who is Benjamin Warren?

[Stefan]

And exactly how many horses does he have?

Seriously, I've always wondered what's up with him. Seems like he's got a horse factory somewhere that helps to fill up the fields here...

[Hollywoodmike]

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ben Warren, one of California’s most prolific owner-breeders in recent years, has stopped breeding and will wind down his racing operation in coming years, he said on Thursday.

Warren does not plan to breed any horses in 2012, but said he will continue to race the approximately 150 horses of racing age and 2-year-olds he owns. In addition, Warren has a crop of horses that will be yearlings in 2012.

“The breeding is done,” he said at Santa Anita.

At one point, Warren said he had approximately 800 horses spread across “seven or eight ranches” in California. The cost related to keeping that many horses was “$750,000 a month,” he said. “It was ridiculous.”

As a breeder, Warren, 78, is well-known for the volume of Thoroughbreds his farms produced, and for naming horses after himself.

On Thursday at Santa Anita, Warren’s Hopeful won the first race for maiden claimers, Warren’s Mad Dawg finished last of seven in a $20,000 claimer, and Warren’s Knockout finished sixth in a $40,000 claimer for turf sprinters. Warren bred all three runners, but does not own Warren’s Hopeful.

He described his upcoming 2-year-old crop as “the best we’ve had.” Warren said he currently has 50 horses in training at Santa Anita with private trainer Jorge Gutierrez.

“We’ve got enough at home for five years,” he said of his future racehorses.

Warren’s operation was at its height in the late 2000s when his stable had more than 100 broodmares. During that time, his breeding farm in Hemet, Calif., had 25 stallions, most of whom he owned. Many of the stallions stood for modest fees, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500. He bought his first horses in the early 2000s, initially getting involved through claiming.

As he wound down his breeding operation in recent months, Warren said he kept only two stallions and disbanded his broodmares.

“I gave them all away,” he said, adding he could not recall where the broodmares and stallions were relocated.

Warren won the 2010 Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar with Warren’s Jitterbug. More recently, his Warren’s Flyer was third in the Melair Stakes at Hollywood Park in April, Warren’s Blossom was second in the Desert Stormer Handicap in June, and Warren’s Amber was third in the filly division of the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes at Santa Anita last Monday.

In business, Warren transports automobiles internationally for the U.S. Army and Navy. He said his firm moved 85,000 cars in 2011. Recently remarried, Warrren said he plans to retire from that job in October 2013.
http://www.drf.com/news/warren-gets-out ... g-business

[Stefan]

Fascinating!

$750k a month...must be nice to be able to float that...

[PrivateSmiles]

“I gave them all away,” he said, adding he could not recall where the broodmares and stallions were relocated.

That sounds like a red flag, for the welfare of the horses.

[Rosethorn2]

cripes! I thought I had big bills with FIVE mares and my own farm!!!

[Crazykid]

at one point i had 12 horses, all in different stages, broodmares, foals, horses being broke, horses in training, horses at the track.
ate me alive. thank goodness my horses at the track were bringing checks pretty regularily.

[Fredo]

cripes! I thought I had big bills with FIVE mares and my own farm!!!

I have a few "mares" all over the state. SF,SD and LA. Those 3 run me about 5k a month in expenses.I just turned 68 yesterday
and I'm getting too old to keep it up with all 3 of them on a weekly basis.

[Hollywoodmike]

Happy belated birthday Fredo!!!

[Fredo]

Thanks...

[PeteMo]

http://www.neighsavers.com/data/gigi.php

Well heres to hoping the broodmares he "gave away" did not go the same guy's as he gave these mares to.