Across the Pond and Beyond

A loyal reader of this blog tipped me off to a sensational article and video in The Wall Street Journal on May 16 about Jess Jackson, who owns 80% of Curlin. The wine mogul (as in Kendall-Jackson), is dedicated to breeding a stronger, sounder and faster thoroughbred, making him a controversial figure in the inner sanctum of Kentucky blue bloods.

Jackson started his racing venture, Stonestreet Stables in 2003 and, according to the article, "has made no secret that he believes the thoroughbred industry is a flawed, insular business controlled by what he calls, 'the Kentucky elite.'" In fact, in 2005, he sued several horse agents for inflating prices and has spoken out openly about the "overmedication" of American race horses.

All of this makes him a bit of an outsider among the very inbred higher echelons of the racing elite, but he doesn't really care. Jackson is intent on infusing American thoroughbred bloodlines with that of horses from all over the world: Argentina, Germany, France and South Africa, to name a few, in order to create a more "durable hybrid." In fact, he has spent millions on horses with obscure pedigrees to make his point.

The basis of his belief is that horses in other parts of the world do not race on medications that mask inherent genetic flaws. They are also bred to run in longer races and usually race until they are 5 or 6 years old. Often the horses he buys in overseas auctions are not even transported to the United States for two or three years, a practice that most American "investors" are unwilling to follow. "Too often tradition and economic interest block progress," he says. "What we've got to get back to is putting the horse first."

The article points out that Jackson is not the only owner looking overseas for new blood. Apparently Barry Irwin, of Team Valor International, a Kentucky based partnership, has bought several horses in South Africa that have been successful on American tracks.

Jackson's other goal is to race horses after their third birthday. Case in point is Curlin, the 2007 winner of the Preakness and 2008 Dubai World Cup. Curlin is still in training, making him the world's richest active racehorse. Jackson also endorses the concept of a national horse-racing league to oversee the sport.

Sounds like a man after my own heart who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo, especially if it is flawed. "In an anarchy, a few of the big guys go into the back and make all the rules and there's no debate," he says. "This industry needs a dose of reality."