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Prince Salman gets his money's worth

The Saudi royal is happy to have bought a Triple Crown title shot with War Emblem.

By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 6, 2002

ELMONT, N.Y. -- In the fizzling moments of the news conference, after all the glory had been glorified and all the backs slapped, someone asked the question.

The broad smile, which had been in I-must-be-dreaming posture the past 45 minutes since his colt, War Emblem, won the Kentucky Derby, dropped from Prince Ahmed bin Salman's face. The world, on the most triumphant day of his life, wanted a contrite statement from an Arab after winning the greatest American race.

"Considering the events of the past year, how do you feel about the relationship between your country, Saudi Arabia, and the United States?"

"I am a businessman, not a politician," Salman barked, his mood and usually affable demeanor momentarily dark.

His key alliance from the United States, trainer Bob Baffert, quickly turned the focus back to War Emblem, whom Salman's Thoroughbred Corp. had purchased weeks before the Derby.

As the Cheshire smile arched toward Salman's cheekbones again, he was hit with the other zinger ...

"Some will say you bought the Derby ... "

By now looking a little grumpy, Salman shot back, "Doesn't everyone buy the Derby? Show me who will win next year. I will buy him."

Pardon the prince if his realization of a long-time dream did not fit into nostalgic parameters. If War Emblem wins the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, becoming the 12th colt to master the Triple Crown, he will complete a magical story but not the kind of underdog tale fans adored when Charismatic made his unsuccessful bid in 1999.

The nephew of Saudi King Fahd, Salman, 43, is wealthy even by the standards of major thoroughbred owners. His royal connections and chain of newspapers and magazines allow him to play expensive games. Described once by racing manager Richard Mulhall as "a comedian," Salman has asked reporters how much they were willing to pay for interviews, and yields to omens. He stopped granting prerace interviews a few years ago when a losing streak ensued, and his personal security team often prevents photographers from snapping his image in the paddock. Salman used to sport a white suit and green tie, his stable colors, on race day but has since opted for more conservative suits. And he never, ever bets on his horses.

Salman's first attempt at the Kentucky Derby was abysmal, as Desert Hero finished 13th in 1999. This spring, however, he became the first Arab to win the Derby.

Salman paid to play in this Triple Crown season and ventured well, instructing Baffert to purchase War Emblem for about $900,000 on April 11 after he won the Illinois Derby. A 4,400 percent markup from the original auction price seemed generous.

But the $2.5-million War Emblem earned in the Derby and Preakness, $600,000-plus for the Belmont, a $5-million bonus for winning the Triple Crown plus future stud fees would make him quite a moneymaker. The success is no accident. Salman did not just recently leap into thoroughbred racing with cash and high hopes. A graduate of UC-Irvine, he raced as early as the 1980s as Universal Stable before establishing the Thoroughbred Corp. in 1994. The consortium of Saudi, European and American businessmen has invested millions in purchasing and breeding horses.

It has worked well. The Thoroughbred Corp. finished second in purse earnings last year with more than $8-million and ranked ninth in North America in breeding with more than $4-million.

"The Prince loves the horses," Baffert said. "When he was going to school in California, I think he spent more time at the track than he did at school."

A breakthrough win came when Oath won the 1999 Epsom Darby, allowing Salman to join his late brother, Fahd, as winner of England's most famous race.

One of Salman's best homebred earners was Point Given, the 2001 horse of the year who finished fifth to Monarchos in the Derby before reasserting his dominance by winning the Preakness and Belmont.

"I thought this was a piece of cake because he proved it in the Preakness and Belmont," Salman said of Point Given. "But things don't work out sometimes."

Officer was his prospect this spring, but the $700,000 juvenile star flopped in early preps and apparently had pulled both Salman and Baffert off the Derby trail with him. Then War Emblem pulled them back, fooling the Prince's horse sense.

"(Salman) is a very good judge of horse flesh," Baffert said. "You hate to buy a horse with really small feet. The first time he saw War Emblem, in five seconds he said, 'He's got very small feet.' "

But he, like the Prince, is taking very large steps.

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