Rick Dawson

After Being Pulled from Keeneland November Sale, Rich Strike Will Be Pointed to Racing

Owner Rick Dawson has changed his mind a few times regarding the career of his GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice). One day he's coming back to the races, another day he's to be sold as a stallion prospect, the next day it's back to trying to get him back to the races. It's not that Dawson is indecisive, it's more a matter of him reacting to what is a constantly changing situation. "A few weeks before the sale we had made plans to ship him to Gulfstream...

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Rich Strike Withdrawn from KEENOV, to Remain in Light Training at Margaux Farm

Rich Strike (Keen Ice), winner of the 2022 GI Kentucky Derby, has been withdrawn from Friday's Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale and will remain in light training, owner Rick Dawson has announced. "After much consideration, I have revised my plan for Rich Strike (KY Derby Champ #148/2022) and will not enter him in Keeneland Sales auction on Friday, 11/17/23," a statement from Dawson read. "At this time Rich Strike will continue his stay and light exercise at Margaux Farm. I would like to thank my family, friends and...

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Is The Derby Purse Fair? More Opinion from Readers

In the Sept. 30 edition of the Thoroughbred Daily News, we ran an interview with John Sikura  (Sikura: No Simple Solutions for a Fractured Sport, TDN, Sept. 27) in which he raised questions about the funding mechanism and purse of the Kentucky Derby. In Tuesday's TDN, industry insiders weighed in with their own commentary. Today, we publish additional opinions on the subject. Scott Heider, owner It made me smile recently when I saw my friend John Sikura shared his opinions in the TDN. Similar to the ongoing discussions we have...

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Rich Strike Nearing Return, Pegasus Is Possible

GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) is making progress since being sidelined since May with tendon problems and may make it back in time to compete in the Jan. 27 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, reports his owner Rick Dawson. Rich Strike last raced on May 5 when a distant fifth in the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs. He was subsequently transferred from the barn of trainer Eric Reed to Hall of Famer Bill Mott. "The bigger races we are pointing toward would include...

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Rich Strike to Bill Mott

Two weeks after it was announced that Eric Reed had resigned as the trainer of Rich Strike (Keen Ice), the 2022 GI Kentucky Derby winner has found a new home. Owner Rick Dawson has chosen Hall of Famer Bill Mott to take over the training duties. The story was first reported by Horse Racing Nation. "I have followed Bill's career for a while and have always been impressed with how he prepares his horses," Dawson said. "I wasn't on the inside, but it always seemed to me that he is...

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The Week in Review: Betting on Good Karma to Overcome Bad Headlines

Next week at this time, we'll know if the sport is on the cusp of another Triple Crown sweep. Of all the potential excuses for GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) not emerging victorious from the GI Preakness S., intense media pressure is unlikely to be one of them. You could make the argument that the diminutive, white-blazed chestnut with the endearing overbite has enjoyed one of the least-scrutinized post-Derby weeks of any winner in recent history. That's not so much because the spotlight on his accomplishment has dimmed....

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Over Dispute About Movie Deal, Eric Reed Resigns As Trainer of Rich Strike

by Bill Finley and J.N. Campbell After failing to come to an agreement over a proposed movie project, Eric Reed informed owner Rick Dawson via text Thursday morning that he has resigned as the trainer of 2022 GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice). Reed said he did so after Dawson gave him an ultimatum, telling him that if he didn't drop the movie project, he would move the horse to another trainer. "I have to do what's best for my family," Reed said. "Ultimatums never work. It's a...

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Change the Triple Crown? Let's Not Start That Nonsense Again

I suppose it wasn't a complete surprise that the connections of Rich Strike (Keen Ice) announced Thursday that their GI Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the GI Preakness S. and will instead point for the GI Belmont S., forgoing any chance he might have had to win the Triple Crown. Owners and trainers have grown so frightened by the idea of running their horses back on two-weeks' rest that something like this was inevitable. So this year's Preakness, missing the feel-good 80-1 winner of the Derby will not...

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Derby Winner Rich Strike To Bypass Preakness

Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who sensationally upended last Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby as the 80-1 longest shot in the field of 20, will bypass the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 21, owner Rick Dawson said Thursday afternoon. "Our original plan for Rich Strike was contingent on the Kentucky Derby--should we not run in the Derby, we would point toward the Preakness, should we run in the Derby, subject to the race outcome and the condition of our horse, we would give him more recovery time and rest and run...

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