Racehorse ownership is accessible to every level of investor. Those with an interest in the sport can easily purchase a percentage share and hope that they’ve got behind the next Red Rum or Seabiscuit.
The reality, however, is that a significant investment is needed in order to own the best horses in the business. Those with established pedigrees and winning bloodlines can fetch millions of dollars on the open market.
Those sums attract many celebrities into the horse racing world, and a significant number of musical artists have become owners.
Horse Appeal
Horse racing is big business, and the high profile meetings attract celebrities from every sphere.
Everybody wants to be seen at the Kentucky Derby or Royal Ascot, and there is a huge social element to the top events.
Staking on horse racing also continues to peak. With sports wagering opening up across parts of the world that had previously put restrictions in place, there are more horse racing betting markets available now than ever before.
In short, this is the perfect time for musicians to get involved with horse ownership, and here are some of the most notable participants.
Benny Andersson
The least visible member of Abba was essential to the songwriting behind the hits. Benny Andersson is a huge musical talent, but his lower profile potentially meant that he went under the radar.
Andersson was the quiet one in the group, and it’s in keeping with his character that his contribution to horse racing has passed most Abba fans by.
In fact, of all the musical artists with a connection to the sport, Benny has been one of the most prolific.
It’s claimed that Andersson first became involved with horse racing ownership as a way to connect with his son. In later interviews, he’s also claimed that he entered the sport due to family reasons.
Over time, a hobby turned into a passion, and at one point, the Swedish musician owned 18 horses, either based in his homeland or in Ireland and the UK.
His recent record hasn’t returned much success, as Andersson appears to be winding down his interests.
MC Hammer
There are no clear reasons why the rap artist MC Hammer decided to enter racehorse ownership.
He was known for flaunting his wealth via some decadent purchases, and this could have been a part of that scattergun approach.
Hammer’s subsequent financial downfall is well documented, but whatever his intentions may have been, he enjoyed a level of success on the track.
The artist established the Oaktown Stable in 1991, which had several thoroughbred runners on its books.
The most successful of these was Lite Light, which won the Kentucky Oaks among a host of Grade 1 races.
Little is made of MC Hammer’s horse racing career, but it is a notable one. He became the first black owner to enter a horse into the Kentucky Derby, where his runner finished in third.
It won’t become a huge part of his epitaph, but the artist made a significant contribution to the horse racing scene.
Ronnie Wood
A guitarist who made his name with the Faces, Ronnie Wood later became a member of the iconic Rolling Stones. He still records and tours with the band, but in his spare time, horse racing has become an important hobby.
Wood established a farm known as Sandymount House in Ireland, with a view to breeding successful race horses.
The set up began to gather some serious momentum, and, in 1999, he was awarded the title of Small Breeder of the Year.
Ronnie Wood has two distinct aims within Sandymount House. Many of his horses go to auction, where buyers pay a premium.
The Rolling Stone has a solid reputation within the community, and he has produced some exceptional runners over the years.
Wood has, however, kept a modest amount of horses back for his own interests. Several of his own mounts have enjoyed success in Ireland, especially at Wood’s local Curragh course.
These are some of the high-profile horse racing owners within the sport, but there may well be more.
Certain musicians like to keep their business interests quiet, and there could be some top artists choosing to remain anonymous.
Many celebrities find they have downtime, and they spend it in different ways. Some are drawn to sports, and in recent years, there have been a significant number of investments in soccer clubs around the world.
Others prefer to focus on horse racing. The list of artists who have become involved in ownership is relatively small, but there is plenty of scope for this to increase moving forward.
As more musicians and other celebs become involved in sports as a whole, interest in racing will surely pick up, and there will be many more entries on this list in the future.
