Horse racing luck begins in the stud barn and on the farm

For many horse racing fans and handicappers, the world of Thoroughbred breeding is a murky land of wealthy owners, eccentric breeders, and great fathers and mothers. Most of the information about this starting point of horse racing comes from the short fit articles and newsletters they get or the gut-wrenching human interest stories we get once a year from the major networks that broadcast horse racing. Triple Crown.

The truth of the matter is that horse breeding and racing is a business and as such is conducted for profit. The people who control the business, or at least run it, are the ones who pay big money for stud fees and buy the weanlings and yearlings. While horse gamblers support the racing industry with their bets, wealthy owners support the industry with their fees. For many owners, owning a race horse is an expensive hobby that doesn’t pay for itself. The money they spend each year helps breeders know how to plan their own breeding programs.

Sometimes the breeder makes a big move and sees a fantastic foal that he keeps for his own racing interests. But often the breeder will spot a standout colt and still let it go to auction. The reasoning is that the foal will increase the stallion’s prestige and, in turn, his stallion fees. It’s good luck to have a colt win a grade 1 breed because that’s the most prestigious mark on a great bull.

When Da’Tara won the Belmont, many people wondered if the breeders, Bill Casner and Ken Troutt of WinStar Farm, who had sold the colt for $100,000, regretted letting the Grade 1 winner go. fun to be in the winner’s circle at Belmont Park as the owners of the colt Tiznow who swept 38-1, but the owners understand that breeding is a business and to promote Tiznow to stud, the colts must get to the sales ring. That’s good business for your farm and good for the industry.

While some people may think it was unfortunate that they also sold Da’Tara’s dam before her offspring won the final leg of the Triple Crown, the owners philosophically note that they also sold Funny Cide and he won the Kentucky Derby. Selling horses is what they do and that is the business of breeding Thoroughbreds. Luck is not in whether or not you sell a great horse, but in whether your studs produce great horses for you to sell. As for the Tiznow stallion, it looks like it’s his lucky charm and is still in his stable.