Rack ’em: One on One with Sports-Talk King, Racehorse Owner Jim Rome

Sports personality Jim Rome and his wife, Janet, celebrate a win by Shared Belief in the 2014 Pacific Classic Stakes. (Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing)
Jim Rome, who owns early Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Shared Belief in partnership, is one of the most respected voices in the world of sports broadcasting and leading opinion-makers of his generation. A television and radio sports personality, Rome also is an avid fan of horse racing.
Rome races horses under the stable name Jungle Racing, which is an homage to his radio show, and counts two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection and 2013 champion 2-year-old male Shared Belief among his stable’s standouts.
Rome owns a 40-percent share in Shared Belief, who is on target for the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic, the richest race in the U.S., on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park. The Classic will be televised in prime time on NBC from 8-9 p.m. on Nov. 1 as part of the network’s 2-day package of coverage for the 13-race event that features $24.5-million in purses. The Breeders’ Cup regularly attracts more than 100,000 fans and about $160-million in betting handle and much of the attention this year will center around the much-anticipated showdown between Rome’s Shared Belief and Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome. Rome took some time for a Q&A with America’s Best Racing in advance of horse racing’s Super Bowl event.
1. Do you have any kind of rituals or superstitions before Shared Belief races?
Kiss my wife, Janet, and watch the race next to our bloodstock agent/manager Alex Solis. Every race. No matter what.
ROME AND HIS WIFE, JANET

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
2. What current professional human athlete is Shared Belief most like and why?
Russell Westbrook: freaky explosive, tough and athletic but without his wacky wardrobe.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK

WikiMdia Commons
3. What are your three favorite racetracks?
Del Mar, Santa Anita, Keeneland. You know I’m honking the West Coast and Cali in particular. But Keeneland is a magical place.
DEL MAR

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
4. What racetrack that you’ve never visited would you most like to see in person and experience a day at the races?
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe - Longchamp Racecourse.
TREVE WINNING ARC DE TRIOMPHE

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
5. What’s been the most exciting win in your time as an owner?
We’ve been so fortunate the last couple of years, but if I have to pick our most exciting win as owners, it was Mizdirection’s 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint win. She had never been in a Grade 1, never won a Grade 2, had never run against the boys and had never been that far back in any race. The Queen was electrifying that day.
MIZDIRECTION WINNING 2012 TURF SPRINT

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
6. On your summer vacation to Europe, you and your family visited your former racehorse, 2-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection. What was that reunion like and how’s she doing?
Seeing Mizdirection retired and living the good life in France this past summer was one of my favorite days since getting into this game. She’s fantastic, and living the life of a Queen as well she should. I wasn’t afraid she’d take my head off like I was every time I saw her when she was in training. But she did prick her ears once and shoot me that maniacal look she used to hit me with when she was aggravated. The best ones never fully lose that. It was unbelievable to see her.
MIZDIRECTION AFTER WINNING THE 2013 TURF SPRNT

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
7. What is the one racehorse you didn’t own but wish you had the opportunity to have owned?
Zenyatta, of course. We once ran against her. I have never been so honored to get smashed in a race. I wanted a picture with her after she crushed what was then our best horse. We visited her once in Kentucky after she retired. She’s royalty.
THE GREAT ZENYATTA

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
8. If Shared Belief could talk, what would he say about being the proverbial favorite heading into the richest horse race on American soil, the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic?
He probably wouldn’t care, because he really doesn't seem to care about anything.  Except his next meal. And, his next nap. He’s always getting his grub on, and he’s definitely a member of the Nap Nation.
SHARED BELIEF

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
9. If you could breed any two horses and be guaranteed to own the progeny, which two horses would you play matchmaker for and why?
Big swing here — Sire: Sadler’s Wells, Dam: Urban Sea. It would be a full sibling to Galileo, arguably the best stallion in the world, and Urban Sea was an unbelievable producer.
10. Why has winning the Triple Crown become so difficult? Can it be done?
Seems we no longer breed for stamina. We breed for speed and brilliance, which takes away from that last leg. I used to think that we’d never see another Triple Crown winner, but I’ve come around on that. I think it’s possible, and that we probably will sooner than later.
11. What song best describes your work ethic?
Have to go with the Boss, Bruce Springsteen: “Prove it all Night”.
12. What is your most valued racing memento?
Tough call. Very tough. Mizdirection’s two Breeders Cup trophies are front and center on our bar, but I’m going to have to go with Shared Belief’s Eclipse Award. That’s an award for an entire season and not just one race.
ROME ACCEPTING THE ECLIPSE AWARD IN 2013

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
13. Do you talk to other owners in between races? Is there much chatter among owners during a day at the races? If so, can you give an example of some interesting chatter you’ve been involved with?
Strangely, I usually don’t cross paths with too many owners between races. Last owner I spoke to on race day was California Chrome owner Steve Coburn. We were all celebrating in a designated area after Shared Belief won the Los Alamitos Derby and he came by and said, “That was very impressive. Congratulations. I have a feeling we’ll be running into you folks at some point.” I think we all had that feeling that day.
STEVE COBURN