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The
Story of Sports Syndications
Sports Syndications began after 2 friends, Jonathan Karlovsky and Steven Seabrook joined together in the search of the first horse for a group of friends. Jonathan had spoken to a few well known and successful trainers about the possibility of getting a horse for himself and some friends as well as some syndicators.
Jonathan also mentioned to Steven that he was looking to race a horse. Steven had been racing horses for many years at this stage and was open to having some input into who trained the horse and the selection of this horse. Steven’s first foray into racing had similarly been through a friend with whom he worked. He had taken Steven to some Randwick stables, where a pioneer in racehorse syndication, Harry Lawton, would keep his horses whilst they were being broken in and syndicated.
Steven was sold his first horse, not so much on the pedigree or looks of the horse, but more because legendary Sydney race caller and media personality, John Tapp and his wife Ann were also part owners of the horse. Well known for the fact that he did not have a bet and for over 40 years experience with and around horses, Steven believed that if Johnny Tapp was happy to invest in this thoroughbred, then that would be good enough for him.
The horse was trained at Newcastle by the late Max Lees. On many occasions, Max’s son and Stable Foreman Kris, would be on hand with the horse when it raced. A beautiful long striding gelding, Duke of Normandy won two races including a minor placing behind future topliner Yippyio and was being looked at as a Derby contender by the stable before requiring surgery to remove bone chips from both front knees. The racing bug had been well and truly planted.
Soon after, Steven was back in contact with the Lees Stable looking to get into a horse when the right one became available. Kris Lees had called and described a horse bred and raised by Yarraman Park principles Arthur and Harry Mitchell. Kris had informed Steven, that the filly by Desert Style was to be raced in conjunction with the Mitchell brothers. Having bred horses like Dignity Dancer, Super Impose, Kenwood Melody amongst many other top performers, Steven was happy to reignite the racing dreams.
In November, 2003, Steven introduced Jonathan to Kris Lees and soon after some thought, Jonathan entrusted Kris and Steven to purchase a horse on behalf of himself and his friends with a maximum spend of $60,000. Attending the 2004 Classic Sales at the Inglis Newmarket complex, Kris and Steven found a horse both were very familiar with. A filly by Danewin out of the broodmare Riverbed, Kris and his father had trained a half relation with a deal of success called Taispeann.
Taispeann had won its first start at Wyong as a two year old by 9 lengths. By Unbridled Song, Taispeann had many problems after that initial win and was a very difficult horse to keep focused on racing. After inspecting the Danewin filly out of the Emirates Park draft, Kris and Steven put it on the top of their list, wary that it may exceed the price restriction that Jonathan had given.
Bidding quickly got to the $50,000 mark with us having the last bid. Another party made a bid for $55,000. Kris quickly fired back at $57,500 and we walked away with the horse. By the time the horse was insured and entered for the Inglis Classic race, the final cost came to just under $60,000.
That $60,000 has been returned many times over with this horse, Vitesse Dane, having won 4 races and over $430,000 in prize money and the coveted status of an Oaks and Group 1 winner having won the 2005 Queensland Oaks along with a very unlucky 3rd in the 2005 Queensland Derby. Apart from these prize money earnings, Vitesse Dane is also worth an estimated $500,000 as a broodmare prospect.
Since then Jonathan and Steven have worked through the stages of setting up a company, satisfying the requirements of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) as well as Racing NSW in their capacity as the chief regulator of the racing industry in New South Wales.
They have also been busy creating relationships with some of Australia’s leading sporting personalities with the intention of offering the public seldom seen opportunities to race, meet and socialize with some of their sporting heroes and have some similar success on the racetrack as Jonathan and his friends have had with their first racehorse.
So come and join the Kings of Sport in the Sport of
Kings.
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