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I own a racehorse - Going To Vegas

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:22 am
by SpacemanSpiff
...and it's turning out ok for now. She's a four-year-old mare racing on the west coast.

Mind you, I don't own much of her -- I figure about 1/10,000th of her. (Heck, I probably own more horse in my bass violin bow than I do of her!) I bought her (and portions of five others, who are two-year olds and aren't racing yet) back in April via Myracehorse. I bought her specifically because I wanted to at least own one horse that was actively running. Collectively, I spent about $400 total for the lot, just for grins. To paraphrase Charles Foster Kane, "I think it would be fun to own a racehorse."

I also admit I don't know jack about racehorses. Heck, I barely know the difference between a farrier and a furrier. But this setup is ownership via microshares of the ownership group - Myracehorse owns 51% of Going To Vegas. I don't have to kick in additional funds (like a partner might), though that limits whatever profits might come out (which are doubtful; like I said, this is more about fun than an investment).

Anyway, Going to Vegas had a race in Del Mar on Memorial Day weekend, got boxed in and finished fifth. C'est la vie, I said.

Then she got hot. She won a Grade 3 race the next month, then a Grade 2, both running away. Two Saturdays ago, she won a Grade 1 race at Santa Anita wire-to-wire, which was a "win and your in" race for The Breeders' Cup.

Yep. I have a racehorse in the Breeders' Cup! She's racing in the Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf race in early November.

https://www.breederscup.com/contenders/127

Sadly, this relationship is likely to be short lived. The consortium that owns her will likely sell her at auction a week after the race. They bought the horse about a year ago for $500,000, but figure after her races this year she would fetch $1.2 million at auction (higher if she does well at the Breeder's Cup). Of course, I'd get a piece of the action.

The auction house has put together a nice little commercial for her.

https://youtu.be/3le_AtOKEp4

I know it's a business decision, but it's been a heck of a ride just the same.

Re: I own a racehorse - Going To Vegas

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:53 am
by silverscreenselect
I would say break a leg, but somehow I don't think that's appropriate.

I did find another video with footage of you and your fellow owners at the last race your horse was in. I'm not sure which one is you though.


Re: I own a racehorse - Going To Vegas

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:29 pm
by Bob Juch
Cool! When I lived in Boise, I owned 100% of two: a two-year-old and a 16-year-old.

The 16-YO was winning mile races when I bought him, but towards the end of the season, he couldn't catch up.

The 2 YO threw her jockey in her first race, and that's when I bought her. After that, she won 5-furlong races, beating the boys easily.

When I moved to the NYC area in 2003, I sold them.

Re: I own a racehorse - Going To Vegas

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:45 pm
by silverscreenselect
I thought about this thread when I posted the obit about Medina Spirit. Here\s the Breeder's Cup race featuring going to Vegas. For those who don't want to watch, spoiler results below.


Spoiler
After leading for about 3/4 of the race, Going to Vegas faded and finished 11th out of 12 horses.
Spiff, any thoughts?

Re: I own a racehorse - Going To Vegas

Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2021 3:48 pm
by SpacemanSpiff
Yep. It was a fun ride while it lasted! The ownership consortium opted not to sell her, and will race her again next year, so we'll see how it plays out.