M and D Stable Mike Horning and the then-Debbie Komlo had their first date almost 30 years ago. Naturally enough, as each was a horseman’s child, they had it at Pimlico. They’ve been married 26 years and, after raising three children, they thought it might be time for another major undertaking.

“I was going to get my wife an anniversary present, and I thought, ‘Let’s have some fun now,’ and she had the choice of another diamond ring or a horse. She picked the horse,” Mike said. The horse, named Debbie’s Diamond, earned over $70,000, which encouraged them to own more horses and have more fun.

Debbie is the daughter of trainer William Komlo and Mike, an insurance executive for a Chevy Chase-based company, is the son of the late Larry Horning Sr. and the brother of trainer Larry Horning Jr. Larry and Mike are the eldest in a family of eight children.