NEWS
Darley purchases Stonerside Stable
Posted: Monday, September 01, 2008 5:42 PM
SHEIKH MOHAMMED
Frank Sorge photo
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum purchased Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable on Monday.
Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation bought the main 2,000-acre farm in Paris, Kentucky, the training center in Aiken, South Carolina, about 80 horses in training, and approximately 170 broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings in the transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Bob McNair is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of the National Football League’s Houston Texans. He cited his commitment to the football team as the main reason for selling Stonerside.
“Janice and I have loved every minute of owning Stonerside, but I have a duty to the Houston Texans and it has become increasingly difficult to focus on both ventures,” McNair said. “We decided to sell to Darley and an important aspect of the deal to us is that the Stonerside staff, who have worked so hard for the family and contributed so much to our success, have been assured that their futures are secure.”
The McNairs will keep one horse in training, Grade 3 winner Cowboy Cal, and retain their homebred stallions Congaree, Bob and John, and Stonesider, as well as other stallion interests.
“John Adger, Bobby Spalding, David Sorrell, and Tim Jones, along with the entire Stonerside team, have done a great job and Darley looks forward to working with them,” said John Ferguson, Darley spokesman and chief adviser to Sheikh Mohammed. “We have no plans to change anything at the present time and it will be business as usual at Stonerside.”
In January of 2007, Darley purchased Stonerside’s farm and training center in Saratoga Springs, New York, for about $17.5-million.
