The Hunter Valley operation is involved in the ownership of Eight Rings (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}), who strolled away with the G1 American Pharoah S. by 6l in the hands of John Velazquez at Santa Anita Park.
“It was great and we put together a syndicate with partners to buy some colts in America like we have done in Australia and it’s a terrific way to get the ball rolling,” Newgate’s Henry Field said.
Eight Rings is one of 20 colts we got at Keeneland and he’s clearly an exceptional colt. The horses all go into training with Bob Baffert, a superstar trainer who is treated as the equivalent of Peter Snowden here.
“We have great working relationships with both Bob and Peter with the simple mission statement of trying to produce stallions. It’s just wonderful to have done this in the United States.
“We have great working relationships with both Bob and Peter with the simple mission statement of trying to produce stallions.” – Henry Field
“Last year we partnered with WinStar Farm in Kentucky and were fortunate enough to buy the Triple Crown winner Justify (USA). They are great friends of ours, but this year we didn’t partner with them.”
Eight Rings (USA) as a yearling
“It was very interesting and I was able to work the sales with Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni, who’s Bob’s agent,” Field said.
“They work much like Peter and Paul Snowden and are very good judges. The horses they like are not dissimilar to the horses we like in Australia, very well-muscled, mature and fast-looking horses.
“That’s exactly what Eight Rings is. If you saw him before a big Australian sprint race he would not be out of place.
“If you saw him before a big Australian sprint race he would not be out of place.” – Henry Field
“He’s had three starts now and his first one he won like a superstar and in his second start the jockey was dislodged and fell off halfway through. At his third start he’s won like an outstanding animal.
“At this stage, he’s the best 2-year-old in North America and hopefully it stays that way through the season. He’s now the favourite for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.”
Newgate’s partners in the United States venture include SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Sol Kumin.
“SF Bloodstock is my partner in Newgate and also a partner in our racing syndicate in Australia and Jack Wolf of Starlight Racing is a very successful syndicator and a really good operator,” Field said.
“Sol Kumin has raced many champions and is one of the biggest owners in North America and he’s advised by the astute Brad Weisbord, a young bloodstock agent.
“Tom Ryan and Gavin Murphy of SF Bloodstock are the Quarterback of the syndicate. They have put it all together in exactly the same vein as the syndicate in Australia, which has been so successful of the last couple of years.
“Tom Ryan and Gavin Murphy of SF Bloodstock are the Quarterback of the syndicate.” – Henry Field
“Full credit to Gavin, the guy has been a major owner in a 2-year-old colt in Australia in Capitalist, which we bought in our very first syndicate partnership.
“Now he looks like he looks like he’s an owner in another potential campion colt in North America only three years later. He’s a very astute investor, I can tell you that much.”
Capitalist | Standing at Newgate Stud
Capitalist (Written Tycoon) won four of his seven starts, including the G1 Golden Slipper S., before joining the stallion roster at Newgate and his first weanlings have sold for up to $255,000.
He was purchased out of Daandine Stud’s 2015 draft to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $165,000 and retired with stake earnings in excess of $3.5 million.
