TDN: You mentioned the emergence of the smaller
breeder. Do you think the market has improved enoughthat the small breeder can make a profit again?

Tommy and Wyndee Eastham officially announced
the relaunch of Legacy
Bloodstock a few weeks ago
and the Lexington-based
agency will have its firstconsignment in two years at
next week=s Keeneland Januarysale. Tommy Eastham formerly
co-owned Legacy with Mark
Toothaker and, during a sevenyear stretch, the agency soldnine sales toppers andnumerous Grade I winners,
including champion Stardom
Bound (Tapit). Ahead of theJanuary sale, Eastham sat
Tommy and Wyndee
down with TDN=s Jessica
Martini to discuss theEastham
reemergance of Legacy.
TDN: What prompted your decision to relaunch Legacy
Bloodstock?
TE: I think the overall health of the market and juststarting to see an emergence of the smaller breeder
started it. And, personally, I think it is a good time forme in my career. I=ve learned a lot of lessons and myexperiences are greater now. But probably the main
reason is just because my kids are showing an interest.
If they decide to take this route in the horse business-which I would love for them to do--one day I wouldwant them to have the ability to do it.

TE: Yes. What I=m starting to see is the return of thedomestic businessman--the group of four or five guys
who had some grocery stores or car dealerships orwhatever, and they put in a few bucks a year and enjoy
the sport. They left. They weren=t around. And now
you see a lot healthier market and a lot better trade, alot more shows and a lot more interest. I really thinkthat for the next 10 years, until we start overbreedingagain, we are in a very healthy time of the industry.
TDN: What kind of reaction did you get when you
started recruiting horses for the January sale?
TE: I think probably most of my clients have been withme for so long, no matter what jacket or hat I wore, I
represented them. I think most of them knew it wascoming. I think most of them said, AYou weresuccessful before, we don=t see any reason why you
wouldn=t do it again.@ I really didn=t have anyone whowas shocked by it. They all just thought it was anatural progression of growth and everybody getting
healthy again financially and the industry and themarket getting healthy again.
TDN: You have 20 horses in your January consignment.
Are they mostly for clients who have been with you
over the years?
TE: A lot of them are. There are a couple of guys who
are new who are referrals from clients who I=ve sold forfor a lot of years and people who said, AHey, Tommy isgetting rolling again. Let=s get him a couple of horses toget him started and give him a presence-type deals. I
didn=t recruit for more than three or four days, so it wasan amazing response.

TDN: Your family is obviously a big part of the newLegacy. How many kids do you have?

TDN: Is it gratifying to have that level of respect frompeople in the industry?

TE: We have three young boys--ages 10, 7 and 5. They
are wanting to get involved in the business.

TE: It=s such a close industry because we cheer
together, we shed tears together and we share beers
together. It=s a pretty unique industry. We=re kind ofclose. It=s probably the only industry for a guy likemyself. I want all my competitors to do well and I want
to do a little better than they do. I think most people
are rooting for hard-working people.

TDN: So, they=re not on the payroll quite yet! Your wife
has worked for Breeders= Cup and NTRA. Will this be
the first time you=ll be working together.
TE: My wife has been involved in the horse business fora long time and we=ve worked in the same industry
working for the same goals, but never side by side.
Being able to share this with her is great.
TDN: Is it intimidating, are you worried at all, to beworking with your wife?
TE: It is. But the good thing about it is, she is probably
the only person I=ve ever worked with that can get on
me about stuff. So for me, that=s not all bad. She=ll tellme, AYou need to get on that--get that done.@ If you
hire somebody, they are not going to tell you that.

TDN: Are the 20 horses about the right size for aconsignment for you?
TE: I=ve done this a long time. I feel like there is a sweetspot, just for statistical information, such as number ofshows and things along those lines. And there arethings that effect the sale of a horse, like vetting. But
there is a sweet spot. About 20, you would say, perbook. I don=t want to be the biggest in terms ofvolume. I=m at that point of my life where I just want towork for a few people and do a great job for them andfocus on growing their businesses.

One of the great things about consigning is thatwhen I help them grow their business, I get a raise andit grows our business. It=s kind of different from beforewith Legacy when we sold for just about anybody that
was anybody to anything. We=ll be more selective.
TDN: What are your expectations for your January
consignment?
TE: I=ve got a really nice consignment for January. I do
have a couple of them--put it this way--we have achance, if everything goes right, to have a couple ofnice horses sell really well.
TDN: What sales do you plan on selling at?
TE: I=m going to do all the Kentucky sales and I=ll
probably do Fasig-Tipton New York, but I probably
won=t sell at a lot of venues like I did before. I=m notgoing to be down in Texas, but I might do OBS August
at some point if I have enough interest. What I like to
do now, as I=ve grown and found out what increases
the value of horses more, it is of course what you doon the sales grounds, but it is that time before the salethat you can reach out to the people who have theinterest in the horse or have interest in the pedigree or
have siblings, that=s where you increase the value ofthe horse. So you really need the time to stay in frontof it.
TDN: What would you say you are most proud ofaccomplishing with the former Legacy?
TE: I am proud of the financial success that we had--interms of things that can be counted--but I think thebiggest thing I=ve actually experienced afterwards. This
past November, when I was recruiting for the Januarysale, I had clients who have been with me forever whowere immediately behind me. And that is probably themost rewarding thing. To have those relationships. To
be fair to those people, to work hard for them, to put
value in their programs. Probably the way this Legacy
has started off is my proudest thing about what we=ve
done before.
TDN: What is your attitude going into this new versionof Legacy?
TE: I would say that I=ve done this a long time. And I
know what to expect now. I=m excited--I=m not sure
how to say this, but this is the best version of me I=ve
ever been. I feel really confident in where I am, both
personally and professionally.