Rich Strike drew Eric Reed's attention when he was registered for a $30,000 claiming price in a one-mile dirt event at Churchill Downs on Sept. 17. Reed pointed out that the Calumet Farm-bred and-owned Keen Ice horse was soundly beaten in his turf debut and would benefit from a change of surface.
When Reed presented his case for claiming Rich Strike, owner Richard Dawson agreed. Neither one could have predicted that the horse would win one of the most famous upsets in Kentucky Derby history. He was presented by Woodford Reserve, a success that highlights racing's magnificent improbability and the terrific joys that can accompany it.
Thoroughbred ownership is a term used to describe the ownership of thoroughbred horses. Rich Strike is a strong contender in the Belmont Stakes, presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday.
Dawson is semi-retired from a career in the gas and oil industry. He is an Oklahoma native. During a question-and-answer session with America's Best Racing correspondent Tom Pedulla, he discussed Derby's life-changing two minutes and his incredible good fortune:
PEDULLA: How has your life changed since the Derby?
DAWSON: It's been fantastic for Rich Strike, my trainer, and the farm crew. Simply getting into racing has been a pleasurable experience for me. It wasn't going to be a life-or-death situation. It was simply something I wanted to do and have a good time doing it. Then we won the Derby, and everything in our lives changed. But it means a lot to the people who work with horses every day, from the guy cleaning out the stall to the exercise riders, and I'm incredibly thrilled for all of them. There are a lot of females who work on the construction site. He's now America's horse. I'm not sure I own him anymore. That's also fantastic.
PEDULLA: You mentioned after the Derby that you were on the verge of leaving the business. What happened there, exactly?
DAWSON: I mainly bought little shares with others, so I was a pretty modest shareholder. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn about the industry. However, after doing so, I discovered that I would prefer to be the only horse owner, with fewer horses and greater control over what was done and how it was done.
DAWSON: I was introduced to Eric and visited him (at Mercury Equine Center in Lexington, Ky.). Eric was set up in a way that I appreciated. He has a training track right on the property, so I took advantage of it. Well, I'll give it another chance,' I reasoned. It's been a fantastic adventure. I'm having a great time, not only with Rich Strike in the Derby but also with the other horses I have. I've got two more in the race, plus a filly we bred to Keen Ice and a yearling out of Keen Ice. I'm a member of the Keen Ice clan. We've had some success with that so far.
PEDULLA: You seem to love being involved in the game, even at the lower levels.
DAWSON: I'm having a good time with all of them. I still get excited when the bell goes off and your horse comes in, whether they're competing in an allowance race. It's a fantastic sensation.
DAWSON: I didn't feel like I was learning anything as a minority owner with no say in the matter. I was merely a bystander. I'm a do-it-yourselfer. I've always preferred to be in the middle of things in any business I've ever owned. I had project managers and managers. But I've always believed that if you're going to be in control, you need to know all there is to know about the company. It worked better when I moved to Eric and started buying horses 100 per cent.
PEDULLA: Do you know what year that was?
PEDULLA: When did you first join the game?
DAWSON: It's been six years since I've been in the game.
PEDULLA: After six years, you have a Derby winner.
DAWSON: It's a farce.
PEDULLA: It's nearly unjust.
DAWSON: It's nearly humiliating. People ask me, and I almost don't want to tell them because they've tried for a lifetime yet haven't succeeded. I'm not returning the trophy, as I stated in another article.
PEDULLA: What brought you to Eric in the first place?
DAWSON: I believe I relocated to Eric in the year 2021.
DAWSON: I liked his family and everyone else on the property. I also loved that the training track was located on the farm. The horses travel from their stall to a five-furlong training track, where they work or gallop before returning. On a horse, it's straightforward. You're not towing a trailer down the highway. Eric is working the track personally on a tractor since he doesn't trust anyone else to do it. You got that personal touch, and he was willing to spend time with me. I appreciated how he wasn't so enormous that a small person like me got overlooked. Fortunately, it worked out well.
PEDULLA: What were your expectations when you claimed Rich Strike?
DAWSON: It's just a nice horse. We had no idea what we were in for.
We felt he liked the dirt because he seemed to work well in it.
PEDULLA: Was it difficult for you to forego the Preakness Stakes, or was it a simple one?
DAWSON: It's pretty simple. That scene had indeed played out in my imagination. I just thought coming back in a couple of weeks wouldn't be the greatest for our horse if we get into the Derby and race well or poorly. My plan all along – and Eric's plan – was to come back in the Belmont if he ran well. We won the Derby, which was quite tempting because you have a horse that may win the Triple Crown. But we realised it wasn't the best option for our horse. Our goal has always been to do what is best for Rich Strike. That's precisely what we did.
PEDULLA: How many horses have you owned during your life?
In whole or in part, throughout your professional life.
DAWSON: I don't know, maybe 15. There aren't many.
PEDULLA: It's incredible.
DAWSON: It's a bizarre tale.
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