Thoroughbred breeder and owner. Bon vivant and man about town. War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
Vienna, VA
Joined May 2010
- Tweets36.8K
- Following3.7K
- Followers49.6K
- Likes80.7K
Pinned Tweet
Our homebred filly CASA JUANITA (#6) finished 2d by the smallest nose yesterday in the 6th race @PID_Casino. A match race from start to finish with two game competitors. Back in the barn none of us dared tell CASA she didn't win; she had as many peppermints as she wanted. – at Oakton, VA
I appreciate Doug sharing his tweets of his Japanese trip. Any horse racing fan should hope to follow in his footsteps. – at Baltimore, MD
One of the benefits of being a @ravens fan is that the Chesapeake Bay is nearby and has some of the most fantastic oysters on the half shell in the world. #RavensFlock – at Baltimore, MD
The horse can run faster with a pile of salt on its back than it can with a Puerto Rican carrying a whip....
Why should he be different than every other trainer/owner who's ever been suspended? The only ones for whom a suspension sticks are the jockeys, though if they could still ride under an assumed name they certainly would. – at Oakton, VA
This is who I wanted to be when I grew up. But for the bald head, 100% success! – at Sugarland Run, VA
In every possible way this game will humble you. Taylor Made successfully dealt with fertility issues that befuddled Ashford Stud. Then got him well received commercially, so much so that they quadrupled his 2027 fee to $50k. And now death comes a knocking....
This is subjective but … Name three PERFECT movies. No argument. No explanation. Just three flicks you think are perfect. Here's mine:
Anatomy of a Murder
Caddyshack
The Godfather – at Oakton, VA
Looking at PROMISES FULFILLED to mate to one of my breed-to-race mares in 2027. $2500 fee, 37 to race, 4 black type winners, mares with a CI of just .88, the foals have an average earning ratio of 1.42. Is the unpopularity just because he's a son of Shackelford? @WinStarFarm
Our 2yo PA-homebred filly WARRIORS DOLLY was 3d in a MSW sprint yesterday at Presque; but clearly she needs 2 turns to reach her potential. No 2 turn races for her in PA until 2027, so she will spend the winter in Ocala to relax, recharge, and get ready for her 3yo campaign.
Harris posts a useful thread. One point often overlooked in these discussions is that breeding is a 5-year process, from the decision to breed to the hopeful positive results on the track. Anything that injects uncertainty to that timeline reduces the breeder's appetite for risk. – at Erie, PA
🧵 1. Concerning but hardly surprising numbers released by the @jockeyclub this morning. The 2026 foal crop drops to 16,500 and the report of mares bred is under 24,000. Also, only 670 stallions were in service nationally, further shrinking the breeding-genetics pool.
Want to get small breeders back into the game? Waive registration fees for an owner's first five foals. Also: commercial stallion farms can start offering $500 fees on their inexpensive stallions. (In truth many stud farms are comping a lot of stallions already). Grow the game.
This is not a bad idea. A variant on this would permit the consignor to dynamically reduce the reserve in the case of no bids. It's worth an experiment, at least. Maybe with Book 1 types to start? – at Erie, PA
Horse owner Carlo Vaccarezza proposes bidding on horses should commence at the reserve price set by the consignor.
More: paulickreport.com/news/ray-s…
Our two yearling fillies are broken and eagerly undergoing initial training. To the right is VA-homebred SPECTRE CAT (Blofeld x Mountaineer Cat by Even the Score). To the left is our unnamed KY filly by Game Winner out of Jill's a Hot Mess (Laoban).
Following Trend retweeted
😢 a true racetrack character. I knew him in passing but when he became a jockey agent and had David Flores book I got to know him well. You want to talk about stories from the heyday of racing he had them and lived them. RIP Don, I know you’re taking Shoemaker’s $ playing golf.
"Hall of Fame jockey Don Pierce dead at 89"
@DRFAndersen reports the sad news.
drf.com/news/hall-fame-jocke…
Get ready to learn how CDI's business model is closing down race tracks and keeping casinos. Hollywood Park, Arlington, Calder closed down, Fair Grounds, Colonial, and Presque yet to come. CD will be kept open for two days a year. – at Oakton, VA
BREAKING NEWS 🚨
Over the past four days, I’ve purchased 1 million shares and close to a 1.5% stake in @ChurchillDowns, and I may acquire more. I’m extremely excited about the possibilities.
Churchill has tremendous assets, led by what I believe is the global crown jewel of horse racing, the @KentuckyDerby. Last year’s Derby peaked at 24.4 million viewers. To me, that’s a major proof point of how BIG this sport can become.
As the owner of Repole Stable, one of the largest, most successful and recognizable stables in the country, I see firsthand the potential of what I believe is one of the most undervalued sports nationally and globally.
Horse racing needs more education, real marketing, innovation, and evolution. It also needs stronger leadership and greater accountability from the Old Guard racing entities that, in my opinion, have held the industry back for far too long.
Nobody loves building epic businesses and brands in a disruptive way more than I do.
I believe a meaningful ownership stake in Churchill gives me the greatest opportunity to help create value for Churchill shareholders AND make a positive financial impact across all of racing.
Growing this sport means growing opportunities for everyone, owners, breeders, track operators, horseplayers, fans, and everyone whose livelihood depends on racing.
I really look forward to working with CEO Bill Carstanjen, his board, and management team to help turn that potential into both short term and long term results.
Think Big. Dream Bigger.
After a summer detour for a minor injury, FIRST MANASSAS is on the comeback trail, which is all uphill! I love working young horses over hills. Let's them naturally build up strength and conditioning without the impact of high-speed breezing. – at Oakton, VA