Casie Coleman was working the stalls at the Lexington Selected Sale last week like some folks attack the sales rack at Saks Fifth Avenue.

When she completed her shopping expedition, she had landed three pacing yearlings by New Jersey-based stallions – two by the late Artsplace and one from the first crop of Rocknroll Hanover.

"I was shopping for whoever the best colts were, or what I thought were the best colts in Lexington," said Coleman, who has 40 horses in training at Classy Lane Training Centre in Ontario and will once again be splitting her time between that location and Showplace Farms in Englishtown, New Jersey.

"I was shopping for Tom Hill, and he wants me to try and find the best horses in the sale," she explained. "Everyone wants that, but he is willing to pay what it takes to get the top-bred and top-looking horses in the sale. So I looked at every single pacer in that sale and came out of there with three very nice pacers, two Artsplace colts and one 'Rocknroll' filly. We paid top dollar for all of them, but they all look the part and have got the breeding behind them. Now all the pressure is on me. The breeders did their part, Tom did his part and now I've got to do my part."

The trio purchased were She Just Rocks (hip number 19), a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, for $150,000; World In Motion (hip number 221), a son of Artsplace, for $182,000, and Lima Classic (hip number 327), a son of Artsplace, for $65,000.

British businessman Tom Hill has been an owner of Coleman's for only a few years.

"I met Tom by fluke," she recalled. "I was at the Canadian Open Yearling Sale three or four years ago. I was just sitting there, and he came up and asked me if I had a business card and if I would train for him one day. He bought two yearlings there and sent them home with me and the rest is history. He's been with me since, and if I can have some luck for him, I'm sure he will be a huge asset to the stable for years to come.

"Tom Hill and his family are the nicest people," noted Coleman, 28, who resides in Cambridge, ON. "I've got some great owners. I've been very lucky that way, and Tom ranks right up there. He and his family come to North America about once every three or four months, and they love to go to Lexington. They come there and take in the races and the nice weather. There isn't a person alive who likes harness racing who doesn't like Lexington. He went with me the last three years in a row and bought horses."

Hill, 56, is from Lancashire. He owns and operates trailer parks in the United Kingdom.

"I believe he has 25 parks right now, and he also owns one park here near Flamboro (in Canada) that he bought about a year ago," she explained. "My mom and dad actually live there now and love it. It's a modular home park.

Hill also has a pair of broodmares in Ontario and, according to Coleman, plans to add his fillies to that band once their racing careers are over.

"Right now Tom owns four yearlings – one is an Astreos homebred and the three from Lexington – and he has six two-year-olds," Coleman said. "All are going to be heard from next year, and I think he has one top player this year in Art Colony. He has two three-year-olds, Lucky Man, who races in the Ontario Sire Stakes Gold Series, and Beyonce Blue Chip who will qualify back this Friday.

"He doesn't like claimers or aged race horses but he is willing to spend the dollars to try to get a top notch horse to race and, hopefully, win the big dances," added Coleman.

"I've got five horses right now in the US, stabled at Showplace Farms, with Andrew Harris running that stable for me right now," she said. "In the winter, when the Big M opens, I will hopefully have about 20-25, maybe all racing at the Meadowlands."

One who could be heading to New Jersey next month is Art Colony.

The two-year-old, a son of Artsplace –Asleep Onthe Beach, has made two pari-mutuel starts at Mohawk, winning both, including a 1:53.4 effort on September 28.

If all goes well, Coleman hopes that Art Colony will provide Hill with his first Meadowlands starter – in the November 21 eliminations for the $650,000 Breeders Crown on November 29.

(New Jersey SBOA)