Now, A Word About Sponsors
January 2nd, 2005by Jude T. Feld
Hall of Famer Ron McAnally
The great John Henry’s 39th and final career victory came in the Ballantine Scotch Classic in the fall of 1984, cementing his Horse of the Year honors. Early in 1985, I had the pleasure of dining with Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and some other guests at a posh L.A. eatery after our appearance on a Santa Anita television broadcast. When the cocktail waitress took our drink order, Ronnie requested a Ballantine’s on the rocks.
“I used to drink another brand,” he shared with us over the Caesar salad. “But after ‘John’ won all that money in New Jersey, I thought I’d better support these people.”
The lesson was not lost on the fledgling trainer seated to his left.
Currently, I drive a Toyota (the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland), my Blackberry is powered by Nextel (the Nextel Breeders’ Cup Distaff), I drink Makers Mark (another Keeneland race) and Guinness (a Breeders’ Cup Sponsor), I wash my hair with Alberto-Culver shampoo (rinsing and repeating as Glen Hill Farm manager Hap Proctor implores), when in Barbados I play golf at Sandy Lane (the Sandy Lane Gold Cup) and if I ever hit the lottery, the first people I’ll call is the Bessemer Trust (sponsors of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile) and then NetJets (Breeders’ Cup Mile).
Paraphrasing Captain Renault’s line in Casablanca, “My loyalties change with the prevailing wind.” When I trained for Maribel G. Blum, the Jim Beam heiress, hers was my bourbon of choice. Mrs. Blum passed away; Jim Beam ended its sponsorship of the Spiral Stakes – Hello Makers Mark Mile. (I never did buy a mattress from Mac, but his online furniture company was only a Turfway sponsor for a year.)
With television time such a costly commodity, our sport needs sponsorship more than ever. Thoroughbred racing, now a year-round activity, is in constant competition with seasonal sports, so national exposure is vital to our success. It is not only from the dollar value of the sponsorships that racing benefits, but from the people and partnerships of racing’s sponsors as well.
It is extremely important for owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and their agents as well as racing writers, grooms, hotwalkers, exercise riders, racetrack employees and fans to purchase products and services from the businesses that have stepped up to the plate on behalf of our sport.
Turf scribes and racetrack publicity departments should make the utmost effort to use the sponsor’s name whenever possible. How much time does it take to type Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes or the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Powered by Dodge? I’m sure no lunch hours will be missed.
The best part about racing’s current sponsors is that they all have excellent products. Dodge trucks and John Deere tractors are magnificent machines. Makers Mark and Woodford Reserve are a lot smoother than Old Fedcal. Budweiser is always preferred over Brew 102. Nobody prints it like LexMark or gets it to you faster than FedEx, so you are only benefiting from patronizing them.
It was recently announced that Grey Goose vodka has joined the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders’ Cup Ltd. as an official sponsor.
“The magnificent world of Thoroughbred racing is a natural fit for Grey Goose,” said the company’s Senior Brand Manager Aleco Azqueta. “A day at the racetrack offers patrons a truly memorable experience, and we can think of no better atmosphere to enjoy a Grey Goose martini.”
I’ll drink to that!
