Schumer Reflects On Dubai Successes

Having no family connection to bloodstock let alone the horse industry Schumer knew early what he wanted to do and from an early age worked on his craft.

“I tried to do as much as I could, with limited knowledge of how to get in (to the industry).

“It made it particularly difficult, but again, I had been studying pedigrees since I was really young. So, when I conversed with people in sales, I think the knowledge came through.

“I think it was apparent that I knew what I was talking about, and I was constantly making connections.

“As a teenager, I went to a few Fasigs Tipton and Keeneland sales. I had eventually planned to go to the University of Kentucky to try to get involved somehow.

“I tried to make as many connections and get as much experience as I could. It eventually paid off.

“Unfortunately, the University's curriculum was more agriculture-based which was more like pre-vet. That was not really where my interest level was.

“Then just as I was about to enter college, I saw that the University of Louisville here in town was starting an equine business program.

“So, I thought now that could work for me, so I went there and made a lot of connections and kind of launched from there,” he said.

What started with visits to the local bookstore purchasing the odd Thoroughbred Record or Blood-Horse magazine before attending the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, he would return to his alma mater as a guest lecturer in an opportunity that he remembers fondly.

“It meant a lot. I went to the University and as you said I had no family connection to the business, and my connection was going to a bookstore here called Hawley Cooke, it was a cool, beautiful local bookstore.

“When I found the Thoroughbred Record or the Blood Horse back in the day, it was like a revelation.

“For me, I didn't even know this existed. I bought one any chance I could get and just sort of devoured them, page by page.

“I was just enamoured with it with every story, particularly every international racing result.

“So, to get to the university and spend the four years there putting the time in and then go out and do it and work in this industry. Then to be able to come back into that very same space and then answer questions and talk to young people that want to get into the industry and give them my perspective, which is a little different than most, it was gratifying.”

For something he never knew existed, going to sales, studying pedigrees, and devouring it up like a never-ending hunger, Schumer recalls what it meant at its core.

“I think it's like a treasure map, in a way you're trying to find your way from point A to point B.

“To be able to get to that success there are so many avenues to do it that it’s almost like a matrix. I think the puzzle was always more interesting to me. ‘’

“The physical horse is obviously a wonderful thing. They are beautiful animals. They're tremendous to be around but I think it was always the idea of trading bloodstock and pedigrees and the travel that would go into it knowing full well that it was such an international business.”

He formed Schumer Bloodstock Agency in 1991 to pursue pedigrees and work with clients internationally to reach their goals within the horse industry.

Schumer said that once he had decided on breaking out on his own with the agency the rest was history, although initially a lot more shorter term plans.

“The plan back then was to pay the rent any way that I could.

“I could have managed to imagine we could have reached where we have because this is what I visualized, and this is what I wanted.

“But in terms of connecting the two going from that point of when you're first starting to getting to the point where you're like the leading buyer at a particular sale, it's not a linear movement.

“I thought I could do it but my goodness there were many, many moments of self-doubt.

“For me, I don’t know if I would advise anybody to go down the same route that I did. I just felt like I had to just work for myself.

“It’s the sort of industry that does allow you to print a business card and get out there on your way.

“I had been studying pedigree literally since I was five years old so even though I was very young I like to think I had a lot of knowledge about pedigree and was ready to get started.

“As is the case with most young people going out on an adventure like that, I learned quickly that maybe I wasn’t quite as far along as I would have liked to have thought I was.

“But over the years, we have gained the experience and kind of went from there.”

Schumer and his agency have grown over three decades to become heavy hitters in the industry as international buyers and sellers in the market, even being named leading buyer at Keeneland for the past few seasons. He said that there was not anything too unique that he looks at during sales in potential purchases.

“You're always looking for an athlete but every time you are looking for value in purchases.

“You can find value at ten grand, or you can find value at a million-dollar purchase, it depends on the situation. So, we always try to find the best value with our purchases.

“But in terms of buying young horses, it must be an athlete. A great walk, good quality, and lovely eye, I look for just the best type that I can for the budget that I'm dealing with.”

The agency specializes in advising, assisting clients, obtaining young stock, broodmares, and stallions, as well as insurance services amongst their services as Schumer said.

