NEWS
Triple Crown trail: Sanan strikes at right time with Curlin, Any Given Saturday
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 8:25 PM
CURLIN
Jeff Coady/Coady Photography
by Jeff Lowe
The strategy of Satish and Anne Sanan’s Padua Stables has changed considerably since its only Kentucky Derby (G1) appearance in 2000, when Exchange Rate finished 12th behind Fusaichi Pegasus.
Satish Sanan’s ambition has only grown, as demonstrated by his decision to buy interests in both Curlin and Any Given Saturday early this year.
Both colts delivered immediate dividends, with Any Given Saturday scoring a victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes right after the deal was finalized between Padua and owner-breeder WinStar Farms. The Distorted Humor colt subsequently finished second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and third in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1).
Padua, Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, and George Bolton purchased a majority interest in Curlin for a reported $3.5-million after his dazzling debut victory on February 3 at Gulfstream Park.
Curlin’s rapid ascension continued with runaway victories in the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2), making him one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 5.
Sanan will have two interests in the Kentucky Derby despite choosing a few years ago to avoid buying horses at public auction.
The Sanans had been among the Thoroughbred industry’s leading buyers since they entered the business in 1997. In 2004, Satish Sanan stepped back from buying and founded the Alliance for Industry Reform, a precursor to the Sales Integrity Task Force, out of a desire to curb the practice of dual agency in bloodstock transactions.
“I’m getting old,” Sanan, 59, said with a laugh recently. “I love the game and I’ve been quoted and I’ve told my kids that one of my dreams and objectives is to win the Kentucky Derby. Hopefully, I can do that before I die.”
Another objective the Sanans have is to continue building their breeding program, Padua Stables in Summerfield, Florida, a commitment that also played into their absence from the auction market. Sanan said Padua bred around 80 horses in 2006 and will race about 50 of them.
“I have to say the first year or so [Padua’s sales absence] was because of integrity,” Sanan said. “I think if you stand for something, you can’t talk from both sides of your mouth. … We also breed an awful a lot of the horses we race, but we just haven’t bred any Triple Crown type of horses.
“We watched a lot of horses this year. We tried to buy Adore the Gold, Hard Spun. From Nobiz Like Shobiz to anyone you want to name, we followed them and tried to see what was available. No one wants to sell a good one, and they’re very, very expensive.”
Jackson, another vocal proponent of sales integrity reform, was a natural partner for Sanan in the deal for Curlin.
“Timing is everything, and when Curlin won his [debut], we were very, very impressed,” Sanan said. “I own a few horses together with Jess Jackson and we decided to go for him. I had been trying to get a piece of Any Given Saturday. We have a very good relationship with [WinStar owners Kenny Troutt and Bill Casner]. I asked them again and we did the deal before the Sam F. Davis, which was good for us. We got in and potentially we have two serious horses here.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
