Prominent Breeder from Turkey Active at Keeneland Sale

Among the international breeders actively buying at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale has been Arif Kurtel, not only one of the most prominent businessmen in Turkey, but also one of the country's leading owners and breeders.

Midway through the Jan. 9 penultimate session of the Keeneland sale, Kurtel had signed for 13 horses purchased for a total of $434,000, bidding primarily from an area in the back of the sales pavilion. Although Kurtel keeps about a dozen mares at Elmendorf Farm near Lexington, his January acquisitions will be sent to his farm in Turkey to be added to his herd of more than 300 Thoroughbred and Arabian mares.

"I like the Storm Cat line," said Kurtel, who was flanked by several advisers, adding that U.S. bloodlines succeed in Turkey, where the racing is conducted over dirt and grass tracks. "The genetics are very important. If you want to have serious horses, you have to pay for genetics. It is really exciting for me to try unproven mares and unproven sires. That side is very exciting, and 10-15% of my investments are unproven mares."

Kurtel said he breeds to race and that one of his horses produced from a mare purchased at the 2015 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale is being aimed at this year's Turkish Derby in June. Named Long Runner.

By Gio Ponti , the colt is out of the Personal Flag mare Borrowing Base, who was carrying Long Runner in utero when she was bought by Omer Halim Aydin on Kurtel's behalf for $25,000 from the Denali Stud consignment to the Keeneland sale.

"He has stamina, he has speed, he has everything," the owner said of Long Runner.

Kurtel has enjoyed success with mares bought at Keeneland, including one of his earliest in Common Hope, purchased for $125,000 out of the November sale in 2011. That proved most fortuitous as the Candy Ride  colt produced from Common Hope in 2011 was multiple grade 1 winner Shared Belief, who went on to be honored as 2013 champion 2-year-old male. He died in 2015 after succumbing to the effects of colic.

Though his primary interests are in Turkey, Kurtel said plans to increase his presence within U.S. racing, which has been limited to date. Among other mares he owns is No Dress Code, dam of multiple graded stakes winner Reneesgotzip bought for $110,000. Seventh Sense, a full brother to Reneesgotzip bred in Turkey, won two races in the U.S.

One horse who will soon be sporting Kurtel's colors in the U.S. is Shared Legacy, a 3-year-old full brother to Shared Belief. Not only is the colt well-related, he also has the distinction of being a pricey buyback by Kurtel when he was offered at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Consigned by Vinery Sales, the colt was a $1.9 million RNA.

"It's a chance for us to race a quality horse like that," Kurtel said of Shared Legacy, who is being prepped for racing at Palm Meadows. "It's a big risk considering we kept him for that much money. The next six weeks are very exciting for us because of the workouts each week."

Kurtel, whose business interests in Turkey include the country's largest coal-mining company, said he and his family are also passionate equestrians. Kurtel rode horses for 30 years, and his daughters who reside in the U.S. also ride.

"Horses are in our family's life," he said, adding that his grandchildren are now riding ponies. "For kids, (riding horses) is unbelievable. It may be the best sport for kids to improve mentally and physically."