When someone asks me what it’s like to be involved in the ownership of thoroughbred race horses, I always say the same thing. “The highs are high and the lows are low so it’s important you maintain some kind of equilibrium”. Last week is representative of my thoughts.
On Monday we entered one of our (Woodford Racing) horses (Catapult) in the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland Race Course (Lexington, Kentucky). To enter your horse in a stakes race you must have previously nominated your horse for the race. At the time we nominated Catapult, we were one of 49 horses nominated for the Transylvania Stakes so we were not sure how many other owners would actually enter their horses on Monday. With only 12 horses allowed to run in the race, we waited anxiously to see if we would make it into the race. When the entries were drawn, only 9 horses were entered in the Transylvania Stakes. We were thrilled we would be in the starting gate!
On Thursday we flew to Lexington and became increasingly excited about having a horse in the feature race on Opening Day at the Keeneland Spring Meet. Upon arriving at the Marriott Griffin Gate, we were greeted by a gentleman named Tom in the lobby. Tom is one of the bellmen and he was interested in knowing what brought us to Lexington. When we told him we had a horse running in the Transylvania Stakes the next day, he asked the name of our horse. While we checked in at the front desk, Tom grabbed his Daily Racing Form from behind his bell stand and looked at the past performances of Catapult. As he headed to our room with our luggage, Tom was anxious to talk about Catapult and the other horses in the race. There are not too many places where you can talk racing with just about everyone you meet but Lexington is certainly one of them.
Our breakfast at Doodles in downtown Lexington on Thursday was no different. You can’t sit down to have a cup of coffee without someone figuring out you are not a local resident and must be in town for the racing at Keeneland! Wherever we went on Thursday afternoon, it was obvious the City of Lexington was excited about the 21 days of racing that would commence on Friday. Billboards, signs in storefronts and magazine covers all proclaimed Keeneland as the place you should be from April 8 – April 29. At dinner on Thursday evening we had a chance to “talk horses” with the owner of Tony’s (Tony Ricci), a fabulous steak restaurant in downtown Lexington. Tony was surprised to hear we had dined with him before at his other Tony’s restaurant in Northern Cincinnati as well as when he ran The Precinct for restauranteur Jeff Ruby.
On Friday we headed to the track to join other Catapult partners in the Life Members Room. The Life Members Room overlooks the paddock where horses are saddled before each race. You could not have experienced finer accommodations. As racing progressed throughout the afternoon, we anxiously awaited the Transylvania Stakes which was the ninth of ten races scheduled to be run.
At the conclusion of the eighth race we headed outside to the saddling area as Catapult was lead over from the stable to be prepared for the race. We had a chance to speak with his jockey (Julien Leparoux) and then give him a “leg up” onto Catapult so horse and jockey could head to the track. As we followed Catapult through the tunnel toward the track, we were excited the start of the race was only ten minutes away. With the horses warming up on the track, the starting gate was moved into position on the turf course. As the horses were loaded into the starting gate, I looked at the tote board on the infield and was surprised to see the betting public had made Catapult the favorite to win the Transylvania Stakes.
As the starting gate opened, Catapult hesitated slightly but quickly established position toward the back of the field. When the horses went by us the first time, it was exhilarating to see Catapult wearing the Woodford Racing green and gold colors race past us. Catapult maintained his position as the horses entered the first turn. Down the backstretch we were anxious to see if he would begin to make his move. At the top of the stretch, Julien moved Catapult outside of the other horses and asked him to run. While he went past some of the other horses, it was clear he wasn’t going to catch the horse who was leading the race. As the horses crossed the finish line Catapult was fifth of eight, beaten five lengths by the first place horse. After Julien dismounted we walked with him back to the jockey room to get his thoughts on the race. He thought Catapult ran well but “greenly”. In racing parlance “greenly” means “inexperience”. In Catapult’s case this was only his second lifetime start so Julien’s comments didn’t come as a surprise.
After the race we headed to The Thoroughbred Club, a private club owned by Keeneland where you can relax and reflect on the day. In our case we joined a good friend for a celebratory drink. The celebration was for his daughter receiving a full scholarship to the University of Kentucky. As we discussed the Transylvania Stakes with various members of The Thoroughbred Club, we all agreed Julien Leparoux’s comments said it best: Catapult needed the experience of the race.
On Saturday morning I went to breakfast at the hotel and sat with the Canadian owner (Richard Hogan) and trainer (Patrick Dixson) of the horse who won the Transylvania Stakes (Shakhimat). I congratulated them on their triumph and we talked about various aspects of horse racing. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet for breakfast in Saratoga when they came to town in August for racing at Saratoga Race Course.
On the plane home we had a chance to reflect on the five days since learning Catapult would be in the starting gate for the Transylvania Stakes. Other than the outcome of the race, we wouldn’t have changed anything. We had a fantastic time in Lexington and Keeneland treated us like royalty. We are anxiously awaiting Catapult’s next race which will likely be in New York.
Thoroughbred racing ownership, the highs are high and the lows are low, so it’s important you maintain some kind of equilibrium.