Lee and Susan Searing - CRK Stable

Maybe it’s the genes. Maybe that’s why 72-year-old Lee Searing gets up every morning looking forward to going to work at his company, Searing Industries Steel Tubing in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and why his first Santa Anita Derby victory with Honor A.P. was the culmination of a life-long passion for horses he shares with wife Susan, his high school sweetheart. “My dad, until the day he died, worked; and until the day he died, he bet on horses,” Searing said rather proudly. “My mom was an avid horseplayer, too. It’s always been in my blood to own horses and try to achieve some things I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

Racing was also in his father’s genes. “My grandfather, an Irishman who loved horse racing, introduced it to my dad,” Searing said. In turn, his father introduced racing to Searing. “I attended the races at Santa Anita as an eight-year-old,” he said. “I remember the day.”

There were dozens of more racing days at Hollywood Park and at Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico. “I traveled down there to Mexico every weekend,” Searing said.

The family’s love of horse racing escalated when Searing’s father purchased their first horse. “My dad had Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Quarter Horses,” Searing said. “I gave it up for 10 years to start my company. My dad ran the first tubing machine and started two other companies. In 1985, we started Searing Industries—my dad, my brother Jim and me. We manufacture welded steel tubing.”

A visit to the company’s website speaks volumes about the company’s vision: “Others see steel; we see possibilities”; and the way the Searings treat 200 employees: “Related or not, we consider all our team members to be part of the Searing family.”

Searing said, “That message about our employees, my dad taught me. Respect the working man. We share profits, and there’s very little turnover.”

He has no thoughts about retiring. “When I lose it, I will retire,” he said. “I wake up every morning and go to work. I want to accomplish more. That’s maybe one reason, right now, I relate so much to a barn, a trainer, a hotwalker, a groom. They wake up, and they want to take care of their horses.”

He considers himself lucky to have trainers John Shirreffs and John Sadler tending to his horses. “I’ve had great trainers,” he said.

He’s also had a great partner, Susan, who retired after working 37 years as a special education teacher.

“We started dating at the age of 18,” Searing said. “Racing was a weekly affair. We’d go to Caliente on weekends. It was a great place to go. She’s always followed racing and loves it.”

Her personal highlight may have come in the 2004 Gp1 Golden Shaheen, when Our New Recruit won the $2 million race. “She was the first woman to stand on the winner’s stand in Dubai,” Searing said. “They didn’t want to let her. She’s very persuasive.”

Our New Recruit, who won six of 19 starts, is one of four millionaires the Searings have campaigned under CRK Stable, named for the first initial of their three children: Christiana, Richard and Katherine. Candy Boy, who had a rough trip and finished 13th in the 2004 Kentucky Derby, Switch and Kobe’s Back have also earned seven figures. “Switch was a valuable asset,” Searing said. “She won Gr1’s.

Honor A.P., a son of Honor Code out of the outstanding mare Hollywood Story by Wild Rush, nearly cost seven figures. The Searings purchased him at Saratoga for $850,000, making him the highest priced yearling in Honor Code’s first crop. Honor Code was one of 36 foals from the last crop of A.P. Indy.   

 “We knew we’d have to pay for him,” Searing said. “We hung in there. We got him. I named him Honor A.P. in homage to his grandsire, the breed-shaping A.P. Indy. I loved A.P. Indy. It’s always been my goal to race a horse of this caliber and to stand him at Lane’s End (which stands Honor Code). I hope this horse has a chance at a second career.”

Lane End’s Will Farish is thrilled to stand Honor A.P. “He’s a horse that we have had an eye on since he was sold as a yearling,” Farish said. “April Mayberry was quietly touting him while being broken, and John Shirreffs has been high on him since he arrived at Santa Anita.”

Honor A.P. has only four lifetime starts, working around a minor foot injury. He was second to unbeaten Authentic in the Gr3 San Felipe on March 7, then defeated Authentic going away by 2 ¾ lengths in the rescheduled Gr1 Santa Anita Derby on June 20.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Searing had to watch Honor A.P. on TV. “We had a small Santa Anita Derby party at our house,” Searing said. “Family, a few friends. It was very exciting to see that horse make that move on the turn and draw away. You know what? It finally happened. I just really, really love being able to buy a horse like this. When we bought this horse, we knew we had a chance.”

Now Searing has a chance to win the Kentucky Derby on September 5. The game plan is to prep Honor A.P. in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on August 1. “We would prefer to stay home,” Searing said. “He’s got enough points.”

Searing is thrilled to be on the ride to Louisville. “After being in racing all this time, it’s exciting for me and my family,” he said. “We have been around the world for racing. I buy a horse, hoping for a chance he’ll bring us to these amazing races. I will participate to the limit I can.”

He will do that every day. His father and grandfather wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.