BY CYNTHIA MCFARLAND

Multiple graded stakes-winning owners of more than $20 million, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong have stood in prestigious winner’s circles around the world.

Back in the early years, their victories came atop good working horses surrounded by the dust and cheers of friends in the rodeo arena. The Grade 1 winners came along later, but for these Arkansas natives, the love of the horse has always anchored their story.

Both Alex and JoAnn were born and raised in Conway, Arkansas. They’ve known each other since childhood and started dating in eighth grade.

Growing up, horses were always in the picture.

“It was a rural area and most people had a few acres. I got my first horse when I was in sixth grade,” said Alex Lieblong, who has no problem identifying as a country boy. “I liked the rodeo aspect; I did some roping and rodeo clowning and JoAnn barrel raced. We always had a good time.” 

Lieblong graduated from Conway High School in 1968. A year later found him drafted into the U.S. Army and shipping out to Europe where he served as a medic in Frankfort, Germany, which he says was a much better destination than Vietnam. He and JoAnn got married right before he was drafted.

“I wouldn’t want to do it again, but I wouldn’t take anything for the experience,” said Lieblong of his time serving in the military. 

“I went to college after I got out of the service, but I didn’t finish. I was always interested in finance; my grammar wasn’t very good, but my math was,” said Lieblong, who attended the University of Central Arkansas.

His first job with Merrill Lynch launched his career and he’s worked in finance ever since. He started his own financial advisory firm, Lieblong Associates in Little Rock, Arkansas, and invested in oil and gas, and real estate. 

Alex and JoAnn’s son, Jason, was born in 1972. Like his parents, Jason also was active in high school rodeo, so their 80-acre farm in Conway was always home to a few good riding horses and some roping steers.

“The horses were a fun diversion,” said Lieblong, now 75.

The connection to the rodeo world inspired Lieblong to run a herd of commercial cattle on their farm for about 15 years.

“I eased out of that business around 2010: I just didn’t have time to mess with them anymore,” he said. “There was nothing I liked better when I got home from work or travel than to just get on a four-wheeler, drive around and look at the cows. It calmed me down.”

Without the cattle, Lieblong found other things in life to provide that tranquility.

“For now, going down to the Keys is what makes my blood pressure drop; we’re trying to split our time half and half between the Keys and Arkansas,” says Lieblong. 

Their son Jason and his wife Monica have given the Lieblongs two granddaughters—Mary Alex and Karly Rae.

RACING START

Despite having horses since childhood, the Lieblongs didn’t own racehorses until the 1990s. Their entry into Thoroughbred racing followed a dramatic personal event. 

JoAnn was kidnapped from their home in February 1993 and thankfully, returned unharmed the next day after Alex paid the ransom demand. In a strange twist, the kidnapper abandoned the ransom money as police closed in.

Having had their world rocked by this bizarre experience, the Lieblongs were determined to create memories doing something new and different together. 

“We still had some riding and rope horses and rodeo friends from our high school years, but we had good friends, Buddy and Patricia Blass, who were into racehorses,” recalled Lieblong. 

He and JoAnn started going to Oaklawn Park with these friends. It wasn’t the same as their early rodeo days, but it definitely lit a spark, and they fell in love with the sport. They partnered with Buddy and Patricia Blass in several Thoroughbred racehorses.

“We did it together for two or three years, and finally Buddy said, ‘I’ve taught you all I can; it’s time for you to go out on your own,’” said Lieblong. 

Using what they already knew about horses and what they’d discovered by partnering with Buddy and Patricia, the Lieblongs began building a racing stable, continuing to learn the game as they went. 

The couple chose their silks colors—blue and white—to honor their high school in Conway. Old friends still tell Alex and JoAnn how they love seeing the blue and white of the Conway Wampus Cats coming down the stretch.

They were soon regularly counted among Oaklawn Park’s leading owners.

“I was working a lot and thought it was time to slow down on the work and start spending some. I’ve done a real good job at the spending,” said Lieblong with a laugh.

GOOD RUNNERS

One of their first good horses on their own was Florida-bred Lord Robyn. The 2002 gelding by Robyn Dancer became a graded stakes winner of $502,547 and won the 2005 Tropical Park Derby (G3) at Calder Race Course.

Not long after Lord Robyn, they bought Telling, a 2004 son of A.P. Indy, who became a multiple graded stakes winner of $848,409, and two-time winner of the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in 2009 and 2010.

