{"id":1399,"date":"2016-02-11T17:55:14","date_gmt":"2016-02-11T17:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.linda-rice.com\/?p=1399"},"modified":"2016-02-13T18:17:16","modified_gmt":"2016-02-13T18:17:16","slug":"from-park-avenue-to-belmont-park-sheila-rosenblum-is-on-top-of-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lindarice.com\/index.php\/from-park-avenue-to-belmont-park-sheila-rosenblum-is-on-top-of-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"From Park Avenue To Belmont Park, Sheila Rosenblum Is On Top Of The World"},"content":{"rendered":"

By:\u00a0Teresa Genaro<\/a><\/p>\n

Original Article –\u00a0http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/teresagenaro\/2016\/02\/11\/from-park-avenue-to-belmont-park-sheila-rosenblum-is-on-top-of-the-world<\/a><\/p>\n

On January 16, Sheila Rosenblum stood on the stage at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida, clutching a statue of Eclipse, the legendary 18th century racehorse for which Thoroughbred racing\u2019s highest awards are named.<\/p>\n

Moments before, her six-year-old mare La Verdad had been named 2015 champion female sprinter, and if there had been any doubt before the Eclipse Awards ceremony, this distinction confirmed that Rosenblum, a relative newcomer to the sport, had arrived.<\/p>\n

A former dancer and model, Rosenblum bought her first racehorse in 2012 and got her first win three years later. Her initial forays into the sport had not been auspicious: the first horse she bought ended up in an ownership dispute that saw her returning the horse to its original owner. Giving the sport another shot, she bought seven yearlings whose racing careers could barely charitably be called mediocre; she dissolved the partnership and cut her losses.\u00a0And then came La Verdad.\u00a0\u201cShe has made a dream come true,\u201d said Rosenblum that night in Florida, her Eclipse Award in her hand.<\/p>\n

\"La<\/a>

La Verdad, jockey Jose Ortiz, and Rosenblum with her children Erik and Kara and a member of trainer Linda Rice\u2019s staff. Photo credit NYRA\/Susie Raisher<\/p><\/div>\n

Until the last several years, Rosenblum was best known as a regular on New York\u2019s society and charitable scene; a year ago, she and her daughter Kara received the \u201cVolunteer Par Excellence\u201d Award from the March of Dimes. A Google image search of her now turns up dozens of photos at New York\u2019s racetracks and the barn area of her trainer, Linda Rice. A year or so ago, you\u2019d have been more likely to get photos on the red carpet and in the Hamptons.\u00a0Those photos are just one indication of the extent to which Rosenblum has immersed herself in the sport<\/p>\n

Racing in the name of Lady Sheila Stable (after a yacht that her now-estranged husband named for her), Rosenblum went on to form two all-women partnerships: Triumphant Trio, with Rice and Iris Smith, a well-known New York philanthropist; and Lady Sheila II, whose partners include Smith, Douglas Elliman CEO Dottie Herman, equine artist Donna Bernstein, and Jill Zarin of \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n

In total, Rosenblum and her partners spent about $5 million on horses last year, including $840,000 for a two-year-old colt by the same stallion that sired Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Pioneerof The Nile.<\/p>\n

And while she\u2019s found success with the horses she\u2019s purchased at auction, the horses that she bought privately through trainer Linda Rice have become her stable stars.<\/p>\n

In 2013, Rice encouraged Rosenblum, then a new client, to buy two fillies that were being offered by another of Rice\u2019s clients. They were half-sisters, the second and third offspring of a mare whose first foal had become a successful racehorse.<\/p>\n

One of those sisters was La Verdad, who retired last month having earned more than $1.5 million, most of it for Rosenblum. The other, Hot City Girl, became Rosenblum\u2019s second graded stakes winner when she won the Charles Town Oaks last September. She\u2019s earned a little over a half million dollars, and she\u2019ll hope to add to that total with a win on Saturday in the Grade II Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel Park in Maryland.<\/p>\n

Until a couple of weeks ago, it was La Verdad who supposed to run at Laurel in the Fritchie this weekend. Though Rosenblum knew she\u2019d retire the mare this year to a breeding career, she and Rice had planned for the Fritchie to be her final race. That changed after the Eclipse Award.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s done so much and I wanted to end her career as a champion,\u201d said Rosenblum last week from her Park Avenue apartment overlooking Central Park. \u201cIf she didn\u2019t win or if she got hurt\u2026she deserves her new life and a new direction now. I wanted her to go out as a star.\u201d<\/p>\n

La Verdad won her final race, the Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on January 9. She retired with a record of 16 wins and three seconds in 25 lifetime races.<\/p>\n