“Once you get to a certain level and you're constantly trading I think what makes the business so unique or at least for myself is the fact that every day is a different day.

“What I also found particularly interesting is that we have a very set sale schedule, so Keeneland in January and spring is the 2YO sales.

“The sales schedule is the same every year, yet every single sale is different. It's sometimes the same set of clients and sometimes it's some new people. Sometimes the current clients change their plans, so every time we approach a sale it's completely different.”

Schumer has had the opportunity to experience great milestones and work with some even greater horses. Super Saturday in Meydan this year proved very fruitful for Schumer and the team with two winners on the card.

Sound Money is a 5YO out of Vegas Trip, a US$23,000 purchase by the agency in foal to Flatter. He would win the Gr.3 Mahab Al Shimaal for trainer Bhupat Seemar and the Schumer connections were ecstatic with the victory.

“We were shopping for several clients at that sale and in particular a broodmare partnership that we were involved with.

“We cast a wide net and we look at as many horses as we can. When I saw her in the catalog, I just thought this is the type of mare that could fall through the cracks. In her case, we were right she did slip through the cracks, and we bought her for just US$23,000.

“She was pregnant with Flatter, who at the time was a tremendous giant. Claiborne had done such a good job managing him.

“There were never too many of them for sale so I just thought she would be carrying a real decent colt or filly, even at that price we knew it would be hard to go wrong.

“We were very lucky she had a beautiful colt, and he came to the market that November perfectly. The timing was exactly right.

“That colt was beautifully prepared, and he went to the sale. He was sold for US$200,000 and for us that November was incredible. There was so much interest, and it was a very low reserve.

“It's that moment that you strive for with all that work and putting in hours and hours of pouring over the catalog. Days and days at the sale and the barns all day long; through the rain, the snow, or the sunshine.

 “To see him then go on and be a top-level performer here in the US and then on that Super Saturday card winning that Gr.3, it was just fantastic.”

Also, on that Super Saturday card Schumer Bloodstock Agency through connections saw Go Soldier Go winning the Listed Al Bastakiya, winning by a head.

“We buy quite a few yearlings for European Breeze-up Consignors. We partner with John Cullinan and Roger Marley of Church Farm & Horse Park Stud.

“It was our second year of buying yearlings as a group partnership when the Dubai Breeze Up sale was launched. John and Roger were very keen to have a couple of colts for that sale.

“We were looking for a very specific type. A big, strong American type of horse that would translate well to the Middle East.

“We bought two colts, and both were successful for us.

“Go Soldier Go as a yearling, as soon as he walked out, I remember him so well. As soon as he walked out, I saw him and thought wow that’s exactly the right type we are looking for.

“Then he walked for me and showed a lot of athleticisms and a lot of quality, I was determined to buy him.

“We only paid US$45,000 for him, but at the time for Tapiture that was a solid price. I felt very confident that he was the right type of individual to go over. Fortunately, he proved us right.”

Schumer agreed that the market often got it wrong and a yearling or any other purchase may be passed over or slip through the crack at the sale but go on to be something great.

“I mean there is story after story of yearlings bringing very little money and going on and doing well.

“When you're shopping specifically to pin hook for a sale, whether it's in the United States, Europe, or Dubai, as the case may be, you're looking for value because you fully intend to resell this horse.

“So you have to put yourself in a position buying that you can get out in a comfortable level and that's what we try to do.

“I suppose other buyers or pickers do things differently but in terms of in America, the market is so large that at a sale there may be 3500 yearlings to be absorbed in 10 to 12 days.

 “It's going to create opportunities without a doubt.”

Schumer has had the opportunity to also deal with some great broodmares over his career with one producing the Gr.1 February Stakes winner in Lemon Pop.

“We're very proud of the fact that nine subsequent grade one winners or Gr.1 winners are out of mares that were purchased by us at sales.

“We bought the dam of Round Pond, a Breeders’ Cup winner, and Kip Deville, another Breeders’ Cup winner before they went on to their Grade One success.

“Lemon Pop is the most recent and just won the February Stakes in Japan. We bought that mare privately after she was let out unsold at Keeneland.

“We’ve also had Gr.1 winners in Australia and even a Gr.1 winner in Saudi Arabia. We have been lucky that a lot of our purchases have had success at the highest level really across the globe.”