“For Telling to win the Sword Dancer two years in a row was pretty special,” said Lieblong.

Duke of Mischief was another Florida-bred success story for the Lieblongs. The 2006 Grame Hall colt was bred by Marilyn McMaster who joined them as partners, along with trainer David Fawkes.

Duke of Mischief gave them a thrilling ride and plenty of winner’s circle memories, racking up $1,905,747 in earnings. Among his multiple graded stakes victories were the 2010 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) and the 2011 Charles Town Classic (G3).

Among the Lieblongs’ top runners are Grade 1 winners Embellish the Lace and The Big Beast.

They bought Embellish the Lace at the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $320,000. The Super Saver filly won the 2014 Alabama Stakes (G1) and earned $441,540. After her racing career, Embellish the Lace sold to China Horse Club International in foal to Uncle Mo at the 2016 Fasig-Tipon Fall Mixed sale for $2.4 million.

The Lieblongs purchased The Big Beast at the 2013 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale for $150,000. Trained by Tony Dutrow, the Yes It’s True colt went on to become a Grade 1 winner of $676,300. On the board in all but one start, The Big Beast won the Ketel One King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in 2014 before they retired him to stud.

After a number of successful partnerships with friends, it’s primarily Alex and JoAnn owning the horses now.

As owners and breeders, traveling to watch their horses compete has opened a fascinating chapter for the Lieblongs, and they’re enjoying every minute.

“It’s very exciting for us,” Lieblong said. “We’ve having fun; I’m not real good at sitting around.”

“There are an awful lot of good people involved in this sport; I think everybody’s trying to do their best,” Lieblong said. “We’ve had such a good time. We wish nothing but the best for everybody. We have 15 to 20 horses at the track now.”

Lieblong sees similarities between horse racing and investments in oil and gas. As he puts it, “I figure if I keep enough things out there in play, something will hit.”

HOMEBRED SUCCESS

The Lieblongs breed Florida-breds, Kentucky-breds and since moving The Big Beast to their homes state, they’re also breeding Arkansas-breds. The Big Beast currently stands at McDowell Farm in Sparkman, Arkansas. 

They have at least half a dozen broodmares, which they board in Kentucky at Denali. They breed for themselves, not to sell, but also buy quite a few of their horses. Leiblong says that while about 80 percent of their racehorses are purchased, they do run some homebreds.

Certainly, their best homebred to date is Florida-bred Reef Runner, by The Big Beast out of their mare Paradise Bay, by Blame. Reef Runner’s beach-y name was inspired by their place in the Keys and of course, his dam, Paradise Bay.

This February, Reef Runner gave the Lieblongs a most memorable Valentine’s Day as the come-from-behind runner won the $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint (G2) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia.

No watching this race online. Alex and JoAnn made the long trip to watch their homebred in person. 

“We went because we really thought he had a shot; I thought he would finish in the top three,” said Lieblong, who was more than happy when Reef Runner exceeded his expectations. “He’s having fun doing it. Once he can get up there on the lead, not too many can catch him.”  

Trained by David Fawkes with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons, Reef Runner showed the world why he was invited to compete. The victory pushed Reef Runner’s earnings to $1,827,580 and made him the 189th Florida-bred millionaire. The 5-year-old gelding has now hit the board 18 times in 23 starts, including eight wins.

 

Following his victory in Saudia Arabia on February 14, it appears Reef Runner will stay in the Middle East a while longer. Fawkes is sending the Lieblongs’ good gelding to Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, where Reef Runner will be entered in the Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developements (G1), a six-furlong turf race on March 28.

“The horse has been so consistent and he’s such a neat horse,” said Lieblong. “David doesn’t have a huge stable, but he’s a good person and he can train a good horse. When he has a good horse, that horse has 110 percent of his attention. David camps out with him and will go the extra mile.”

Alex and JoAnn are still getting calls from friends congratulating them on the big win.

If all goes well, the Lieblongs will find themselves in the winner’s circle with Reef Runner in Dubai. 

As for the future, they hope to watch the horse continue to compete.

“He’s pretty easy on himself; I would expect he could race a couple more years,” said Lieblong, adding that when Reef Runner does retire, he’ll have a home for life.

Return to the February 18 issue of Wire to Wire