Rosenblum, LaPenta Hope to Get Far Right Home

Harry Rosenblum has had a lifelong affair with horses that began modestly enough but has now landed the Arkansas native in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) as the owner of Southwest Stakes (gr. III) winner Far Right.

Years ago, while newly married and in his mid-20s, Rosenblum heard tell of a horse that was for sale and bought him. Sylvester Road was no world-beater, but he did win first time out for Rosenblum and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I bought the horse not knowing a heck of a lot about horses at the time,” said Rosenblum of his origins as a Thoroughbred owner. “But I was hooked when he won. And over the years since then I’ve tried to learn everything I could about horses. Jack Van Berg trained for me in the 1980s and we had a pretty good horse named Vilzak who won the Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IT) and ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT). I actually picked that horse out myself on breeding.  I’d go to the barn in the mornings and go over legs with Jack and find about every aspect of horses.”

Rosenblum’s father served in the cavalry in World War I and as a child Rosenblum would go to the livestock shows in Little Rock.

“I always liked being around the horses,” he said. “I liked the way they smelled and just everything about them, and my father thought I’d make a great cavalry officer.

An investment executive today, Rosenblum cut his teeth at the racetrack going to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. As his business thrived, Rosenblum at one time built his stable up to 35 head, but found that number too large. He now carries about a dozen, which gives him ample action. And that experience of learning about horses with Van Berg has paid off.

“I have found that I get better results when I buy horses on my own,” said Rosenblum. “Far Right caught my eye when he ran second in his first two races. He threw his rider going to the gate in his first race and still ran well. The second race he lost to Cinco Charlie, who I thought was a good horse.”

Rosenblum eventually made the deal to buy Far Right from previous owner John Jazdzewski, an equine dentist. The formula had previously worked for Rosenblum when he bought Gentlemen's Bet privately, and he wound up running third in the 2013 Expressbet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I). Far Right ran well for the remainder of his 2-year-old season but failed to win following his maiden-breaker at Churchill Downs by five lengths. After his third in the Delta Jackpot (gr. III) Rosenblum began fielding calls from others who wanted to buy into his horse.

One attractive offer came from Robert LaPenta, for whom Rosenblum has done equity transactions. The two men previously had teamed up on Truman's Commander, who ran in the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) but had a disappointing career thereafter.  Rosenblum sold LaPenta a one-third interest in Far Right.

“We didn’t have any luck with Truman’s Commander, which is why I did the deal for this horse,” Rosenblum said. “Bob is a good guy.”

LaPenta also brings Kentucky Derby experience to the team. The Cliff's Edge  , Ice Box  , Andromeda's Hero, and Cool Coal Man   have all made the Run for the Roses for LaPenta.

“Let me tell you, you never get tired of the Super Bowl,” LaPenta said of havng another Derby starter. “I have a good feeling about this guy. He reminds me of The Cliff's Edge   and Jackson Bend, horses that are blue-collar workers who show up every time and give you an honest effort. I think he’s a real Derby horse.”

Far Right, who drew the far outside for the Derby, is trained by another Arkansas native, Ron Moquett, who Rosenblum has teamed with for the past three years.

“He started out with whatever horses he could get and he wound up making something out of those horses,” said Rosenblum. “We have a great relationship and I always know what’s going on with my horses.”

What’s going on with Far Right is that he’s returning to a track where he has run well in three previous races.

“He likes the surroundings,” Rosenblum said. “He’s a throwback, a very tough horse with tactical speed and the ability to get a distance of ground. He always makes his run.”

Rosenblum was at the Derby several years ago, and told his wife he didn’t want to return until he had a horse that could run in it. Now he will have that thrill.