New Owner Amr Zedan is Thinking Big

Everyone who gets involved in the sport wants to win the GI Kentucky Derby. But Amr Zedan, a Saudi businessman who made a splash at the recent OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds, doesn't want to settle for one Derby win. He's made it his goal to win the race twice over a five-year span.

While that may strike some as a case of hubris, he doesn't see it that way. Zedan points out that his bloodstock advisor, Dennis O'Neill, did in fact buy two Derby winners over a five-year period in I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) in 2011 and Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in 2016. Combine O'Neill's expertise, a hefty bankroll and a drive to develop one of the top stables in North America, and Zedan doesn't see many limits to what can be accomplished.

“I don't mean to sound arrogant,” said the 42-year-old owner. “I know there is a lot of luck involved, but Dennis has done it before. I don't want to say it is a case of misplaced confidence. It is a function of hard work and really putting your head into something you really want. We have all the elements of success here. We have the will power, the expertise, the training and we have my backing. I am just a small piece of this story. Put all these elements together and nothing can stop us, only bad luck.”

At Ocala, Zedan bought a Union Rags colt for $950,000 and a filly by Flatter for $410,000. A few weeks earlier, he bought a colt by Custom For Carlos at Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale for $400,000. He hopes these 2-year-olds will flourish this year and beyond, but they are only one part of a master plan to develop the type of stable that consistently wins at the Grade I level. His horses will, of course, be trained by Dennis's brother, Doug.

“The plan is a combination of quality and quantity,” he said. “I realize trying to find diamonds in the rough is a function of getting a batch of them and then picking out the best diamond. We are very mindful of not throwing good money after bad. We're not looking to just shoot from the hip and, in terms of expenditure, that's what Dennis is good at. We have an annual budget. We're disciplined about that. We are looking at buying two year olds, but if there is a very good weanling or yearling Dennis likes, so be it, that's fine. We're looking at finding six to eight quality colts every year and maybe one or two fillies every year.”

Those who have profited from selling horses to Zedan can thank a movie, “Pretty Woman.” Zedan was born in Los Angeles in 1974 while his parents were there studying at USC, so he was well aware of Hollywood movies. When “Pretty Woman” came out in 1990 he said he was infatuated with the film.

“I watched “Pretty Woman” when I was a kid and it had a profound impact on my life, from the escargot, from being in the same line of business as Richard Gere's character, to polo. That polo scene really intrigued me and got me into that game.”

Zedan became a serious polo player and is the head of and a player for the Dubai-based Zedan Polo, which won the prestigious Dubai Cup in 2016. His polo career led him to become infatuated with horses and a next logical step was to get involved in racing.

“Before polo, I had been completely oblivious to horse racing,” he said.

His first foray into the racing business came in Argentina, where he bought a 2-year-old and a yearling. But what really got him hooked was California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit). When the new partnership was formed to race and then breed California Chrome, Zedan was offered a piece of the horse and willingly bought in. The thrills he experience being involved with California Chrome, including standing in the winner's circle at the 2016 G1 Dubai World Cup, convinced him that this was a sport he had to be major part of.

“California Chrome is what really gave me a taste of the business,” he said. “It was a great feeling. I caught the bug and I began to think aggressively about how I could get more involved in the business. I started talking to Frank Taylor a lot and he explained to me about the Thoroughbred business in North America and gave me an introduction as to how things worked. That's how this whole thing transpired.”

A few months later, Zedan was watching the Kentucky Derby and noticed that one person was getting much of the credit for Nyquist's win.

“Up comes Doug O'Neill on the podium and he was obviously very happy,” Zedan said. “I didn't know who Dennis O'Neill was. But Doug said that Dennis O'Neill was the best guy in the business. I called someone and said I want Dennis's number now. I called Dennis and said to him that your brother said you are the best and I want to work with you. And the idea was that within five years we're going to win the Derby twice. Whatever it takes. We have to do that.”

Many wealthy Arab owners also race in Europe, but Zedan said that is not for him. Not only was he born in America, but he was also educated here. He studied engineering, first at Texas A & M and then at the University of the Pacific. Plus, he believes there is no victory in all of racing more important than one in the Kentucky Derby. He's even tried to acquire a major horse this year. He says he made substantial offers to the connections of Gunnevera (Dialed In) and McCraken (Ghostzapper) to buy their horses but was turned down both times.

So he'll have to come by a Derby winner in a more conventional way. In addition to the 2-year-olds he has purchased this year, he has added some of other top prospects to his stable. His recent purchases include a Medaglia d'Oro yearling and A Will Take Charge weanling at the sales. He also bought a now 3-year-old Uncle Mo privately. The colt has yet to race, but he says the O'Neill brothers are very high on him.

Then there was his private purchase of Keane (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}). The horse has won four straight in Argentina, including the G1 Mio Dardo Rocha International.

“I kind of went off on a tangent because I wanted to acquire a horse to run in the Dubai World Cup, so I bought a Group 1 winner in Argentina,” he said. “We sent him to Doug hoping we had found the next Invasor (Arg) (Candy Stripes). He got to Doug's barn in late January but didn't acclimatize very well. He had a harsh trip from the Southern Hemisphere. We are going to miss the Dubai World Cup, but we're going to have a lot of fun with him.”

Zedan lived in the U.S. until he was “five or six years old” and then his family moved back to Saudi Arabia. He operates the Zedan Group, a Saudi Arabian business started by his father that specialized in engineering. The younger Zedan has expanded the company and it now includes a number of companies that not only focus on engineering but also infrastructure, power and water and oil, gas and petrochemicals.

If it sounds like Zedan can be a bit overeager, he is. That's where Dennis O'Neill comes in.

“He never thought of me as a Saudi businessman who has a passion and is off on a wild shopping spree,” he said. “He is very calculating. He has a very interesting scientific thought process as to how to put a plan together and how to execute it. He's very conscientious when it comes to spending my money. Many times he has held me back from being too aggressive. Dennis and I have become very close. He is absolutely the best.”

So can an astute bloodstock advisor, a top trainer and a new owner with deep pockets and tremendous ambition conquer the Kentucky Derby and American racing as a whole? It doesn't sound like a combination you want to bet against.