Corporate Horse Racing
 

This Derby really emphasized the rise of corporate racing. There were no warm fuzzies about the connections of the winner. Congrats on owning that winning leg of Justify! Not that this was the first time - congrats for owning the winning stifle of Always Dreaming! I know some of these winning owners and it was a forced congrats that I gave them, because it feels bought instead of earned.

Then we have Chad Brown with 150 2-year-olds up at Saratoga. 150. Not an exaggeration. Anyone think he's really the trainer of all these horses instead of the corporate head who pays a slew of trainers?

Trainers at NYRA complain of the power of Brown and Pletcher at the entry box, and on the West coast of power of Baffert. Other trainers can't get their horses in, while they see races written to accommodate these guys.

The "normal" or small trainer or new trainers have never had it so hard.

The BC is all about collecting huge sums from racing and giving it back to a small group of the elite.

I've been losing my passion for the sport for a long time, and the above is making me lose what's left. One more Eclipse ceremony could do it.

every other sport seems to feel the need to limit roster's, racing obviously doesn't

Same thing at Monmouth Park Navarro is catered to!

"Dear Fager Fan,

We are sorry to inform you that as a 10% owner in Justify, it is YOUR rear leg that is lame after the Derby.
Your share of the purse will be reduced accordingly." :eek:

PS: You will also be charge a higher % of the vet bills.


Have a nice day!:)

:D

Tend to agree, you are seeing it more and more, people and organizations buying into horses that have already proven to be on the Derby Trail and Oaks trail for that matter.

There are the wealthy owners that are teaming up and doing this more and more, I couldn't even tell you the real owner of Justify actually is or at least the majority owner. wasn't exagerrator bought and sold, and split into ownership pieces like 3-4 times?

Then you have the syndicates who are buying into proven horses that are on the derby trail and Oaks trail and then publicly going out there and selling the experience of how exciting it is to be part of the process and "YOU TOO COULD BE PART OF THIS for as little as 1%" Good luck with that. All I see is the heads of these organizations basking in the limelight and going along for the ride. The shareholders have zero say and I get it but they aren't putting their own money up just using others and strutting around as if they are the brainchild. Really weird actually, seems strange to me.

In addition, now we have all these bloodstock people hanging around for the life of the horse basking in the glory, funny how their misses never get advertised or pointed out, the seven figure European horse that flops, etc etc.

It all a circus and a bunch of social media BS. Kind of sad really. Same 4-5 trainers as well. Brad Cox is next or already is... ( Pletcher, Baffert, Brown, O'Neil) How long do you think we will see the four Pletcher horses campaigning? Most all seem to disappear shortly after their 3 year old season? ODD

I think Mick Ruis is over his head trying to train a triple crown horse but at least it's his $, his horse and you know where you are at. Now you can't even figure out the ownership group for most of these horses. You just aren't seeing the smaller trainer very much at all with a special horse at the HUGE races anymore, granted they were always 1 or 2 of 12 in a race but those horses are getting bought as soon as they show ability

Love the game and the player... this new movement? hate, hate hate, hate it. Partners in racing use to be 2-3 buddies or families that threw there money together and went along for the ride. They still start like that quite often but the good ones don't make until January of their 3 YO season without some whale buying in.. Can't blame the original owners really but it's getting old quickly.

Give me Saratoga on a Monday over any of these HUGE racing days. Just can't take it anymore, I know it's not great for the game just me ranting I guess. Ton of really good trainers out there as well who will never get a shot. Must suck

GREAT POST!!!!!

Winstar has sold their absolute soul. I don't have an ounce of respect for them anymore. NONE. Winners circle money and glory.

Justify, Audible, Quip, Noble Indy. All sold for parts.

Elliott Walden and Kenny Troutt would sell the boots off a dead man...all while praising and thanking Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. :mad:

What I don’t get is, why does it matter to any of us who owns the winner of the Derby? Or any other race? If the Funny Cide gang owns the horse or the owners of Justify own the horse, what difference does it make in your life and enjoyment of a horse race?

A good friend of mine owns 8% of Monomoy Girl. I sat right beside of him during the Oaks. I’m glad he won but whether 50 people or 1 person owns a horse doesn’t make a difference in my enjoyment of a race.

Are we really to the point where this is what we are complaining about???

Someday maybe someone will have a positive thread on this site about horse racing. Lol

I remember when I was a small child and my dad would take me to the track and all the old men where huddled down stairs chomping on cigars and complaining. Well I figured out where they all went... they’ve either all passed on or they are now sitting behind their computers! The good news is, the track is a lot less smoky and pleasant now. Lol

Yep, and they have plenty of offers and eager buyers dying to get into the winners circle on the big days. It's crazy that everywhere you turn it's Winstar and 1 of 3-4 owners basically pounding their chest yet media savy enough to say all the right things and thank all the right people, feels like politics.

Like I said, don't always agree with Mick Ruis but at least he is out there paving his own way, too bad he can't stay with one trainer, love to see what he could do with a Phil Damato type as his trainer

Funny Cide?? was owned by bunch of buddies from Sackets Harbor, NY who found a one in a million type shot. Not the best example. It matters to many as there is no story and there won't be for the forseeable future given the model

It's the same as getting sick of the Patriots and Golden St, not different.

Does it really matter? not really but then again does any of it.

Actually it is a good example, I don’t need your validation of my opinions... the OP talked about the warm fuzzies and Funny Cide was an accurate example of the warm fuzzies the media made it into with their lame school bus gimmick.

People whined when the favorites didn’t win for decades and now they whine that the favorites are on a run... always something.

Why do people waste so much time doing something that only brings them anguish? If ownership is what you are down to complaining about, you need to examine why you participate in the game.

makes zero sense. zero.

Last time I checked this is a forum to discuss horse racing, that is why we are here, stating that why do people spend time discussing trends in the game, etc. The owners are part of the game and IMO, worthy of discussion.

Do you really think this trend is good for racing? Nevermind, why waste time kicking that can down the road, clearly you are above it all.

I don't need to evaluate why I participate in the game but am "down" in discussing trends that I don't think lend itself to a great long term future. everything is unicorns and rainbows here

It was a bad example, despite your opinion to the contrary. As noted, a group of friends owning their once-in-a-lifetime horse is far different than a group of business associate buying into and controlling large parts of a field.

A trophy used to be one of a kind, or maybe there would have to be an extra copy made for a partner. Now there are too many copies of trophies being made to count, and a guy can look like he's won as many Derbies as Calumet when he really bought in on a leg of each made horse.

But the worse problem is the concentration of top horses among few trainers. Let me repeat. Brown has 150 2-year-olds. By God, I hope he (one of his trainers, actually) can develop a good one or two from that group, and then he can bask in another Eclipse award, and get 200 2-year-olds next year.

Obviously you didn’t comprehend what I said...

I wasn’t comparing funny Cide to justify... I was pointing out the difference and to me, it doesn’t matter to me who owns the horse. Obviously you just like to argue.

As for Chad Brown have you complained personally to the Racing Commissions where he races? I’d guess not.