By Keith Mason | This weekend, millions of Americans will see American Pharoah compete for a Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes in New York, the final leg of America’s oldest continuous outdoor sport—horse racing.
Larry Connolly from Atlanta and Keith Mason, fellow investors in racehorses.
I will be at the Belmont Saturday with a stake in the race, as a partner in Donegal Racing’s thoroughbred, Keen Ice, who will run from post position No. 7. A racing fan for years, I am in an awkward position—pulling against a Triple Crown contender in my favorite sport. I would not be terribly disappointed to finish behind what could become America’s first Triple Crown winner since 1978. But I would be exhilarated to actually win the Belmont against such an outstanding horse.
I first attended the Kentucky Derby in 1991 when chief of staff to then-Governor Zell Miller. We had a relationship with the then Kentucky Governor and a little known Washington, D.C. political consultant, James Carville. Later I helped Governor Miller introduce then-Governor Bill Clinton to Carville, who ran his first successful race for president. As a result, I had the opportunity of the lifetime to work in the White House in a senior staff position.
This year, I attended my 10th Kentucky Derby but my first as a part owner of a horse competing in the Derby. My wife, Twinker, also a racing fan, joined me in making this investment and accompanied me, along with my parents, Ann and Wayne Mason, to the Derby. Our good friends, John and Beverly Stephens, accompanied us and drove my parents to the Derby.
Keen Ice finished seventh out of 18 horses in the Derby. Walking over from the barn on the track at Churchill Downs with our group and Keen Ice in front of 170,000 fans was one of the more thrilling experiences I had ever had. Keen Ice had the third highest odds of the field and finished the final 1/8th mile at the second fastest speed. With more fire still to go and the Belmont a longer race, (1½ mile), we’re hoping. The way I looked at it, over 20,000 thoroughbreds were born the same year as Keen Ice. Eighteen qualified and ran in the Kentucky Derby. We beat 11 of them. Not bad for beginners.
This weekend, Twinker and our twin 15 year old daughters will venture to New York City for the Belmont to see if American Pharoah can achieve what 12 other horses since the last Triple Crown winner in 1978 have failed to do. One of our daughters saw Keen Ice win his first race last September at Churchill. Our other twin daughter, a miracle in her own right, having been born with severe intellectual disabilities and predicted to not live past the age of two, will be watching her first horse race and pulling for another miracle with our odds standing at 25-1 in the eight horse field.
I watched our horse, Keen Ice, work out a couple of weeks ago at his home track at Churchill Downs with our trainer, Dale Romans. Dale said on Tuesday of this week, “He wants more and he wants it now. He will win the Belmont unless Pharoah proves to be some kind of super horse.”
Keen Ice and American Pharoah both arrived together on the same airplane from Louisville to New York Tuesday. Wonder what they were saying to each other? I don’t know, but….already feel like a winner just getting here from growing up in the once small town of Snellville in the 1960s.
It has been a great ride thus far!
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