a passion for the industry, and we wanted to demonstrate commitment. We want to do things the right way, and we want to bring this industry back to its pinnacle. God s will It s a blue sky, 70-degree day at Deo Volente, and Mike Gulotta looks like a man who has everything. Wrapped in his arms is his grandson, Luke Michael, while Madeline, their two children and granddaughter mill about nearby. His friends and partners are there, admiring the facilities amenities, petting the pretty horses, swaying to the music that cascades from overhead. It is a long way from the Manhattan of Sept. 11, 2001, but with one comment, a lone question, Gulotta returns to that moment of life-changing devastation and loss and salvation, and he is overcome with emotion so strong he can no longer speak. It takes just minutes for him to compose himself, but in that time it is clear that the man who put his faith in racing, his faith in this farm, his faith in his faith, has not been the same since that fateful day. I think it proved to him, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God had a plan for his life, said Willinger. And I think he listens hard and follows a lot more after that than he did before. I can t speak for him, I didn t know him then, but getting to know him over the last two years I know that was the watershed event in his life. He knew God said, Hey, I didn t want you in that building that day because... and he s figuring out, because why. When you go through an event like that, you truly realize how precious life is, and the kind of impact that you have on people, Gulotta admitted, wiping his eyes. It s a blessing to be here. And you try to do the best that you can do for other people as long as you re alive. At this stage in my life, it s time to give of myself to help other people develop and grow and enrich their lives and realize their visions. In order to inspire people to do that, you have to create the best. To comment on this article, us at readerforum@ustrotting.com. Best Sale on the East Coast! FRANK CHICK S The RACE HORSE SALE Tuesday, June a.m. Harrington Raceway, Harrington, Delaware Mixed Sale: Race Horses Yearlings Broodmares Weanlings Equipment Auction Before & After the Sale Sale Catalog Consignments Tuesday, May 19 Supplement Consignments Tuesday, June 2 Call Frank Chick: (302) (302) Fax: (302) saddles@chicksaddlery.com Licensed & Bonded Additional 2009 Sales September 15 December 8 OSS #38 YEARLING NOMINATION PAYMENT for foals of 2008 sired by OSS Registered stallions Due May 15, 2009 Nomination Fee: $50 Nomination forms will be mailed to yearling owners by mid-april. Payments sent by mail must be postmarked on or before the deadline date. It is recommended payments be sent by registered mail. Future Payments: March 15, $400 Feb. 15, $600 ONTARIO SIRES STAKES 10 Carlson Court, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario M9W 6L2 Phone: records@ontariosiresstakes.com Website: hoof beats APRIL 2009 hoof beats APRIL

I I DIDN T CHOOSE RANCH LIFE; I INHERITED IT. IT S PROBABLY IN MY. Ranching

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