News Detail
Frank Macauley ’50 Naturalist and Horse Man
(This Profile of La Salle Academy graduate Frank Macauley is provided courtesy of the Horse Players Racing Club, LLC also known as HRC)
Frank retired on December 31, 2008, from a career in Finance and Marketing. He formed Femac Corporation in 1981, which provided financial services to a select group of clients. Ten months was much to long for full retirement, though, and he and his wife Cici started Cicirelli Thoroughbreds in November 2008.
Since he knew nothing about the business, phase one of his business plan was to explore all aspects of thoroughbred ownership. They started in 2010 with interest in 34 horses. They’re now in phase four and currently have interest in 21 individuals, both domestically and internationally.
Over the years, Frank has enjoyed several highlights. The fact he obtained an education was somewhat of a miracle. He started working when he was eight and worked all through high school (while at La Salle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island) and went to college while working full time.
He obtained a Ph.D. in 1974. Cici continues to work full time and has spent more than 35 years with the same employer. They are both Florida Master Naturalists and continue to do a lot of environmental related volunteer work.
(This Profile of La Salle Academy graduate Frank Macauley is provided courtesy of the Horse Players Racing Club, LLC also known as HRC)
Frank retired on December 31, 2008, from a career in Finance and Marketing. He formed Femac Corporation in 1981, which provided financial services to a select group of clients. Ten months was much to long for full retirement, though, and he and his wife Cici started Cicirelli Thoroughbreds in November 2008.
Since he knew nothing about the business, phase one of his business plan was to explore all aspects of thoroughbred ownership. They started in 2010 with interest in 34 horses. They’re now in phase four and currently have interest in 21 individuals, both domestically and internationally.
Over the years, Frank has enjoyed several highlights. The fact he obtained an education was somewhat of a miracle. He started working when he was eight and worked all through high school (while at La Salle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island) and went to college while working full time.
He obtained a Ph.D. in 1974. Cici continues to work full time and has spent more than 35 years with the same employer. They are both Florida Master Naturalists and continue to do a lot of environmental related volunteer work.
One of Frank’s favorite accomplishments was hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon when he was 72 years old to participate in the 70th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corp. On July 4, 2011 the couple plans on being in Durban South Africa, to watch Ebony Flyer win a major grade I race and win the award for being the best three-year-old filly in South Africa, if not the best horse.
Frank made his first visit top the races in 1958 when a friend lent him Turf club passes to Lincoln Downs in Rhode Island. Now 52 years later, Frank is a big-timer in the business.
Curiosity got him interested in racing at first. He grew up during the depression; thoroughbred racing was big back then and offered not only entertainment, but a degree of economic hope during what was a hopeless time for many. The sport offered not only a challenge, but a diversion as well.
His favorite track experience was attending the Marshfield Fair in Massachusetts. It was a half-mile oval. They parked on the infield with room for only a couple of lawn chairs between the front of the car and inside rail. They had a cooler full of Moxie topped off with Linquice or Chorizo sandwiches- made it an excellent way to end the New England summer.
His favorite racing experience is a story of “firsts”. To cultivate an interest in the sport, he purchased an interest in a horde named Phosphorescent for his wife Cici’s Christmas present in 2007. The colt made his first start on July 5th the following year. They made a trip to Churchill, which was a first for both. Cici obtained her first license the morning of the race. She didn’t even watch the first four races. Frank’s never seen her so excited when “Phossy” won. She said it was the most exciting thing that ever happened.
Frank’s first HRC was Daleo’s Angel in February 2009 and he retains interest in her and her Tactical Cat yearling colt.
His personal favorite horse was Ebony Flyer. She’s had five starts, winning her first four including a listed stake, a grade II and a grade I. She took on all comers in her most recent race – older males and females and finished third in the grade I race. He also lists Phosphorescent among his top horses. An injury kept him out of the Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint. He’s confident the horse would’ve beaten the winner.
Frank and Cici live in Pinellas County, Florida. He loves what they’ve done with Tampa Bay Downs, his home track, although he only made it out once this meet.
Frank retired on December 31, 2008, from a career in Finance and Marketing. He formed Femac Corporation in 1981, which provided financial services to a select group of clients. Ten months was much to long for full retirement, though, and he started Cicirelli Thoroughbreds in November 2008.
Since he knew nothing about the business, phase one of his business plan was to explore all aspects of thoroughbred ownership. They started in 2010 with interest in 34 horses. They’re now in phase four and currently have interest in 21 individuals, both domestically and internationally.
La Salle Academy is a high school rich in history and grounded in the person and teachings of Jesus and the Catholic faith, which are core to the school's life and culture. The De La Salle Middle School provides a strong holistic foundation for students to transition into high school. The high school and middle school provide students of diverse ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds, a community to foster growth in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle’s ideals of faith, service, and community.
