| For many horse racing fans and handicappers the | | | | prestige and in turn his stud fees. It is good luck to |
| world of thoroughbred breeding is a murky land of | | | | have a foal go on to win a grade 1 race because that |
| wealthy owners, eccentric breeders, and great sires | | | | is the most prestigious mark of a great sire. |
| and dams. Most of the information about this starting | | | | When Da'Tara won the Belmont, many people |
| point of horse racing comes from the short articles in | | | | wondered if the breeders, WinStar Farm's Bill Casner |
| the form and newsletters they receive or the tear | | | | and Ken Troutt, who had sold the colt for $100,000 |
| jerking human interest stories we get once a year | | | | regretted letting the grade 1 winner go. Of course it |
| from the major networks who carry the Triple Crown | | | | would have been fun to stand in the winner's circle at |
| races. | | | | Belmont Park as the owners of the Tiznow colt that |
| The truth of the matter is that horse breeding and | | | | wired the field at 38-1, but the owners understand that |
| racing is a business and as such, it is done for profit. | | | | breeding is a business and in order to promote Tiznow |
| The people who control the business, or at least steer | | | | as a stallion, the foals must make it to the sales ring. |
| it, are the ones who pay big money for stud fees and | | | | That is good business for their farm and good for the |
| who buy the weanlings and yearlings. While the | | | | industry. |
| horseplayers support the racing industry with their bets, | | | | While some people may think it unlucky that they also |
| wealthy owners support the industry with their fees. | | | | sold Da'Tara's dam before her offspring won the final |
| For many owners, race horse ownership is an | | | | leg of the Triple Crown, the owners philosophically |
| expensive hobby that doesn't pay for itself. The | | | | point out that they also sold Funny Cide and he went |
| money they spend every year helps the breeders to | | | | on to win the Kentucky Derby. Selling horses is what |
| know how to plan their own breeding programs. | | | | they do and that is the thoroughbred breeding |
| Sometimes the breeder makes a great move and | | | | business. The luck isn't in whether or not you sell a |
| spots a fantastic foal that he or she keeps for his or | | | | great horse, its whether or not your stallions produce |
| her own racing interests. But often the breeder will | | | | great horses for you to sell. As for the stallion Tiznow, |
| spot a standout foal and still let it go to auction. The | | | | it appears he is their lucky charm and he is still in their |
| reasoning is that the foal will boost the stallion's | | | | barn. |