Looking back, 2022 was Joe Sbrocco's best year as an owner...that is until 2023 came along. Tactical Approach won the Hambletonian and the Breeders Crown, and Geocentric won two state's championships, winning both the Kentucky and Pennsylvania Sires Stakes. But as notable as his racehorses were, Sbrocco made a bigger impact in the breeding barn; at least his stallions did. "2023 was my best year. Captaintreacherous, [Downbythe]Seaside, Pebble Beach – I'm really looking forward to him being in Ohio this year, and Tactical Approach retiring and standing his first season in Pennsylvania at Diamond Creek. I love racing but the stallions are what have really got me into the game," Sbrocco said. "The breeding is where it's happening, letting me invest back into the sport. "Tactical Approach, did you see him in the Hambletonian?" he asked. "I don't think I remember any horse winning like that from last and so far back anywhere, but in the Hambletonian!" It's been a long path for the native of Cleveland's Little Italy. "I got into the business because of my father-in-law, Medina, Ohio, horseman Bob Cole. We had two Ohio Trotters of the Year together – I got married to Sandy in 1965. We worked the fairs – I drove a bit at the matinees; I called races at five fairs, and she charted. "From 1970 to 1975, I had horrible years. I didn't know what I was doing. The first year I bought five horses and made no money. Eventually Sandy said get out of the business; the best decision I could make. I focused on my businesses, eventually starting my own title company, which became more and more successful," continued Sbrocco, who counts a Hooters franchise in Cleveland's popular entertainment district, The Flats, among his business successes. "When I got back in the business we started with a mare called Miss Pine Chip," said Sbrocco. "I would go to Northfield to train her, but I couldn't get her off her knees. She was wicked fast, but bad conformation. She never took a race record so I decided to breed her. She had a couple foals that made over $100,000, but Mr Pine Chip (by SJ's Caviar) made over $600,000 and took a mark of 1:52 in 2006. He started with Jim Arledge and he did well, so we decided to go to the Grand Circuit with Trond Smedshammer. He won his Hambletonian elimination, and I had 35 people in the clubhouse for the final, but he got sick. That was a huge disappointment. I sold half of him for a million to Europe, where he went on to be the worst sire in Swedish history." Sbrocco has a sense of humor about the business (he is constantly inviting me to partner on a yearling with him knowing full well what my budget really is), and he truly values the social interaction of the sport. When you see him at a sale, he isn't "holding court" like some big owners, but a constant stream of horsemen, partners and competitors are sharing conversations with him. Sbrocco owns horses in 58 different partnerships, according to the USTA, and that does not include syndicates that most of the stallions are owned by. "I think the most important thing is having partners," he said. "I don't like being by myself. We do text messaging, we are constantly talking. So, to me, that is the most important thing – just to make money is not important – it's a fun business – especially with Tactical Approach this year.  The best part of it is that I have partners on most of my horses. I often own 25, maybe 50%. Now on the breeding stock – I have been buying broodmares to go to my stallions – I often own 50 or 100%." Now that Sbrocco is retired from the title company and other business ventures, he spends a lot of time managing his stable. "This year I have 50 babies; 17 different trainers; 25 coming back. I spend a lot of my time looking at catalogs, talking to partners, looking at yearling videos, seeing them in person. I'm involved a lot; very hands on. My son set me up with Quicken/QuickBooks. You can't just start working on it in September," Sbrocco added. "I try to take it as it is; you can't predict anything," continued Sbrocco. "I've had plenty of ups and downs. One year I went to Harrisburg to try to pick up a cheap trotter. I saw this little midget horse Meadowbranch Glen. I gave $5,000. Bob was livid. I said 'I don't know what to tell you pops,' but at 3 he won the Super Bowl trot in PA going for $70,000, which was a lot of money back then." Meadowbranch Glen won two races and $53,100 in eight 2-year-old starts, but made just four more career starts, earning $280. There are those ups and downs Joe referred to. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter The list of Sbrocco horses goes on and on. The controversial Propulsion was a Sbrocco horse, as was the very good Modern Family. He campaigned Volume Eight and I Did It Myway, who earned over $1.2 million. He also bred that last one, whose dam was Flyme To The Moon, who he still owns. "I like Sinatra," he joked. "We breed to our stallions; Seaside, Pebble Beach, especially with him being back in Ohio, and Captaintreacherous," said Sbrocco. "With Tactical Approach, I didn't have any trotting broodmares, so I approached Chris Beaver to see if we could do a foal share. I pay the stud fee and when the foal is weaned, we share the cost. I did a little bit more this year because I had the money coming in, as it helps with the tax situation, reinvesting." But all those trainers? How does one manage to deal with 17 different trainers? "It's rare that a trainer comes to me," said Sbrocco. "It happened with Ake [Svanstedt]. Once in a while we call him to see if he has anything. It's important to get to know the trainers. You want them to like you. I think then they are more honest. Brian [Brown] is the most honest guy I know. He will tell you the truth. Most of my horses are with him, even in Indiana, and with Geocentric. Nancy Takter has been really great too; strong relationship." And Sbrocco loves Ohio. Many of his partners, Jim Koehler from Country Club Acres, Jim Stambaugh, Chris Beaver, Acadia Farms, Rich Lombardo, Spring Haven Farm, among others hail from the Buckeye State. His highlights, and although he doesn't say it out loud, his biggest remaining goal, lies in Delaware, Ohio. "I've never won the Jug. I was close – Hot Rod Mindale was second in the elim and the final, and of course Seaside. One of my most fun races was when Chris Page and Seaside broke the world record of 1:50 there. I never thought I'd see a 2-year-old pace in fifty on a half," he concluded. Joe Sbrocco is a unique personality in our sport, the kind of guy we need more of. That's it for this month. Now go cash, hopefully on something Joe owns a piece of. It's not likely I'll be his partner.