Letter from the Publisher for June 16

For hundreds of years, horsemen and women have faced their charges off against one another to see who is faster. At the heart of this endeavor is, of course, personal pride of ownership, and, for breeders, the pride of creation. But the foundation was built on sportsmanship and letting these courageous animals speak for themselves.

My connection to Tuesday's heroic act of sportsmanship at Ascot began 35 years ago when a mutual friend introduced me to Robert `Bat' Masterson, a transplanted New Yorker and racehorse fan, at Aksarben racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska. Masterson had started a company with some other ex-IBMers, perfecting billing for a newish thing called credit cards. He and his wife Joan became instant friends, sharing my love of horseracing, baseball, theatre (his dad had been on Broadway), golf, and a general obsession to enjoy life. We became racehorse partners and achieved some success buying European runners, having been introduced to European racing through Matchmaker's Harry Herbert and their involvement in the Laurel Turf Festival and D.C. International. Those projects ended a long time ago, but Bat has continued to enjoy international racing, often attending Royal Ascot and the Arc. He has observed, enjoyed, and appreciated the very best of equine competition.

Last October, we found ourselves in a Paris restaurant after racing, and watched on an iPad as his filly Tepin destroyed a good field at Keeneland in a Grade I on soft ground. As the restaurant guests cheered her on with us, and she drew off, thoughts of Royal Ascot crossed his mind.

After winning the Breeders' Cup Mile in scintillating fashion, and continuing her streak in 2016, the Ascot dream got closer and closer. But could she travel, handle the ground, the straight mile, running in the wrong direction, up a hill, and produce her form not using Lasix and her nasal strip? Lots of questions. Would a bad performance change the world's perception of her value? Should she compete with so many unanswered questions?

I couldn't be more proud of my friend, who answered all the questions with, “how can we not give her the opportunity?” while knowing that many other champions had failed. He is a true sportsman in the best tradition of the word in our majestic sport. She answered the questions, was gallant in victory, and became the first non-European raider to win the Queen Anne. She made history. Hats off to Tepin.

P.S. It has been an extraordinary beginning to Ascot due to the success of American-breds, who have been much maligned by the international racing community in the past few years. We are getting a lot closer to being able to hold our heads up in public again, and Tepin's win here will be a game-changer. But let's not forget the Lewis-and-Clark-like efforts of Wesley Ward and his owners, over the last few years, including Wednesday's spectacular winner Lady Aurelia's Barbara Banke, George Bolton and Peter Leidel, the Coolmore team with Hootenanny and Acapulco, Undrafted with Wes Welker and Sol Kumin, and No Nay Never with Mrs. Paul Shanahan and Dave Reid's Ice Wine Stables, who blazed a recent trail to Europe that I believe will be followed for years to come.