For Leah and Aidan O'Meara, the path to producing the first Kentucky Oaks starter bred by Stonehaven Steadings has been a six-year masterclass in persistence and prowess in the face of high-stakes decisions.By trusting their instincts and taking one leap of faith after the next, the O'Mearas have seen a long-term vision come to life in Meaning (Gun Runner), a filly with such undeniable class that she was a Book 1 standout for her buyers Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bridlewood Farm. Now, that same professionalism has carried her from the Keeneland sales ring to the top of her division.The journey began amidst the eerie stillness of 2020. The nation was shut down and racing was in a state of limbo, but there were deals to be had in the private market.The O'Mearas, who run Stonehaven Steadings with Leah's parents Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch, saw an opportunity in Figure of Speech, a Klaravich Stables-campaigned daughter of Into Mischief who had finished third in the GI Spinaway Stakes the year prior. “I remember being so nervous because we didn't know if we were going to even have a yearling sale that year,” recalled Leah O'Meara. “But my dad told me it sounded like value to him. Aidan and I went to see her and we brought her home.”Figure of Speech's first foal was an Uncle Mo filly who was nice enough, but rather small. When Leah and Aidan sat down to plan their matings for the next year, they had already landed on the same stallion for their new acquisition before the meeting had started.“I remember this like it was yesterday,” said Leah. “We were sitting down at the dining room table. Gun Runner had jumped from $50,000 to $125,000. We were thinking that it was a lot, but he was really coming on and he looked like the type that would continue. So we said, 'Let's just do it.'”The mating was inspired by Echo Zulu, a daughter of Gun Runner bred on a similar cross who had just secured champion 2-year-old filly honors.Aidan and Leah O'Meara visit with Meaning | courtesy Stonehaven SteadingsMeaning was such a star from the day she was foaled that the O'Mearas fully committed to her family. They retained the Uncle Mo filly, believing Meaning could soon enhance her sibling's pedigree. Over the next three years, they bred Figure of Speech to big-name sires Curlin, Flightline and Nyquist.The Curlin filly recently sold for $650,000 as a 2-year-old and the yearling Flightline colt is pointing for this year's Keeneland September Sale. Figure of Speech is due to foal her Nyquist at any moment and will be bred back to Gun Runner.“Meaning was the kind of filly that really got you excited about what her momma's capabilities might be,” said Aidan O'Meara. “With horses we have bred like Shanghai Bobby, Corniche and Moonlight d'Oro, they all have a quality about them from a very early stage and all of them seem to be fairly straightforward.”Meaning's development was so uneventful that her yearling year was defined more by her personality than any physical issue. One of the alphas among her paddock mates, the bay filly paired self-assuredness with an inquisitive nature, entertaining her caretakers by befriending the farm's barn cat.Aidan said when Meaning arrived at the Keeneland September Sale, her class became even more evident.“She had an elegant feminism to her,” he explained. “Every year we breed 25 to 30 mares and only two or three foals–I think this could be said at any given farm–will filter to that level of quality. When we went up to the ring, she was loaded with big-time players on her.”One of those major buyers that took a liking to the filly was Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, who has found success in teaming up with Bridlewood Farm.At the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, Eclipse and Bridlewood Farm partnered with Gary Barber to buy recent GIII Bewitch Stakes victress Speed Shopper (Quality Road) for $430,000.“As our profile with fillies has increased over the years, it just made sense to put some partners together that were like-minded in wanting high-profile, top physicals with pedigrees to match,” said Eclipse President and Founder Aron Wellman. “It always starts with the physical for us. Meaning was a very elegant filly with tons of scope. Without question, two turns was always going to be her thing. Once she jumped through the vetting hoops, it was just a matter of how much we were going to have to pay for her.”Once the bidding reached $400,000, Wellman inched the price forward in $20,000 and then $10,000 increments until landing the winning bid of $440,000.“I know the bid spotters and the auctioneers just love when I do that,” he joked. “The bidding process has a psychological component to it. There's a cadence and an incremental value to it. But in relative terms to the market and for the physical and pedigree profile that she presented, it was a valuation that we were comfortable with.”Aron Wellman and Bridlewood Farm's George Isaacs | Keeneland“Eclipse knows how to find value, which is something I admire in Aron's business plan,” said Leah. “Meaning sold for a good price. At the time we thought he got value, and I guess it's proving to be true.”Trained by Michael McCarthy, Meaning just missed making her debut last summer in Del Mar and instead won at Los Alamitos in September by over three lengths.“We tipped our hand pretty strong when we ran her off just one sprint at Los Al into the Breeders' Cup,” said Wellman. “That ought to tell you the esteem with which we hold her. She ran a very creditable race [finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies] and was arguably a bit unlucky. After that big ask, by design we gave her plenty of time to recover from that and grow into herself going into her three-year-old season.”Coming off back-to-back wins in the Las Virgenes Stakes, where she defeated the one-two finishers in the Juvenile Fillies in Explora (Blame) and Super Corredora (Gun Runner), as well as a professional two-length score in the GII Santa Anita Oaks, Meaning will be one of the top choices in the GI Kentucky Oaks.“She's done everything we've asked of her every step of the way and it's always been by design to have her peaking for the Kentucky Oaks,” explained Wellman. “One of the traits that she possesses that inspires so much confidence is that she is so versatile. She's got tactical speed, so if it's there for the taking she's going to be right there in the vanguard. At the same time, she has also taken dirt in her face and come from off the pace. Stamina is no issue whatsoever. The fact that we have that ability to be adaptable is really a bonus for us and something that inspires confidence going into a huge race like this.”Over the past few years, several near misses in the Kentucky Oaks have kept Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners hungry for that elusive trip to the winner's circle. Speech (Mr. Speaker) ran third in 2020 after a win in the GI Ashland Stakes. Two years later, eventual 3-year-old champion Nest (Curlin) came into the Oaks off a victory in the same Keeneland prep and finished second to Secret Oath (Arrogate) while sporting the signature baby blue and black silks.Meaning wins the GII Santa Anita Oaks | BenoitOf course last year, Eclipse was at the forefront of the Triple Crown trail. Their GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin)—campaigned with a powerhouse group including Bridlewood Farm—found only future Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) too good in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes.“Last year we were coming to Churchill Downs with a Santa Anita Derby winner and the favorite for the Derby with Michael McCarthy and Bridlewood Farm,” said Wellman. “Now we have the Santa Anita Oaks winner coming into the Kentucky Oaks as one of the main players. It's really what Eclipse and Bridlewood are in the game for.”As long as Meaning's little sister has foaled by Friday, Aidan and Leah O'Meara will be making the trip to Churchill Downs to support the Stonehaven Steadings-bred star.“The talent, the racing style and the pedigree to get the distance is all there,” said Aidan. “She has the ingredients to be a top-class filly.”“Meaning has already done so much to help out the family that we own,” added Leah. “We're going in there with high hopes, as you should be if you have an entrant in a race like this, but we're already super thankful because this has been such a gift.”In addition to her breeders, Meaning will be represented by an enthusiastic and excited contingent of owners on Oaks day.“It's a wonderful opportunity for us to return to Louisville,” Wellman said. “The vibes are great. [Bridlewood Farm owners John and Leslie Malone] have been incredible supporters of ours. Their general manager George Isaacs will be bringing some friends and family members. And for our Eclipse partners that put their faith in our program with their hard-earned dollars, this is our mission to get them on the big stage in the big races.”The post Keeneland Case Study: Finding Meaning in the Long Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.