Sheila Rosenblum, owner of Lady Sheila Stable, is manager of a syndicate that will rely significantly on female investors.
Lady Sheila Stable Two, LLC, the newly launched syndicate, expects to begin racing this summer.
The new syndicate will further solidify the partnership between Rosenblum and acclaimed trainer Linda Rice, who will enter the ownership group as a member and select and train all of the horses. The pair has most recently shown success with a breakout victory by La Verdad in the Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Rice became the first woman to win a training title in New York by saddling 20 winners at Saratoga Race Course in 2009. The Saratoga training title marked the first ever by a woman at a major racing venue.
Lady Sheila Stable Two has already begun purchasing two-year-olds and plans to add between four and six horses to the stable through private sales, yearling auctions and weanling auctions, each with an average purchase price of $200,000. Each membership unit in the stable will cost $100,000 and it is anticipated that there will be no ongoing costs charged for a two-year period.
The ownership group will strongly encourage the participation of female investors at a time that the racing industry has experienced an increased interest among women. According to NBC Sports, 52 percent of the 16.2 million viewers of the 2013 Kentucky Derby were women, making it the only major annual sporting event that draws stronger viewership numbers among females than males.
“Racing is a truly thrilling sport that has provided me with a great deal of personal enjoyment. I strongly believe that increasing interest in the sport among women is crucial to the long-term vitality of the industry,” said Rosenblum. “This new syndicate will provide women with the opportunity to gain exposure and experience in an often male-dominated game. I look forward to welcoming other like-minded women to join me as we create this exciting racing opportunity.”
“Racing needs more owners who are as determined and resilient as Sheila. We have developed an amazing partnership together that will serve as the foundation for the new syndicate,” said Rice. “I anticipate the long-term success of this new endeavor and the horses that will race for these silks.”
Rosenblum has experienced increasing success in the racing industry since becoming an owner in 2010. Her passion and interest in thoroughbreds prompted her entry to racing following a successful career as a model with well-known agencies Wilhelmina and Ford. Rosenblum is also an alumna of The Royal Ballet School in London and the School of American Ballet, the associate school of the New York City Ballet.
Rice brings over two decades of training experience to the ownership group. She was recently named New York-bred Trainer of the Year by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. for the third time.
Rice made her initial mark at Saratoga when she won back-to-back graded stakes in Saratoga’s prestigious two-year-old filly series, winning the Adirondack and the Grade 1 Spinaway with Things Change. Rice built on her success at Saratoga in 2000 with City Zip, sweeping all of Saratoga’s graded stakes for two-year-olds. Rice was later honored with the Fourstardave Award for Outstanding Achievement by the New York Turf Writers Association for this accomplishment.
Lady Sheila Stable has a record of 13-8-10 from 51 starts since its inception, with earnings totaling more than $832,000. In 2014, due to the emergence of La Verdad, the stable has earned more than $357,000, ranking in the top 100 of 16,000 owners nationwide. The stable has a 4-2-4 record in 11 starts in 2014.
The investment opportunity with Lady Sheila Stable Two, LLC is open to accredited investors only. The minimum investment to become a member of Lady Sheila Stable Two is $100,000.