Report: George Soros is a secret part-owner of Belmont hopeful Justify

Justin Sayers | Courier Journal

There is a third, well-known owner of Triple Crown contender Justify. But unlike the other two, he vigorously has avoided the spotlight.

The New York Times reported Thursday that billionaire George Soros is behind a company that owns 15 percent of Justify's breeding rights.

China Horse Club and Lexington area-based WinStar Farms, which have been front-and-center during Justify's potentially historic run, own the other 25 and 60 percent, respectively.

Soros, 87, is mostly known for his political support for liberal and progressive campaigns, including his support for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. He has a net worth of $8 billion, ranking him among the 200 richest people in the world, according to Bloomberg.

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The Times reported that his investment firm, Soros Fund Management, owns two companies, SF Bloodstock and SF Racing Group. SF Bloodstock focuses on the breeding side of the horse racing industry while SF Racing Group focuses on racing.

SF Bloodstock purchases stallions, or shares in them, and broodmares, and sells yearlings at auctions, according to the Times. The company entered a three-year partnership with WinStar Farm and China Horse Club in 2015, which is how the group partly acquired Justify and third-place Kentucky Derby finisher Audible.

The company quickly sold its racing rights in Justify and Audible to Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing, according to the Times.

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Executives from Soros Fund Management oversee the businesses, including the fund's longtime tax counsel and the chief financial officer for the fund's family office. SF, which is also a part-owner of Newgate Farm in Australia, has breeding stock in the U.S., Australia, Ireland and France.

The newspaper could not determine how much money Soros has committed to the horse racing industry.

Justify will look to become just the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown during Saturday's Belmont Stakes race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Justin Sayers: 502-582-4252; jsayers@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @_JustinSayers. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/justins.