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Nations Spdtlight on Silkys Owners Ross and Klipstein : Veterans in Racing Californians Met at Races And Became Close Friends; Wives Equally Enthusiastic ; By OSCAR OTIS •Ross and Klipstein." Thats the way the program carries the ownership of Silky Sullivan, and the two equal partners in the California stretch runner are Tom Ross of Orinda and Phil Klipstein, of" San Francisco and Bakersfield. Phil Klipstein, 76, trekked to California from his native Virginia as a youngster, acquired his first land holdings in the Bakersfield area in 1898. Essentially a cattleman, his "spread" at one time ranged over more than 200,000 acres. He has been a horseman since 1898 when he rode his own lands with his own pony and became interested as a thoroughbred owner and breeder in the late twenties when racing was at its heydey in Tijuana and later in Caliente. Klipsteins first sire of note was the onetime New York stake horse, Slieveconard, whom he stood at Bakersfield along with a band of about 12 mares. A five-year drought, made livestock conditions so bad in the late thirties he sold out to the then Jane Rolph of San Francisco, who moved all_the thoroughbreds to San Mateo County. After that Klipstein re-entered the ranks of breeders on a more modest scale, keeping his band at around five to six mares, and no stallion. He prefers to board out his mares and offspring rather than maintain his own acreage, which, through sale, has dwindled to a mere 240 acres, this being devoted to field crops. Klipstein Breeder Over 30 Years Klipstein is the oldest breeder in the state of California insofar as continuous length of production activity is concerned. While never a breeder of consequence, there has not been a single season in more than 30 years when he hasnt sent at least a few homebreds to the races. As a stable owner, Klipstein has been an active buyer at the Del Mar sales or has purchased yearlings at private treaty. He is retired from all active business, has moved his home to San Francisco, and his major pleasure is also his business and his hobby, horseracing. Klipstein "goes racing" the year round in California and while he makes trips away from the track activity on occasions, he is most often to be found at his box, excepting at Del Mar, where he takes a house on the beach for the season and never misses a day. Klipstein is a soft-spoken, somewhat reticent man and he seldom offers opinions on any phase of horseracing nor is he emphatic in his beliefs on conformation and pedigree. He knows all too, well that the sciences of conformation and bloodlines are not exact ones and keeps an open mind. Ross in Lumber Business Tom Ross, his partner, is a lumber man with large timber holdings, and a sawmill at Medford, Oregon. He became interested in racing as a spectator at the California tracks about 20 years ago, and decided it would be more fun at the races if he owned a, few horses himself. He acquired his first thoroughbreds in partnership with a former San Franciscan, Asa Brunk. At the race tracks he became a close friend of Continued on Page 15 D TOM ROSS AND PHIL KLIPSTEIN, owners of Silky Sullivan. Siltfy Forces Spotlight On Ross and Klipstein Two Californians Met at Races; Formed Profitable Friendship Continued from Page 2 0 Klipstein. When ill health forced Brunk to retire to Arizona. Ross and Klipstein began buying a few horses as partners although to this day. both own a few horses in their own account. Boss has not been in the best of health for the last few years, and a while back he suffered a slight stroke which kept him away from the races for a spell. However. he has made a rapid recovery: and his doctors have given him full permission to attend the races whenever he so desires. He did, however, make the trip to Louisville by train, being still "gro nded" by his medical advisors. v Both Mrs. Klipstein and Mrs. Ross share their husbands enthusiasm for racing. Mrs. Klipstein spends many afternoons at the races with her husband, while Mrs. Ross has her own stable, which races under the nom de course of "El See" stables, obviously a phonetic translation of her own first name, Elsie. Until last winter at Santa Anita, the "Ross and Klipstein" on the program was well known in California. But Silky Sullivan has made the combination nationally famous.
