Kumin Long and Strong in Belmont Day Stakes Action

What do you do for an encore after you become the first owner in 66 years to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby in the same year?

If you're Sol Kumin, who has become the Prince of Partnerships, you serve up eight starters on Belmont Stakes Day June 9 in an effort to continue your hot streak on racing's biggest occasions.

Kumin's Head of Plains Partners is a minority owner in undefeated dual classic winner Justify, who triumphed in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and the May 19 Preakness Stakes (both G1), and his Monomoy Stables is a 50% owner of Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) queen Monomoy Girl, who is a neck shy of being undefeated in seven starts.

Justify seeks to become the 13th Triple Crown winner and just the second undefeated one when he contests the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Monomoy Girl shortens up to a flat mile in the Acorn Stakes (G1) on the Belmont undercard.

Those are hardly the only starters Kumin will be visiting in the paddock Saturday, however. The Massachusetts-based hedge fund manager will be beating a path to the saddling area throughout the day. Three-time grade 1 winner Beach Patrol runs in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T); three-time grade/group 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits and multiple grade 2 winner Good Samaritan try the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1); grade 2 winner Ivy Bell runs in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1); German highweighted older mare A Raving Beauty, who made her initial U.S. start a winning one in the May 12 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park, returns in the Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T); and World of Trouble, the Pasco Stakes victor, runs in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2). All are owned in part by a Kumin-led partnership.

When you lead off with a grand slam, usually the only way to go is down. But Kumin, who purchased Lady Eli at auction as a 2-year-old with his friend Jay Hanley and saw her become a champion and superstar, has gone right on collecting extra-base hits since. He has bought horses privately and publicly with a variety of partners, and more often than not has found upside in his purchases. He proudly points out he has never bought into a horse that was already a grade 1 winner, yet he has collected dozens of grade 1 wins in just five years of ownership.

Although Kumin's interest in Justify and Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Audible is a lease arrangement exclusively involving their racing careers and not their breeding rights, his ownership of Mind Your Biscuits and Beach Patrol, horses whose breeding rights have been sold to Japanese farms, includes a piece of that action.

"When people want the horse for breeding purposes, you do the deal and then get to race them for the remainder of the year," noted Kumin. "So you are out on the horse, yet still get to enjoy him on the track. It's usually a good deal."

While Justify is the obvious headliner on Belmont Day, Kumin is closer still to Monomoy Girl, who was purchased for him by Liz Crow for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale. The chestnut daughter of Tapizar  has won the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) in addition to her Oaks score, and she represents a lot of firsts to her connections. She was trainer Brad Cox's first grade 1 winner and the first horse Crow signed a ticket for at auction. Also, rider Florent Geroux and his family have become close to the Kumin clan.

"Winning the Oaks felt as good or maybe even slightly better than winning the Derby," said Kumin, who added he owns a lot of horses with Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables, his partners in the filly. "Those are moments I'll never forget. It was one of the greatest weekends of my life. Monomoy Girl has become my second-favorite horse behind Lady Eli. There is something about a filly and the relationship you build with them."

Monomoy Girl has breezed a few times since the Oaks, and Kumin feels eight to nine furlongs is her optimal distance. 

As for keeping up with his myriad of partners Saturday, Kumin said that unlike the Preakness, where he brought a small crew, many of his friends plus a contingent of family members will be on hand at Belmont Park. 

"We have a fun crew, and we've reserved a tent near the paddock and can hopefully get some boxes out front," Kumin said. "We'll be long and strong. It's one of those weekends where we have live shots and can either win nothing or five races."

And maybe that Triple Crown.