NEWS
Kassem Masri
Posted: Thursday, June 24, 2010 2:52 PM
KASSEM MASRI
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Four Roses Thoroughbreds
The son of an Arabian horse trainer in his native Lebanon, Kassem Masri came to the U.S. for school and to immerse himself in Thoroughbred racing. He became an associate of Mahmoud Fustok of Buckram Oak Farm and started buying and racing under the name Three Roses Thoroughbreds.
Masri campaigned Grade 2 winner Last Song at the end of her career and sold the Unbridled’s Song mare for $1.75-million in foal to A.P. Indy at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
After Fustok was killed in a traffic accident in South Florida in 2006, Masri acquired assets from Fustok’s Buckram Oak Farm and began racing under the name Four Roses Thoroughbreds.
One of Four Roses’ first wins came with 2005 TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Silver Train in the ’06 Tom Fool Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park. Another former Buckram Oak star, Silver Wagon, scored in the 2006 Sport Page Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G3) and ’07 Carter (G1) and General George Breeders’ Cup (G2) Handicaps for Four Roses.
Diamond Stripes won the 2007 Meadowlands Cup Handicap (G2) and ’08 Etisalat Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) for Masri and trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.
Masri has approximately 30 horses in training. He pointed to Anak Nakal, who won the 2007 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and ’08 Pennsylvania Derby (G2), as his biggest achievement in racing. Anak Nakal means “mischievous child” in Indonesian.
“I’ve always called him a bad boy since he was a baby,” Masri said a few days before Anak Nakal finished in a dead heat for third in the 2008 Belmont Stakes (G1).
Date of birth: July 13, 1971
Birthplace: Lebanon
Residence: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Title: Owner
Company: Four Roses Thoroughbreds N.V.
Education: Attended Florida Atlantic University
Family: One son
Career: Owned horses for many years prior to starting Four Roses Thoroughbreds in 2006, when he sold all other business interests and devoted himself to running Four Roses Training Center in Citra, Florida, as well as overseeing broodmare and racing operations, which at that time consisted of more than 100 horses
Favorite horse: Dr. Fager
Last movie you saw at the theater: Avatar
What’s on your iPod? Frank Sinatra
Biggest personal achievement: My son Gabriel
Outside interests: Traveling
Personal motto: “Live and let live.”
Outlook on the industry: “In a state of decline.”
Why did you get involved in racing? “I have been around racehorses all my life, and have a passion for horses and the challenge of the sport of horse racing.”
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