I was going to begin my horse musings by telling you what a fantastic job my yearling, colt, Davido II, did on the horse show circuit this year. But, yesterday, I had a chance to speak to John Piesen. John’ claim to fame regarding me is that not only has he been my treasured best friend since 1975, but he was my mentor throughout the writing of my spy novel The Game of Lies.

John’s professional claim to fame is that he is a world class sports writer and legendary handicapper of racehorses.

John has been with me throughout my entire career as a Kentucky Thoroughbred breeder. He is well aware of my connection via the sale of my racehorses to the many Arab sheikhs who have become involved in Thoroughbred horse racing over the past 20 odd years.

Because of this connection, he was eager for me to read and comment on his latest column featured on his website www.johnpiesen.com.

John’s column dealt with the success the Arab sheikhs were enjoying at this year’s Saratoga race meet, in Saratoga Springs, NY.

I was not surprised the sheikhs’ horses had fared well. After all, over the last 20 plus years they have bought the best young Thoroughbred yearlings bred anywhere in the world, oil money being no object, and then spared no expense to house, train and campaign them around the world.

Neither was John surprised. But, what struck John as odd was the fact that almost ALL the best races on the Saratoga race card had been won by Arab interests, and as odds on favorites, and by so many lengths as to make every horse seem invincible.

“like it or not,” John wrote, “the events of Travers weekend at Saratoga led to one conclusion. The sheikhs have the game locked up!”

Now, if you read my spy novel The Game of Lies, it is obvious how much I love racing at Saratoga. So, though it is no surprise that the sheikhs’ horses did well, their dominance begs the question, “Why is this so? What has happened to the Phipps family dynasty, the Hancock family dynasty, the bluebloods of the American turf? What has become of the Secretariats, the Citations, the Ruffians, the glorious racehorses of old, who carried the colors of America’s racing dynasties to victory in countless Travers Stakes throughout the years.”

The Phipps are still around. But, looking back over the last several years, other than what the sheikhs have done, the major stakes races won were won by owners who found ‘lightning in a bottle’ horses. Horses like Smarty Jones, Fleet Alex, Giacomo, who are, as we horse people say when the pedigree page is not Keeneland Summer Sales quality, by van out of Pennsylvania, Florida, or even Kentucky. Meaning, they lack the blue-blood upbringing and equine family relations of a Secretariat or an Alydar.

Though the sheiks have gotten into the breeding business somewhat over the years, their best success has come by way of their yearling purchases. Even breeding the best stallions to the best mares does not guarantee you will end up with a foal with champion potential. But, say you have unlimited funds and can take your pick of the all of the finest yearlings offered for sale, trust me, you are an odds on favorite to come up with a great horse or two. The sheiks are savvy horsemen. They have a great eye for a good horse, and employ advisors with equally good instinct where selecting young horses with great potential are concerned.

So, is that the answer to this quandary? Maybe, but I think a little more investigative reporting is in order here. Since John has access to the facts at hand, I am hoping I have awakened the reporter of old in him and that he will pursue this story. Unfortunately, it seems Thoroughbred racing may be headed the same direction our country is headed when it comes to foreign interests taking over, and like what is happening to our once great land, that would be a shame for sure.

We’re waiting for the conclusion to the story, John.