George Steinbrenner and Horse Racing: Horse Racing
George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees owner died at age 80 Tuesday and I don’t think many people know that he dabbled in horseracing. In thoroughbred horse racing, he was a big player, even entering horses in the Kentucky Derby; he actually did more than dabbling. He was quiet and reserved with the horseracing crowd, the funny thing was, he was brash and outspoken in baseball.
Majestic Warrior, a beautiful horse who won the Hopeful Stakes in 2007, was the most famous horses owned by him and Bellamy Road, who was the favorite in the 2005 Kentucky Derby. Bellamy Road finished 7th.
Steinbrenner loved the Kentucky and he loved his horses. Of all the horses who ran the Derby, he has six. For 15 years, for Steinbrenner, noted horse trainer Nick Zito trained horses. Around the horse track, those who knew Steinbrenner couldn’t say enough good things about him. Zito chimed in with, “I had a good relationship with him. He took me to a playoff game in 1995 and sat me next to Joe DiMaggio.”
In Florida, Steinbrenner had a 750-acre Kinsman Stud that was a major breeding ground for horses. At Kinsman breeding and training, there are about 50 horses. Steinbrenner owned shares of Florida Downs racetrack, Balmoral and Maywood in Illinois.
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