High profile celebrity owners making horseracing hip again

by | 11.03.2011 | 1:03pm
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Jim Rome at Santa Anita Jim Rome at Santa Anita

In a follow up article about how horse racing in the U.S. might just be getting hip again, Case Clay writes for New York Times’ The Rail blog about some of the latest celebrities to get caught up in the thrill of ownership.

Well-known sports talk-show host Jim Rome and pro basketball player Rex Chapman recently caused a media stir at Keeneland Racecourse, where Rome’s Mizdirection ran in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes and Chapman was in attendance to support his good friend Rome.

Other celebs gravitating to horse racing include chef Bobby Flay and pro skateboarder and actor Rob Dyrdek, who owns a piece of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies contender Weemissfrankie.

“Let me put it in more meaningful numbers for you social media believers (which you should be),” writes Clay. “Between Dyrdek, Flay, Rome and Chapman, there are a cumulative 2.3 million Twitter followers.

“In fact, as I am typing this, 1.4 million Dyrdek followers were just treated to his tweet “Let’s Go TEAM MEGA HEAT !!,” referring to one of Dyrdek’s other racehorses. If all these guys win this weekend, skateboarding and basketball won’t be the only sports that are trending.

“As I wrote in June — I think this sport just might become cool again.”

» Read more at New York Times
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  • BK

    They might not be Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien, but Jim Rome and Bobby Flay (et al.) are a good start.

  • Swamp Fox

    Yeah. But how would their horses do against Frankel?

  • fish

    Swamp Fox are you stupid this is about people getting into horse racing not about who the bes horse is. Are you hater or wha

  • Swamp Fox

    fish. Check your keyboard. It might be missing a few keys.

  • MH

    Rob Dyrdek got into racing thanks to his friend, skatepark builder Joe Ciaglia, but he’s already very enthusiastic about it. Everytime one of his horses wins, you know where he and his friends are — screaming their heads off in the owners’ boxes. He just posted this on Facebook:

    “On my way to Louisville, KY to watch WEEMISSFRANKIE run in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships!

    If you are in the area and want free tickets to sit my WEEMISSFRANKIE fan section during tomorrow’s race, stop by the Louisville Extreme Skate Park @ 5PM TODAY and find the Breeders’ Cup girls. 531 Franklin Street Louisville, Kentucky 40202″

  • SixteenK Claimer

    How many owners now own race horses because some celebrity with deep pockets is now involved as an owner? Are you KIDDING me? The more the merrier…who cares who they are.

  • bookiebuster1

    Agree with #6 also these same owners usually pay their bills on time which is something i wish i could say about some currently remaining in the game now.

    Horse racing needs a serious cash infusion and new blood involved top to bottom. These celebrity types investments in the game only benefits the sport.

  • Erick Weiss

    Bobby Flay, marginal celeb, Rex Chapman, non-celeb, Rob Drydek, celeb to certain demo, Jim Rome only a celeb if you listen to AM radio or a sports nut. This is a story when Madonna or Justin Bieber owns a horse. Right now it is the least publishable bit of garbage they could scrape up. Case Clay needs to worry about guys like me, feeding 5 horses, trying to make a go of it, not rich, but I still have the fire. If I win a BC race, now that’s a story, that will get people fired up and believe they have a shot at greatness as well. Bobby Flay wins, not so much. The rich get richer, Case can pour him an extra tall Woodford at the next Masonic gathering. I am far from a populist, but this sort of story makes me want to barf.

  • Ray Paulick

    Erick

    I don’t think you get it. Seriously, stick to feeding your five horses. If you think Madonna is hot in 2011, you’re probably as old as me. Rob Dyrdek (I haven’t a clue who he is since I haven’t watched MTV since Cyndi Lauper was just trying to have fun) sent out two Tweets today promoting the Breeders’ Cup to his 1.4 million followers. What did you to promote racing today?

  • Trickledown

    Ray – you are a leader (and profiter) of this sport, and supporting the small and big bordelaise is in your benefit.

    I am young (31) and can vouch that Rome and Rob are forces/influencers in their realm. I love it that they are so positivecand bullish on horse racing. Let’s ride there positive energy!

  • http://Bellwether4u.com Bellwether

    “THE GAME” HAS BEEN COOL FORE EVER!!!…PERIOD…ty…

  • Stewart

    Kind of a double edged sword. Any new blood and especially high profile blood and money certainly isn’t bad. But touting the celebrities reinforces the false idea that racing is driven by the rich rather than the majority of owners who do not fall into this rich and/or high profile category.

    That being said, why would anyone not want people with a public influence (whether it is small or large) to get involved?

  • Satch

    Rome is a great interviewer, and now, after a few months, I can actually understand about 50% of his radio show. That said, the picture associated with this article isn’t flattering. With his deep voice and attitude, I thought that he’d have wider shoulders than a 13-year old kid.

  • steve w

    For what my 2 cents are worth I agree with both Ray and Erik-Erik is right-these are not by any means main stream performers- if anyone thinks skate boarders are going to become horse racing fans your smoking the drugs that some trainers use on their horses- Ray is right that something is better than nothing-on a side note Ray-if Madonna got into the race game that would be news regardless of age- it certainly didn’t hurt Alex Rodriguez celebrity status .

  • Stanley Inman

    Both sides of this topic banter over the weakness of the factual evidence needed to support its story line. Had there been more definitive examples there might be more consensus, thus a story we want to spread. Once again we see overstatement, puffery in place of facts that everyone is hungry for. The contention stems from this story’s failure to deliver on it’s promise.

  • Case Clay

    Stanley and Erick,

    While you both naysay, I will continue to wake up in the morning and ask myself, ‘what can I do today to help promote horse racing.’. If you’d like ton join me, I will welcome you both with open arms. Let’s do this.

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