In all but one respect it was a racing day like any other for Russell Reineman. The 84-year-old owner went to the track to watch his horses run. Except this time when he left Arlington Park, he went home to see whether he would go down in history as a part-owner of the 12th Triple Crown winner.
The opportunity for racing immortality fell short when War Emblem encountered trouble at the break and finished eighth in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. But, in his own way, Reineman did his part in War Emblem’s effort to become the first horse in 24 years to capture thoroughbred racing’s most elusive prize.
In an effort not to “jinx” his horse, Reineman didn’t join family members in New York for the Belmont. He stayed at home to watch with friends as he had for victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
The trip from Arlington Heights got him to his Oak Brook home a half-hour before the race. Despite his concession to superstition, he did not have a good feeling before the race.
“I didn’t expect him to win, but I wanted him to win. I don’t know [why I felt that], that’s a hard thing to figure out,” Reineman said.
“I didn’t expect to win, but I wanted to win very badly.
“I thought he had a chance. He made his move. He was lucky he didn’t go down at the start. Whether he hurt himself there or hurt himself in some other way I don’t know, but he didn’t run back to his capabilities.”
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For now, the Belmont ends a wild ride for the owner of Crown Steel Sales Inc. of Chicago. Only nine weeks ago Reineman watched War Emblem carry his racing silks to victory in the $500,000 Grade II Illinois Derby at Sportsman’s Park on April 6. Five days later he sold War Emblem to carry the silks of The Thoroughbred Corp.
The sale was necessary for the veteran businessman. Reineman’s steel company has posted a seven-figure loss since last year, and the horses, which are financed through the company, had not been kind either. The Illinois Derby victory was Reineman’s first stakes score for a number of years.
Reineman found an infusion of cash through his horseflesh. Prince Ahmed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia caught Triple Crown fever when Point Given won the Preakness and Belmont last year en route to Horse of the Year honors. The selling price was $900,000 for 90 percent of the colt.
Given the horse’s postsale success, some believe Reineman made a bad deal. He doesn’t agree.
“He could have gone down today and killed himself,” said Reineman, who bought his first thoroughbred in 1950. “That could happen anytime, anywhere. He could break a leg, anything.
“I’m not unhappy about the situation, about the sale I made.”
Besides the purchase price, Reineman received the incalculable honor of owning a piece of the Kentucky Derby winner, one of the most sought-after prizes in sports.
That was a most unexpected return especially since he and trainer Frank “Bobby” Springer were set to forgo the “Run for the Roses” in expectation of a better racing opportunity in the Preakness.
And Reineman’s returns are not all in from War Emblem. Still in contention is his share of the $1 million bonus from Sportsman’s Park for winning the Illinois Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Overshadowing that amount is the $12 million to $15 million War Emblem is worth as a stallion, a figure that would likely rise from future stakes wins.
“I just hope he keeps on winning so he’ll be a very excellent sire worth a lot of money,” he said.