NEWS
Freshman sire blog: Let’s Sheikh on it
Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 3:42 PM
JOHN EGAN
John Egan's Freshman Sire Blog appears weekly as part of the 2011 Freshman Sire Contest presented by Markel and Thoroughbred Times
by John Egan
The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two-year-olds in training sale concluded last week, and there were again positive signs to be taken from the two-day sale.
The average and median prices were consistent with the successful one-day sale in 2010, and everyone in the industry will be keeping their fingers crossed that we have some positive momentum going into the yearling sales.
Yearlings already! Wow, I will have to start thinking about those stallions who have their first yearlings sell this year and will be freshman sires of 2012.
As time flies by, I would just like to take a little time to reflect on one of the oldest and most historic horse races that will be run this week.
The 231st running of the Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) is taking place this Saturday and one month after a record crowd attended the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs there is speculation that there might be a record crowd in attendance for the English original.
With the Royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, watched the world over at the end of April, the British Royal family has been in the spotlight in recent months. It is therefore the most appropriate of times for the Queen to own the favorite for the Epsom Derby, a horse by the name of Carlton House.
A Royal runner always seems to add a little bit extra to a horse race. Hopefully a large crowd in attendance at Epsom, with millions watching on TV, will bring horse racing into the homes and hearts of many. The Queen has not had a runner in the Derby since 1981 when Church Parade finished 5th to Shergar.
The ruling monarch has not owned the winner of the Derby since King Edward VII won with Minoru in 1909. The Royal owner of a Derby runner will be forever noted in history in 1913, but for sadder reasons. The suffragist, Emily Davison, threw herself under King George V’s runner, Anmer. The horse would get up and complete the race, minus his jockey; Ms. Davison would die four days later as the result of her injuries.
The story behind the ownership of Carlton House is an interesting one, which adds even more interest to the race. Sheikh Mohammed made an offer to purchase a son of Montjeu (Ire), called Highland Glen, from the Queen in 2009. The then three-year-old had refused to enter the starting gate at Glorious Goodwood in July of that year and the Queen was reluctant to accept money for the horse and instead gave the horse to Sheikh Mohammed.
After Highland Glen won on his first start at Meydan in February 2010, Sheikh Mohammed contacted John Warren, the racing manager for the Queen, and offered her a selection of four yearlings as a reciprocal gift. Lo and behold, Carlton House, a Darley bred son of Street Cry (Ire) was the yearling selected. Whoever said that no good deed goes unpunished?
Previous Freshman sire blog posts:
Spring at last
It's a marathon, not a sprint
Alright son, you're nicked!
Remembering Rags to Riches
Is 2011 a safe bet for a Darley double?
What is your name? What is your favorite color?
A change of pace
Small victories
Spin around
The passing of a legend
Zen proves to be good karma
About John Egan
A native Londoner, John Egan has been a racing enthusiast from a very young age and even owned interests in Thoroughbred racehorses with his parents. After graduating from University with a business degree in 1997, John spent three years working in the London insurance market before pursuing his desire to work in the racing industry. He began work as an assistant to a trainer and was predominately based at Wolverhampton racecourse in England. After a spell in training, John then went to work for Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber's farms of Watership Down in England and Ireland before relocating to Kentucky and Lane's End Farm in 2002. After two years at Lane's End, John decided to combine his experience in the horse and insurance industries and became an equine insurance agent, which he did for three years, before making the transition to underwriter for a large multi-national insurance company. In 2008, he became underwriting manager of the Lexington office of Markel Insurance Company, which was opened in October of that year with the primarily focus of writing Thoroughbred equine mortality insurance.
With the launch of the Lexington office, John has become actively involved in Thoroughbred media to help promote Markel. He appeared on the Horse Racing Radio Network's Saturday morning show in 2009 and 2010 to discuss horses on the Kentucky Derby trail. In 2009, John also began a freshman sire competition and created a newsletter with that competition called The Freshman. That contest caught the eye of THOROUGHBRED TIMES and a partnership was formed to present the Freshman Sire Contest together in 2010. The partnership continues with the 2011 competition also being presented by Markel and THOROUGHBRED TIMES.
John lives in Lexington and is married to Melissa, who is a small animal veterinarian.
Follow the conversation at The Freshman Facebook page. For the page, click here.
