Anybody have $100,000
 

Burning a whole in your pocket?

Ben's Cat needs a BC sponsor:

http://www.drf.com/news/laurel-leath...n-breeders-cup

If you like the horse and he gets in you would probably get the same return if he wins on 1/10th of the 100K as a wager, no?

Basically. It's a horrible gamble to supplement pretty much any horse to that race. $100K for a $1 Million race? Absurd. It isn't as though there is some additional breeding value for the winner.

I agree... especially in this scenario. You're risking $100k to win $600k and let's face it, the BC Turf Sprint is a huge crapshoot and it's hard to say ANY horse in the field is worthy of a wager at 5-1. If you're going to be 1/5 in a (generally) formful race like the Turf... maybe it's worth a shot. But the Turf Sprint? Forget it.

Didn't he win a WAYI race anyways where they're supposed to pay the supplement for him or something?

Without tossing in a considerable chunk of the ownership for this type of investment, I think Leatherberry is just having some fun with this - It costs nothing to ask, right?

Not that we haven't already established how ridiculous this whole thing is, but it's even worse in this case. The backer would get 50% of the "profit." So, $100K would yield a profit of $250K if he won, $50K if he ran second and $5K (!) if he ran third. Obviously, Ben's Cat won't be 5-2 or less in the race.

Ben's Cat is a very nice horse, and I think if he were to go, his best effort would definitely have a shot at winning the thing. It would make a great story for someone to pony up the dough, but as an investment, it's obviously a joke. If the King doesn't put up the cash, I guess we will never find out.

Perhaps they can pass around the plate at Laurel for the next few weeks.

Oh wow, I didn't catch that part of the article. You're absolutely right. It's even worse than what I laid out.

I'm going to show my complete ignorance here and probably make a total ass out of myself but that's fine.

Either you're all stupid or I am.

Now I know, I know it's probably me. 99 percent it's me BUT...

Huh?

This is a great thing!

You can't buy this kind of PR!

The point is not the return. Can't you guys see that?

If this were my horse and I had a little bit of money to play around with? Are you kidding... I would advertise and hit up any and every business I could think of... anything to do with cats and the name Ben.

No one wants to approach Purina (I think Nestles owns them)? Ben and Jerry's? Hell Caterpillar? Any of the companies that make kitty sand or toys or any of it.... Uncle Ben's...

WHY NOT??!!

You get one or two companies and make it like Ben's Cat is the official representative of Laurel and really... you guys think that with a few features on tv, in print and online it wouldn't pay for itself AND be fun AND just be awesome PR AND maybe as an added bonus a few people here and there who might never have heard of the Breeder's Cup will be interested?

What Golfer said about passing the plate at laurel... why not?

If you donate 50 bucks you get a hat and a certificate of partial ownership haha...

Why not?

This could so work.

It's not about the return or - at least- it doesn't have to be.

A horse sponsored by dog food. . . what flavor? Ferdinand?

That's cool.

I think you guys are missing the big picture but what do I know.

Yeah okay well I'm not ready to stop here...:D

Ben’s Cat had to recover from a broken pelvis before he made his maiden debut at age 4, and then began his career with eight consecutive victories.

So what if that's part of it... matching funds or something..... once the goal is reached or if he wins or X percentage raised... some of it goes to horsie health charities.

How about that?

Think of the most unlikely person you can who could put up that kind of money and hit them up.

I mean why not go for it?

Hell there are owners who have quite a bit of cash who might see the irony (and publicity!) in helping out a horse who they don't own.

I mean right or it it time for the loony bin?

I'm trying to figure out why he wouldn't just sell a piece or pieces of the horse? He just won a $350k race and surely a horse that has won 12 of 17 would interest someone?

The guy is 78 years old, not getting many more chances. Offer 49% of the horse for 100k. It will be done by the end of the week. Hell FreddyMo might do it.

:wf

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...t-for-bens-cat

Oh hooray, instead of going into the biggest event of the year he opts for a $75K stake.

I know nothing about how one goes about making his horse BC eligible, but it's not like this horse came out of nowhere THIS year. He was quite good last year also. So the King definitely missed the boat.

As has been established, supplementing was a terrible financial risk, BUT, how many BC opportunities has he had? and how many more is he going to have?

Someone needs to tell King he can't take it with him.

If Ben's Cat wins or finishes 2nd on Saturday that puts him over the $2 million mark.

Am I right to assume he is not BC nominated again cause I had an idea...

I think his people should take out a couple of back covers on track programs and the form... his picture, accomplishments, and a date. Kinda cryptic but in a good way (think of the marketing for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, for example. Remember that? Bus ads that said "I hate you Sarah" or something like that?).

The Cat is coming kind of thing with a date..

Whatever the date is ( a month or so from now) launch a Kickstarter (... but do it right... have accounts on twitter and facebook with the countdown, etc).

Have really nice rewards like signed merchandise and, for the really high donations, doable things like drinks the night before the BC or access or a chance to be in the winner's circle picture should he win. :)

Isn't this a good idea and wouldn't they meet their goal so easily (or do I need my meds now?)? :D

It would be a great way to generate about $5,500 of revenue for Lord knows how much money, time and effort to put out, yeah.

I wouldn't do it in a normal year, but especially not with the BC at Santa Anita. 5 furlongs in Maryland is an entirely different ballgame than 6 1/2 furlongs down the hill in California.