Hall of Fame

Originally from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Arlene Siegel was born on July 23, 1931. She was a nurse before marrying her husband Jules Siegel, and together they started a chain of drugstores called Drug Fair and Cost Cutters throughout New Jersey.

Arlene and Jules established Fashion Farms in New Hope, Pennsylvania in 1984 for their own pleasure, but when Jules sold his drug store chain and retired in 1995, Arlene insisted that “you cannot do nothing.” The Siegels acquired first-rate broodmares, bred them to top sires to produce successful racehorses, and retained the fillies for future breeding. They enjoyed their top moment in 1995 when their Tagliabue 4,1:53.3 ($904,600) won the Hambletonian and was voted the top three-year-old male trotter.

Tagliabue was the first of the Siegels’ Dan Patch Award-winning horses, followed by 1998 Dan Patch Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly of the Year, 1999 Dan Patch Older Pacing Mare of the Year and 2000 O’Brien Older Pacing Mare of the Year, world champion Galleria p,4,1:49.1 ($1,814,453), winner of the 1998 Breeders Crown; 2002 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year Broadway Hall 2,1:56.4 ($436,790), winner of the 2002 Breeders Crown; 2004 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year, 2004 O’Brien Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year Village Jolt p,3,1:50.4f ($1,634,220), winner of the 2004 Breeders Crown; 2009 Dan Patch Trotting Filly of the Year Broadway Schooner 3,1:53.3 ($885,933), winner of the 2009 Hambletonian Oaks and Breeders Crown; 2011 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year Possess The Will 2,1:54 ($618,262), winner of the 2011 Valley Victory; and 2015 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year, 2016 Dan Patch Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year Broadway Donna 3,1:51.1 ($1,297,823), winner of the 2016 Breeders Crown.

Other notables for the Siegels include Real Artist p,3,Q1:51 ($424,947), winner of the 1997 Woodrow Wilson, and Arts Virtue p,3,1:50.3 ($1,100,639), winner of the 1999 Three Diamonds and 2000  Mistletoe Shalee. As stallions, Real Artist has sired winners of over $87 million with seven millionaires; Broadway Hall, with winners of over $41 million with two millionaires.

In 2002, the U.S. Harness Writers Association voted the Siegels the sport’s Owners of the Year. They won the award again in 2009.

Arlene Siegel was known for her hands-on approach and her devotion to the well-being of her horses. She passed away on December 13, 2010.