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Some horses step into the ring and quietly blend in. Others, from the very first stride, make you feel you’re witnessing the beginning of something bigger. Been AlongTime Comin — known to those around him as “Tommy Lee” — is one of those rare few. From cadence to carriage, his presence draws the eye and holds it, telling a story that goes beyond scores and ribbons. What unfolds in the arena is more than early promise—it’s the continuation of a legacy carefully designed to shine under the lights.
At just two years old, Been AlongTime Comin has already made an impression few horses can match. Sent to trainer Farley McClendon at the end of June 2025 with only about 120 rides scattered between November and June, Tommy Lee walked into the NSBA World Show with limited experience but unlimited potential.
In his very first appearances, he earned:
- NSBA World Champion – 2-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle
- BCF Champion – 2-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle
- Reserve BCF Champion – Color Hunter Under Saddle
- Reserve Champion – 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Limited Hunter Under Saddle with Moore
He was also named the top money-earning two-year-old of the 2025 NSBA World Show—a remarkable feat for a horse just beginning his career. Judges and spectators alike were drawn to his cadence, long stride, and uphill frame—hallmarks of a true hunter under saddle prospect.
“For me, he’s the bigger strided and more flowy type—what I consider a true hunt seat style,” says breeder Stephanie Moore.
Beyond the show pen, Tommy Lee carries a quiet confidence and natural curiosity. Even his barn name has a story: Moore admits she’s “terrible about giving foals barn names,” so McClendon dubbed him “Tommy Lee” after the rock singer.
Pedigree & Background
Behind every stride Tommy Lee takes is a foundation years in the making. His story isn’t just about early success in the arena—it’s the product of deliberate choices that brought together two proven bloodlines to shape a gelding built for the hunter under saddle pen.
Truly Priceless: Gone too Soon
Been AlongTime Comin is sired by Truly Priceless who built a solid show record, earning ROMs in both Amateur and Open performance, placing at Congress in multiple hunter under saddle events, and claiming circuit championships and class wins along the way. Genetically, he was 5-panel negative, homozygous dominant recessive (black), (E/E, a/a), making him a dependable sire choice.
But his story ended too soon. In 2017, Truly Priceless passed unexpectedly due to a tragic pasture accident, leaving behind only a handful of foals. For years, it seemed his influence might end there. That changed when frozen semen stored overseas in Europe and Australia was brought back to the U.S. by Jessica Oldham, Moore’s partner on the stallion. Moore purchased it back, and Tommy Lee stands among the first foals born from that very bank of frozen semen. With only a limited supply remaining, each one now represents a vital piece of a legacy that nearly slipped away.
“It’s remarkable that the top overall 2-year-old at the NSBA World Show in 2025 was sired by a stallion who’s been gone for eight years,” Moore reflects.
Dressed The Best: Champion and Producer
On the dam side, Tommy Lee is out of Dressed The Best (2005 sorrel mare by Coats N Tails and out of Lil Miss Smokey). Bred and owned by Chris Lagerblade, she is both a Congress and World Champion and has proven herself in the breeding shed, producing Congress and Reserve Congress champions.
Tommy Lee’s connection to her is the result of collaboration: Moore helped manage Dressed The Best through ICSI, and in return, Lagerblade allowed her to flush an embryo to Truly Priceless. That foal became Been AlongTime Comin.
Today, the mare’s influence is clear in him—her balance, elegance, and strength echo through his stride, adding to the qualities carried forward from his sire.
Together, Truly Priceless and Dressed The Best brought forward more than ribbons and titles—they combined strength, elegance, and proven genetics into one purposeful cross. The result is Been Alongtime Comin, a gelding who not only reflects the best of both parents but also carries forward a bloodline that was nearly lost. His pedigree isn’t just a record on paper—it’s the framework of a legacy continuing to unfold with every stride.
Generations in the Making
Tommy Lee represents more than individual achievement—he is a second-generation product of Moore’s vision. As the breeder of both Truly Priceless and Been Alongtime Comin, Moore has watched her program evolve over decades.
That vision will continue in 2026 with the arrival of another foal: a ¾ sibling to Tommy Lee by Truly Priceless and out of My Final Fortune.
More than just a name on a pedigree, My Final Fortune brings proven performance and influence to every cross. This 2014 sorrel mare by Z Sharp Dressed Man out of My Final Spin is built for modern hunter under saddle excellence. Her top side features Coats N Tails, an AQHA Champion, and Invitation Only, sire of multiple NSBA World Champions. On the dam side, VS Code Red, an AQHA and NSBA Champion by Blazing Hot, combines with Vital Signs Are Good, a Hall of Fame dam of countless champions. Further back, she traces to Zippo Jack Bar, son of the legendary Zippo Pine Bar, Fair Eyed Jackie – she herself out of the great Dollie Pine daughter, Scarborough Fair - dam of AQHA champions, and Sonny Dee Bar, a cornerstone of western performance excellence.
With a pedigree packed with champions and proven bloodlines, My Final Fortune offers unmatched potential for producing the next generation of top hunter under saddle horses.
This cross reflects the same philosophy that produced Tommy Lee — selective, intentional breeding to strengthen the hunter under saddle horse for the future.
Looking Ahead
With AQHA/APHA double registration and limited frozen semen left from Truly Priceless, Tommy Lee is more than another show horse — he is a living link to a sire’s legacy that nearly disappeared. His Congress debut in the 2-Year-Old Open and Limited Hunter Under Saddle with McClendon will be another step in a career that already feels like history in motion. What makes this moment even sweeter for all of us? Tommy Lee is offered for your consideration.
“Every time he walks into the arena, he captures attention,” Moore says. “There’s something about him that feels like it was meant to be.”
A Lasting Philosophy
For Moore, Tommy Lee represents far more than ribbons and accolades. He is living proof that great horses are not accidents—they are the outcome of vision, patience, and respect for the bloodlines that came before.
“To me, Tommy Lee isn’t just about today’s wins,” Moore reflects. “He’s about carrying forward what we worked so hard to preserve, and doing it in the way a true hunt seat horse should.”
As his journey continues, Tommy Lee stands as both a competitor and a torchbearer—ensuring the influence of Truly Priceless endures while pointing toward what’s still to come. His presence in the ring is more than performance; it is the embodiment of a legacy, moving forward one stride at a time.