Meet Asad Butt, Wasabi Ventures Stables Co-Owner Club Member
What attracted you to the horse racing industry?
I really love sports of all kinds, but horse racing was never on my radar until founder TK Kuegler told me that Wasabi Ventures Stables was his new startup venture. While hearing the passion in his voice about what horse racing entailed, I really became interested. Before that, over the years I watched some of the major horse races on television, but I never knew anything about the industry.
Being relatively new to the industry, what aspect of horse racing do you enjoy the most?
Obviously, I like the competition aspect of it. But as I’ve become more knowledgeable and engaged with the Wasabi Ventures Co-Owner Club community, I really like observing what happens behind the scenes regarding buying and selling horses. I had no clue about the process. I didn’t know that it’s common in the industry to buy and sell horses at a regular clip, besides training them, getting them ready to race, and hopefully win. It’s a huge part of the industry.
Before you became interested in horse racing, what was your perception of the industry?
I really thought it was just rich people buying horses, training them over the course of a couple years, and then racing them. That’s that. But the Wasabi Ventures Stables Co-Owner Club has shown me that it’s much more. Now I feel like I’ve gotten a crash course and my interest has increased.
While I was in Louisville, KY for the first time last year, I went to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum. If I wasn’t a part of the WV Stables Co-Owner Club, I don’t think I would’ve been as interested in the exhibits and the track. The exhibits on the history of horse racing, the people involved, and the popularity of the sport were so fascinating.
I didn’t go to the Kentucky Derby, but it’s on my to-do list now to make a trip there, wear a hat, and take part in the day.
Speaking of purchasing horses, we have six new 2-year-olds in our barn now. Each one has his or her own facial features and personality.
Yeah, that was surprising. It’s exciting to see the diversity of the horses. I guess I knew horses have various facial features and personalities on some level, but one of the best things I love about Wasabi Ventures Stables is the descriptions of each of the horses on the website as they come up for purchase. I feel like every time I read a horse’s description I fall in love with that horse because a) all of them seem to be great horses (which demonstrates the great job WV Stables has done in scouting out and investing in these animals), and b) I know that they’re going to be treated well through the training and racing processes.
Are there any issues in the industry that you’d like to see addressed or think might have a negative impact on the sport?
Before I got involved in the industry, my perception was that the horses were treated poorly, racing was not something that they liked to do, and it was all about gambling. Through conversations with TK and the community, my perception has been changed 100%. Some of those issues may still exist to a certain degree, but I love the transparency of Wasabi Ventures Stables, and the fact that the horses are always treated with the utmost respect. Everyone involved understands that the horses’ health is tantamount to everything.
How have you personally been affected by Wasabi Ventures Stables determination to be transparent with our Co-Owners?
The Co-Owners in the club communicate via Slack. A little while ago, it was determined that one of my horses couldn’t race anymore because it wasn’t good for him, but none of the Co-Owners of the horse complained. We understood that this was in his best interests. We lost our investment, but it was the right decision. Such decisions made in a transparent way by WV Stables is why I continue to be involved in the Co-Owner Club.
Being a WV Stables’ Co-Owner has completely been a learning experience for me and I can’t overstate the value of the community. Whenever I have a question, it gets answered right away. People are super nice and engaging. I think that makes all the difference. It’s fun to be a part of a community that’s engaged, passionate, and accepting of newcomers.
Besides the treatment of the horses and hearing the founder’s passion for the sport, are there any other reasons that you joined the Wasabi Ventures Stables Co-Owner Club?
It’s a fun thing to talk about. I enjoy telling other people I own a horse, even though I own a part of a horse. It also gets me engaged in a sport that I otherwise wouldn’t be.
For me, joining the Wasabi Ventures Stables Co-Owner Club was a cheap and easy way to become a co-owner of a horse. This is exciting because before I thought a person had to be very wealthy to purchase and manage one. But the club makes it extremely accessible to everyone, whether a person has limited interest in horse racing or is super engaged in the sport.
Who is your favorite horse?
To Honor and Love. She was one of WV Stables’ first horses and my first horse as part of the Co-Owner Club. She ran and won early on, so I fell in love with her. She had 4 career starts; and won 1st, 2nd, and two 3rds. For a first-time co-owner that’s exciting.
Summer is here and Wasabi Ventures Stables’ summer racing season is taking off! Discover the newest features on our website, upcoming networking events with fellow horseracing fans, and the latest news on the horses in our barn at the WV Stables Summer 2018 Info Session on August 1, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Please register here to attend.
