Chef Flay, radio host Rome realize thrills of racehorse ownership

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will always remember July 4, 2011. That was the day his filly, Her Smile, won the Grade 1 Prioress at Belmont Park. In the winner’s circle, Flay looked like a beaming politician, shaking hands with all the well-wishers.

This was a classic "Owning Thoroughbred Racehorses for Dummies" moment. It captured the emotional thrill of victory that is paramount in the recruitment of new horse owners to the sport.

I’ve long written that racing doesn’t have a horse shortage, it has an owner shortage. If there were enough people willing to buy a racehorse, any trainer or bloodstock agent worth his salt would find a good runner.

Flay has a similar celebrity counterpart on the West Coast in sports radio host Jim Rome. Rome is not bashful in saying on his show that at first he didn’t care about racing. But once exposed to the nuances of the sport, he grew to love it.

Flay and Rome are successful businessmen, too. They understand the cost equation that breaking even is probably a good year. Yet, I believe both men are doing a better job managing their racing stable finances than Frank McCourt has in owning the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I thought the sport missed a golden opportunity to promote horse ownership after Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby. The colt is owned by Team Valor, managed by Barry Irwin.

Team Valor assembles partnership groups that own the horses. You didn’t hear much about this group. I’m sure each member had a unique take on why they got involved in horse racing and how much they enjoy it.

Instead, Irwin spoke about trainers lying to him, and he sounded more like Walter Matthau. Believe me, he’s not a grumpy old man. But in a sound-bite society, the Irwin message was a lot different from Flay’s and Rome’s.

■ GRADE 1 STAKES — There are three Grade 1 stakes Saturday: the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Man ‘O War at Belmont and the Princess Rooney at Calder.

Twirling Candy took the blinkers off last time and rated much kinder in winning the Californian. He’ll be even tougher in the Gold Cup.

Gio Ponti rallied into the teeth of a speed-favoring turf course in the Manhattan on Belmont Stakes day. A fairer surface in the Man ‘O War will help him.

Sassy Image has emerged among the country’s best female sprinters. The Princess Rooney is her race to lose.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.