Chris Mara, the Giants’ senior vice president of player personnel, was on a roll in 2012.
His Giants had again tormented the Patriots when it mattered most, defeating them 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. His daughter, Rooney, had been nominated for an Academy Award.
“I was kind of feeling pretty good about everything,” Mara said.
He was feeling so good that he decided to join Starlight Racing, one of a number of high-end partnerships that annually target the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. When it comes to high-risk, high-reward ventures, entities such as Starlight lead the way.
Six years later, the Giants may no longer be on a roll. Mara sure is.
He will travel to Belmont Park on Saturday to see if Justify, a horse he invested in through Starlight Racing, can complete one of the rarest feats in sports by winning the Triple Crown. New Giants coach Pat Shurmur will appear in the paddock to call “Riders Up,” signaling it is time for trainers to give their jockeys a leg up on their horses.
The pin worn by Tim Mara, Chris’ grandfather, when Tim worked at Belmont Park from 1921-39. Chris will wear it at Saturday’s Belmont.Courtesy of Chris Mara “I think the level of excitement come Saturday will be pretty huge for me,” Mara said.
Starlight announced March 4 that it had purchased an interest in Justify, then nothing more than a promising 3-year-old that had won his career debut.
The scenario is beyond anything Mara could have imagined when he discussed the possibility of joining Starlight Racing with managing partner Jack Wolf six years ago. Wolf recalled of their conversation, “He said, ‘What I can bring in other than capital is good luck’ and, yes, he has brought us some luck.”
Perhaps that was inherited. Tim, Chris’ grandfather, famously risked a $500 fee to found the Giants in 1925, gambling that something called the National Football League might take hold. Tim was so respected as a legal bookmaker that he wore a silver pin with the number one when he worked at Belmont Park from 1921-39.
Chris’ father, Wellington, and his mother, Ann, were avid racing fans. They introduced Chris to the track when he was 10 years old. He soon shared their passion.
Success in thoroughbred ownership often stems from being involved with the right people. Wolf was astute, to say the least, when he took a minority stake in Justify. The transaction also included Audible, who went on to win the $1 million Florida Derby and run a game third in the Kentucky Derby.
Wolf said of Justify on March 4, “He is bred to go the classic distance and could develop into something special.”
One week later, Justify dominated a Santa Anita allowance race by 6 ½ lengths. Three weeks after that, he rolled in the Santa Anita Derby by 3 lengths. Four weeks after that, he delivered the Kentucky Derby by 2 ½ lengths. Two weeks after that, he took the Preakness by half a length.
Mara’s racing experience differs dramatically from his heavy involvement with the Giants, where he noted that he must accept his share of responsibility for successes and for abject failures such as last season.
“With the horse racing partnership,” he said, “basically my responsibility is to make sure the check clears and to smile in the winner’s circle.”
He will take with him on Saturday that silver pin his grandfather wore, knowing he needs all the luck he can muster. Only 12 horses have completed the Triple Crown since the accomplishment was first recognized in 1919.
Mara said of Justify’s prospects, “I do have a good feeling about it.”
