Sheikh Hamdan did the sporting thing in starting Invasor against Bernardini and came up with a winner

by Mark Simon

THE ANGER in Rick Nichols's voice was palpable. The vice president and general manager of Shadwell Stables was at a press conference after the victory of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Invasor (Arg) when a question came up about the amount of money the Maktoum family spends on horses.

Four days prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, in a column in the Washington Post on October 31, Andy Beyer wrote that the Maktoum family has succeeded in large part by using checkbook horsemanship--buying any horse they wanted at any price. And that, Beyer contended, is unsporting and in the long run bad for racing. Beyer's column noted that the Maktoums were now focused on increasing their presence in American racing, and if one family were to dominate racing, the sport would lose the myriad human-interest stories that can attract fans.

Nichols ripped into the article as he spoke about the commitment to the welfare of the horse that was at the heart of the Maktoums' organization, from trainers, to managers, to farm help, and he talked about the compassion of Sheikh Hamdan. It was not a "joyless operation," as Beyer contends, but one committed to excellence, Nichols said.

There is little argument that the Maktoum family has spent more money--on horses, land, stallions, feed, transportation, farriers, veterinarians, and other horse-related endeavors--than any other family in the history of racing. And those expenditures have filtered throughout the racing and breeding industries worldwide, from salaries, payments to commercial breeders for horses bought at auction, payments for stud fees, support of the infrastructure to operate an agricultural enterprise that spans multiple continents, and sustenance of its racing stables worldwide.

Additionally, the Maktoums sponsor numerous races worldwide, plus annually serve as host for the rich Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) program in their home country in March. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the emirate's ruler, is a top horseman and student of the game. The Maktoums' commitment to horse racing should be unquestioned.

The point that Beyer raised, however, was: Is the ownership of numerous top racehorses by one family bad for racing? It seems the answer came in part in the Breeders' Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1).

Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable was represented by the three-year-old colt Bernardini, considered by most people to be the best horse in training as the Breeders' Cup races approached. Bernardini was on the cusp of completing an extraordinary season, having won the Withers (G3), Preakness (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), Travers (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Stakes. A win in the Classic was all that separated him from the title "superhorse" in many people's opinion. A win would be worth millions more as a stallion prospect, and priceless bragging rights for Sheikh Mohammed.

Invasor, owned by Sheikh Mohammed's older brother, Sheikh Hamdan, and undefeated in three United States starts, all in Grade 1 races, was the only viable threat to Bernardini and his seemingly appointed date with history.

So what did Sheikh Hamdan do? Not pre-enter Invasor in the Classic the previous week because the family was already represented by Bernardini? Pull the horse from the race, feigning some mysterious ailment or injury, at the last minute?

Sheikh Hamdan made the sporting move, wanting Bernardini to claim his place among the greats by beating the best on the track and wanting to see his own horse tested in a championship event.

When Invasor upset Bernardini in the Classic, it cost Bernardini the Horse of the Year title. In fact, it may have cost Bernardini the title as champion three-year-old male as well, with some voters perhaps turning their attention to Barbaro.

Throughout the history of racing, numerous owners have tried to dominate the upper levels of the sport. But the vastness of racing in America makes it a difficult task, with more than 55,000 races, 2,500 stakes, and 450 graded stakes contested annually. No owner has managed to dominate yet.

There will always be some people who do not like rooting for the big guys. Many people root against the New York Yankees, Manchester United, and other dominant franchises. A rooting interest--for or against--can be a positive for a sport: It draws interest.

In the final analysis, what is good for racing in North America ultimately comes down to betting. The more that is bet on racing, the better off will be the owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys, racetracks, state coffers, and everyone who depends on racing for their livelihoods.

Who owns the runner is usually irrelevant to bettors. They often will consider the abilities of trainers and jockeys, but ownership is normally a minor consideration in the handicapping process.

In the Classic, the Maktoum family supplied a great race between Bernardini and Invasor. And fans should be happy about that.

Mark Simon is president and editor of Thoroughbred Times.