You think Sheik bin Rashid is the Steinbrenner of horse racing?

Question

What do you think of him purchasing the breeding rights to both Street Sense and Hard Spun? Kind of make you not attracted to the sport?

Answer 1

Great answer Richard C !!

Answer 2

Money - tons of it - has always driven the industry and breeding has overtaken racing as the cash register for the major players. At least Sheik bin Rashid has only the best intentions for the runners on his farms and is light years ahead of The Boss as a sportsman. But once the oil wells run dry, he'll be running claimers at Finger Lakes.

Answer 3

Why would it not make you attracted to the sport.  What's the difference if Lane's End or Hill N Dale or Ashford bought them both, or is it just because he's Arab.  Darley has just recently started to build up their stud roster and were by no means as aggressive as some of the big farms can be.  Since there was talk that he had purchased Street Sense (or at least tried to following the BC Juvy) and raced and stands his sire Street Cry I assumed he would go there.  Hard Spun, who is by Danzig is one of the last out there by one of the greatest sires of all time and has the credentials to make a top class sire.  Danzig has also been an outstanding sire of sire, expecially in Europe where Sheik Mo has the majority of his stock that it is also no shock that he would try to secure the breeding rights to him as well.  If these two horses were by any other sires they would not be standing at Darley, but they are and when he see's a horse or horses he has to have he gets them, good for him, if I had the cash I would do it too.

The thing that makes me sick is the owners who have no balls or backbone and take the easy cash and get into these syndicate or breeding rights deals when the horse is 3 and then pretend that they had no control over the fact the horse is retired after the BC Classic of its 3 year old year.  To them I say grow a set and run the horse at 4 and even 5 then sell him to stud, nobody is holding a gun to their heads to syndicate them at 3 but their own greed.  The majority of them are loaded anyways and are not making their living on their horses, they just treat them like another stock.

Answer 4

Yes, money talks.  However, I will also say that Sheik bin Rashid has class, knows his horses, and if he can afford to buy them, more power to him. What's the difference if he bought the rights or if Ashford stud or some other group did?  The Sheik has done a lot for American racing, whether you want to admit it or not. Those who 'have not' are always jealous of those who 'have.'

Answer 5

Money has all ways, for the most  fueled in part the TB industry for at least since the 80's, celebrities owning Keenland ;s best yearlings.  Remember, Lite, Lite?  So now this Arab sheik buying up stud services for Street Sense and Hard Spun just a new twist on the "bling-bling" mentality.  Back in the day it was the sport, the honor of owning the fastest racehorse, the glory.  Also, as the TB industry only one of  the  few breeds that demands live mounts, inescapable, big money.  But I agree that this particular  exchange not about dollars,  nothing against Belmont contenders,   Street Sense, Hard Spun and Churlin would have done honor to the sport of Kings.  Now only two.

Answer 6

The Red Sox are the team who spent 50 million to even talk to Dice-K. The Larry Lucchino of horse racing maybe???

Answer 7

casual fans and 2 dollar bettors dont support horseracing, if they did they would already be tossing dirt on racings grave...big money runs horseracing and always has...its not known as the 'sport of kings' just for a snazzy name, its the truth, and yes I remember Lite Lite, she was purchased from Moreno by my friend Chris Burrell's family, whose brother was MC Hammer and handed to Jerry Hollendorfer in N Cal.... big money has always run racing and now more than ever...how else could todd pletcher run 3 and 4 horses in the biggest stake races, well to do people own those horses, not some lightning in a bottle group of people that got lucky with one horse...the oil sheiks bought up a handful of big horses and actually 'bought' the breeders cup classic last year(the first and second finishers)...if racing is to live successfully  it needs a young base of betting fans...those that wont part with any money...to own, or bet the races are not helping the game to survive into the future...

Answer 8

Well, maybe they should change horse racing from the "Sport of Kings" to the "Sport of Sheiks". Racing has been and always will be a rich mans game. As far as him being the Steinbrenner of horse racing I think George already owns that title. But just like baseball spending money doesnt guarantee that you win. I remember years ago one of the sheiks paid over 10 million for a colt named Snaafi Dancer and I dont think he ever even made it to the races, so just like baseball there are no guarantees with anything.

Answer 9

Steinbrenner is the Steinbrenner of horse racing, you bet yer Bodgit on it.

Answer 10

he is trying to put together a world's best breeding program, the Japanese a few years ago purchase both ap Indy and Sunday silence, i felt that 1 day they would bring over a super 3 year old and win the triple crown, or 1 day sweep the breeders cup card with their super horses, now i think it just might be 1 of the sheiks from the middle east.