Construction begins on new thoroughbred horse facilities on Mill Road in Riverhead

A thoroughbred horse-breeding operation is coming to Mill Road in Riverhead.

Construction began this week on Serendipity Farm, located on 17 acres at the northeast corner of Mill and Middle roads.

The facility will consist of two 40- by 200-foot barns and a 100- by 200-foot indoor arena, according to documents on file at Riverhead Town Hall.

It is being developed by Dana Grimaldi of Farmingdale, who will be moving into the Middle Road farmhouse once she moves her horses to the Riverhead farm.

“I knew it was the perfect spot as soon as I saw it,” she said of the farm her family purchased from builder Paul Gabrielsen.

Serendipity Farm will be home to Grimaldi’s first mare, Montauk Daisy, which she bought from Robert Entenmenn. Montauk Daisy’s young colt, Giant Story, sired by Giant Causeway, along with Grimaldi’s three other mares and another young colt, will take up residence in Riverhead as soon as the construction is completed. Grimaldi said she hopes to move in by September.

The acreage is preserved agricultural land. Development plans therefore required the approval of both Suffolk County and Riverhead Town farmland preservation committees. It was approved by the county committee in January and by the town committee on June 27.

The buildings will be attached to one another and are being erected parallel to Mill Road, with a setback of 90 feet from the road. The barns can have a maximum height of 21.5 feet and the arena can have a maximum height of 29.5 feet, according to the approvals.

Each barn will have 20 horse stalls and the arena will house an indoor exercise ring.

The mares will be sent out to be bred and return to Serendipity Farm to foal, Grimaldi said.

“They will be foaled and raised on the farm. We’ll do a little bit of breaking too,” she said.

Grimaldi said she has a bachelor’s degree in equine science and worked with horses, mostly thoroughbreds, for almost 20 years, as a vet tech and as an assistant trainer, before buying Montauk Daisy in 2010 and becoming a breeder.

The barns and arena are being constructed by Morton Buildings of Cutchogue.

The town required covenants and restrictions that prohibit the use of the site for equestrian shows, contests, clinics or exhibitions, Deputy Town Attorney Annemarie Prudenti said.