Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Partnerships enter new arenas
Thoroughbred owner partnerships have played a major role at the highest levels of racing in recent years. In 2018, they played a major role in helping the Keeneland September yearling sale, one major indicator of the North American Thoroughbred industry’s health, finish with some of the best figures in its 75-year history.
In addition to major farms or ownership groups teaming to stretch for top horses, several ownership syndicates finished with seven or eight figures worth of total purchases for their upcoming partnerships. Starlight Racing – also buying in the name of Starlight West – in partnership with SF Bloodstock finished the twoweek sale with 24 yearlings purchased for a total of more than $10.29 million. West Point Thoroughbreds, alone or in partnership, purchased eight yearlings for $1.78 million. Eclipse Thoroughbreds, also acting both on its own and with partners, finished with seven for more than $2.49 million. Centennial Farms finished with four yearlings for $1.3 million, and Donegal Racing landed seven yearlings for a total of $1.18 million.
However, Keeneland September isn’t the only place that partnerships buy yearlings or other racing prospects. Here is a brief look at how syndicates select horses for partnership consideration around the country.
Rainbow’s End Racing
New York-based Rainbow’s End Racing, an active ownership syndicate for more than three years, has acquired its dozen horses via diverse means – playing the claiming game, making a pair of private purchases, and landing horses via Fasig-Tipton and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auctions. Being based in New York, the partnership targets New Yorkbred horses for options and purse incentives. But beyond that, they aren’t afraid to be creative in selection.
“We actually have two partners who only take an ownership share in a horse if they like the name – [past performances] be damned!” managing partner Bob Scavetta said. “That’s a true story.”
But Rainbow’s End also employs more traditional analysis, including a careful review of race replays.
“We’re not the only folks who can read the PPs – especially when it comes to the claiming game here in New York,” Scavetta said, adding that current form, bloodlines, age, racing history, surface and distance preferences, remaining conditions, and potential upside also weigh into their considerations.
“We do spend considerable time watching the race replays for horses that we are considering,” Scavetta said.
Once the group identifies a horse they like, the next step is to talk with trainer Tom Morley.
“His opinion and knowledge are invaluable,” Scavetta said. “And while as managing partner I have the final say, we’d never go after a horse without 100 percent support from Tom. That said, we try to look beyond the obvious choices and often find ourselves considering what some might call a sleeper. Everyone is looking for lightning in a bottle, as the old saying goes.”
Syndicates attract new owners
One goal of racing syndicates is to bring new owners into the industry, helping to ensure its long-term health. In recent years, racetracks have taken a leading role in this objective, creating a low-risk view into Thoroughbred ownership via a non-profit club model.
The flagship horse of the Churchill Downs Racing Club is Warrior’s Club, who has 200 owners who put up $500 apiece when Churchill Downs launched the club in spring 2016.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas privately purchased the colt, now a 4-year-old, on behalf of the group after the son of Warrior’s Reward was a $47,000 buyback at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April sale of 2-yearolds in training. Warrior’s Club is now a Grade 3 winner, Grade 1-placed, and has earned more than $700,000. Meanwhile, approximately 50 members of the club have decided to deepen their involvement in the sport, joining with other Thoroughbred ownership groups.
It recently was announced that the Churchill Downs Racing Club has been chosen as the 2018 New Owner of the Year, which honors a new Thoroughbred owner who has been
successful in the sport and has had a positive impact on the industry. The award will be presented during the Thoroughbred Owner Conference on Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Louisville, Ky.
Beyond its own racing club, Churchill Downs is a hotbed for new syndicates aiming to bring in new owners. Brilliant Racing – founded by Natalie Gils, Joe Kristufek, and Brandon Stauble – started its first juvenile at Churchill last Sunday. The group’s Eskendereya colt Eskenforit finished seventh in a maiden special weight. He is one of two youngsters owned by the group, which will focus on young prospects while also strategically selecting some older horses for additional fun.
“Although 2-year-olds in training are the priority, we understand that they may take time to develop, so we also want to keep the partnership engaged by claiming a horse,” the founders wrote in their original dossier to prospective members. “We are not going to force it. We know the game, patience is one of our strengths. We’re not going to buy or claim a horse just for the sake of doing so.”
The group’s founders have declared a preference for buying and claiming fillies because of their residual value. However, they have left the door open to buy “the ‘right’ colt,” and to claim turf geldings.
Brilliant Racing purchased a Yes It’s True filly, now named Yes It’s Ginger, for $40,000 out of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April sale of 2-year-olds, and the following month purchased Eskenforit for $60,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training. Brilliant Racing also claimed the gelding Yaafour for $16,000 in July at Ellis Park.
Another Churchill-based group, Derby Day Racing, announced the formation of its first 2-year-old partnership earlier this year. Its plan is to focus on horses with the ability to become stakes caliber, and it has cited pedigree characteristics, sire value, conformation, temperament, and movement as factors in its selection process. The operation has landed the 2-year-olds Sooner Schooner, by Lookin At Lucky, and Painismygain, by Trappe Shot, via private purchase in Kentucky.
“Private purchases have become an important and successful way for partnerships to find horses of quality,” managing partner Brian Zipse said in a press release.
Starlight Racing
Although Starlight’s appearance on sales tickets for young prospects at major auctions is nothing new, this year the successful ownership syndicate has made waves by partnering with SF Bloodstock to expand its purchasing power.
Starlight Racing joined in the ownership of eventual Triple Crown winner Justify as well as Florida Derby winner Audible earlier this year when it purchased SF’s minority share in both colts for racing purposes, with SF retaining
breeding rights. The two entities agreed to buy yearlings together this year, specifically selecting prospects who appear suited for California racing.
“This gives us a little more buying power . . . We’ve had some demand from our partners to get involved with some West Coast” racing, Starlight principal Jack Wolf told Racing Post.
Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, who has long acquired horses for trainer Bob Baffert and his clients, signed the tickets in the name of SF/Starlight West for five yearlings for a total of $2,465,000 at the FasigTipton Saratoga selected yearling sale. Starlight Racing went on to make 24 purchases at the Keeneland September yearling sale – 19 of those in the name of Starlight West and in partnership with SF.
Pocket Aces Racing
Marc Wampler and Jared Shoemaker’s Pocket Aces Racing came home with a pair of yearlings from the Keeneland September yearling sale. Their purchases were the result of a rigorous selection process that gradually winnowed down the immense possibilities of the 4,538-horse catalog.
Wampler, who serves as racing manager and is primarily responsible for horse selection and sales representation, begins with a list of about 800 horses from the catalog based strictly on pedigree. He then seeks to narrow that to between 80 to 120 horses based on physical inspection. Pocket Aces primarily focuses on correct conformation, athleticism, and straight tracking in movement.
Off that physical list of 80 to 120 horses, Pocket Aces estimates that about a third typically have some sort of veterinary issue on closer inspection. That brings the final list for purchase consideration down to 50 to 80 yearlings.