IT was John O’Meara’s birthday this week although the Toomevara native had an early birthday present when his Roses For Debra recently won the $150,000 Smart N Fancy Stakes at Saratoga.

“She’s run nine times and won eight, including a Group 3 three weeks ago. We’ll try a Group 2 on September 19th,” John told The Irish Field. Roses For Debra’s latest win has brought the Christophe Clement-trained grey’s winnings to $406,430.

Now based in Lexington, O’Meara’s Milestone Farm is named after the family’s famous Irish Draught stallion and is where Blackfoot Mystery, the off-the-track racehorse on the US event team at the Rio Olympics with Boyd Martin, was bred by the expat.

In addition to breeding and boarding bloodstock at the farm, a stone’s throw from the Kentucky Horse Park, John also has three Airbnb rentals on-site.