The agency also has worked with great sires in the past including Redesdale who was sired by Speightstown also as Schumer said.

“Gosh, we have done a lot of stallion deals in the Gulf region and Saudi Arabia.

“We've purchased First Defence who was a high-level grade one winner here in the States and has gone on to do well there. We also raced a nice horse called Worldly, a horse that was Breeders’ Cup placed for us and went on to Saudi Arabia and become a top stallion, at one-point top stallion.

Schumer takes great pride in the experiences he has had on behalf of clients in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and the Gulf region.

“It means the world because when someone puts the trust and confidence in you to purchase horses for them, you want to do a great job.

“Many years ago I was contacted by the Saudis and started buying a small number of mares. I think the first year we bought three or six mares for them, and they were really happy with the quality of the mares and the price and value that they got.

“So the next year it was 20 something and it got up to 48 mares at one particular Keeneland sale, which kept us pretty busy.

“But recently we bought a lot of 2YOs. My Map and Just for Sul were both purchased for Prince Sultan bin Mishal al Saud, he's had a lot of success this season racing in Saudi and the United States.

 “The first horse I bought for him was a horse called Saham, who was a graded stakes winner right here at Churchill Downs.

“So we've done particularly well in that part of the world and we're just pleased that people are confident enough in us to give us a chance to buy for them.”

With the Dubai Breeze Up sale approaching and Schumer having said in the past that he loves finding pedigrees or types that would perform well in the region he said what the sale approaching was looking like for them.

“What we normally do when we are buying for European breeze-up sales, we look for a horse that looks light on its feet and looks like it could come to hand early and handle those surfaces.

“In Dubai, it's a different scenario, it's a dirt scenario. So we look for a very American type of dirt horse typically a little bit bigger, with a little bit more bone and more scope.

“So this year we have two that we are involved with going to the sale, in particular, John and Roger at Church Farm & Horse Park Stud have a Classic Empire colt and he's a lovely colt out of a Giants Causeway mare who's a graded stakes mare.

“She's been a lovely producer and we're pleased to offer him. Classic Empire is a fairly young sire in America and a champion 2YO but every time I look at a Derby prep or a Kentucky Oaks prep there is a Classic Empire in the race.

“So he is producing a classic type that I think in particular suits Dubai.”

Heading into the Dubai World Cup meeting, Schumer is excited about having two Super Saturday winners on the card, in Go Soldier Go and Sound Money.

“Those will be the flagship pair for us and to have two winners on a card like that, it was just wow and just so amazing! So, we are watching them with great interest.

“We are so much looking forward to the World Cup for that reason and we hope they both perform big. Sound Money will likely be running in the Gr.1 Golden Shaheen, it’s one of the top races in the world and even though the competition will be even tougher we think he will step up.

“He’s proven top level here in the States and he was second to Cody’s Wish, who is one of the top horses in training here in America so we think he will run big.

“Go Soldier Go has gone from strength to strength. It looks to me like every single start he's had, he has improved. As the distances have gotten longer it's played in his favor.

 “I think he's going to show up once again in the UAE Derby.”

Having been born and raised in Kentucky and traveling the world, Schumer said that every day was different, and he had to think back on how far he had come while in some memorable places across the globe.

“I have thought that a couple of times throughout my travels. I woke up one time in Perth and traveled to a farm south of there on the coast of far Western Australia. I thought to myself I'm about as far away as you could be from home physically right now. So that was cool.

“I've been to Morocco, racing all over Europe and in Eastern Europe, Hong Kong was amazing, and Macau was one of my favorite places.

“I've just very lucky that the business has taken me literally to every continent bar Antarctica, and that is still on the bucket list.”

Chad Schumer and Schumer Bloodstock Agency are far from done as he said. “Schumer Bloodstock right now, it's not just me, it's

Mary Motion and Nancy Sexton are a huge part of our success, and I could not do it without them.

“So, we just try to grow the business and go from strength to strength, and I think that’s the main thing.

“We're selling at the sale in Dubai this year, in the sales in Arqana in France, and throughout the breeze up sales in Europe, and here in the States.

“We are doing a lot of racing now and enjoying that very much and hoping for a big year doing that.”