You might expect the champagne to be flowing after winning one of the game’s most prestigious races. But a children’s song? In the boardroom at Hollywood Park?
You bet. Clap your hands.
Happyanunoit, a high-flying mare from New Zealand, inspired an impromptu song after scoring the first major for John and Jerry Amerman’s stable in their thoroughbred racing romance in the 1999 running of the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) on a cool November evening in Los Angeles, three days after Thanksgiving.
It’s the perfect dream horse for the man who served as chairman and CEO of Mattel, the company that gave the world Barbie (and Ken) dolls, as well as Hot Wheels, Chatty Cathy and Creepy Crawler .
A quarter of a century and a series of top horses later, the Amermans found themselves in Churchill Downs this week with the first runner to finish in America’s most famous horse race. endless a child of the family Oscar achievement lured them away from Peacefield Ranch in Southern California for the 150th Kentucky Derby on May 4, along with trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Umberto Rispoli.
Jerry and John Amerman
“He’s a nice horse,” John Amerman said just before going to Kentucky. “He can run and jump, and then he has a great kick. He’s also not too fussy about things. So we’ll find out if all those traits add up.” difference on Saturday or not.”
Has run nonstop four times on turf as a 2-year-old and twice this year on the Tapeta synthetic surface, which is considered “turf-like” when predicting dirt form. He’s only lost once—in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) last fall at Santa Anita Park—and his coach still doesn’t understand why it happened.
That loss is now ancient history. It’s a dirty deal lurking in the Endless. Last time anyone checked, the Derby was on that red Kentucky loam, and the last heavy grass horse to get on the board in the Derby was Bold Arrange, who from England finished second in 1986, although both Barbaro and Big brown won turf races before his Derby crown.
McCarthy restrained and refrained from running in the Derby until his colt made a smart exercise at Churchill on the eve of the debates, ending all debate in the family and turning the matter over. Offers jockeys who must transform form in all weathers to the toughest challenges a young thoroughbred can face.
John Amerman is 91 years old, which is not why he made a 30-1 shot in the morning in the Derby. He thinks Endless deserves a chance, and why not? His four-length victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes (G3) at Turfway Park was overwhelming. “Circle, run away” was the comment of the Equibase chart caller, evoking the image of a child happily skipping school on the first day of summer.
And although the Kentucky Derby has not been very friendly to most of the winners, Jeff Ruby Steaks (formerly Jim Beam, formerly Spiral), especially since Turfway adopted a synthetic surface in 2005, when the Runner Jeff Ruby fires up during the Derby, they tend to light up the sky. Animal kingdom (2011) et Rich attacks (2022) stepped out of the race for commission, while Pull hard (2007) et Hai Phil (2023) are impressive moments.
Oscar Performance, trained by Brian Lynch, gave the Amermans their second Breeders’ Cup victory in the 2016 Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. At 3 years old, he won the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Secretariat Stakes (G1T), then won the Poker Stakes (G3T) and Woodbine Mile (G1T) by 4. His Achilles heel is the foundation soft ground, which he encountered in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs as part of the 2017 Derby Day, finished last of the 10 as the favorite.
“It’s true he doesn’t like soft terrain, but he’s a hell of a horse on hard ground,” Amerman said. “We are very proud that he equaled the world record of 1:31.23 for the mile in Poker.”
The Amermans’ long friendship with Alice Chandler helped send Oscar Performance to Mill Ridge Farm to begin a stud career that began with two overachieving progeny in distance and stakes competitions. wide. The Amermans have two other sons of Oscar Performance in the Derby supporting stakes.
Oscar Show at Mill Ridge Farm
“We always believed deeply that he would be a good stallion and you can see that by the fact that we have so many Academy Awards of our own,” Amerman said. “He doesn’t have as many mares as some other stallions – I think this year it’s about 60 – but that’s by design rather than raising him to 200 or 250 a season. We thought it was best for him, and so far he has maintained that opinion.” end your bargain.”
Amerman was just starting out as CEO of the Mattel toy empire when he and Jerry responded to a flyer to enter into a partnership with Clover Racing, which would later become Barry Irwin’s Team Valor. In 1993, they found themselves standing with their partners in the winner’s circle after the Arlington Million (G1T) celebrated Star of Cozzene’s victory.
“One of the other owners that day asked me, ‘Is this better than the big acquisition with Mattel?’ I said, ‘It’s very different, but it’s all great.’
Amerman added: “The race is complicated and after 10 years we have learned a lot from participating in corporations. “I recommend it to anyone starting a business.”
Amerman is credited with leading a dramatic change in Mattel’s corporate fortunes, including reviving the Barbie product line and partnering with Disney to combine animation with realistic toys. When asked what he thought about the movie “Barbie”, the 2023 multi-billion dollar blockbuster, Amerman admitted that he had not yet seen the film.
“God bless them for putting out a great movie with all that box office,” he said. “I’ve had people ask me why I didn’t do that when I was at Mattel. However, we did do a lot of things with Barbie, such as using famous fashion designers like Oscar de la Renta. “
Amerman stepped down as CEO in 1997, and by then Amerman Racing had become an operating company with Bobby Frankel at the wheel. Together they won major events from coast to coast with horses like Lido Palace, Spoken Fur and Blue Steller, as well as Happyanunoit.
Dave Hofmans has trained the Amermans since the late 1990s, starting in spectacular fashion with Siphonic, winner of the 2001 Hollywood Futurity (G1) and Breeders’ Futurity (G2), and more recently with Siphonic prize, winner of the 2021 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G1T). In between, the Hofmans were responsible for their first Breeders’ Cup winner when Adoration entered the 2003 Distaff (G1) wire-to-wire at Santa Anita. He also trains Balance, who would be known primarily as Zenyatta’s half-sister if she were not a multiple Grade 1 winner for the Amermans in her own right.
Their footprint on the game goes far beyond the winner’s circle, including a commitment to retired racehorses dating back to the 1990s with their support, along with founder Gary Biszantz, of Tranquility Farm, while their Peacefield Farm is used as a rehabilitation and retirement facility. let the horses get off the track.
John Amerman has served as manager of the Jockey Club, as well as a CHRB commissioner and a board member of the California Thoroughbred Owners, National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Owners Association and purebred breeders. Jerry Amerman focuses his attention on the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Foundation and the Center for Equine Health at the University of California, Davis.
Now the Kentucky Derby is in their sights, an experience that is sure to distill the best memories of their four decades in the game.
“Bobby Frankel taught me a lot,” Amerman said. “He had a great mind and great results. He told me, ‘John, never talk about a horse before a race, because whatever you say won’t make a difference. What’s the difference?’ So let’s hope we have something to talk about after the Derby.”
