Eclipse’s Approach to Auctions and Acquisitions
As the world gets smaller, so does the global racing scene — and that leads to fierce competition for top-quality bloodstock in the global private market. Therefore, while Eclipse still actively acquires racehorses privately, we also incorporate public auctions — both for yearlings and 2-year-olds — as a critical component of our scouting and acquisition process.
How Eclipse Is Different
One of the main distinctions between Eclipse and other partnerships is that we rely on our President, Aron Wellman, and Executive VP of Bloodstock, Sean Tugel, to evaluate, inspect, and ultimately decide which animals to add to the stable. While most other partnerships outsource this critical function to consultants and bloodstock agents, Eclipse bears this responsibility entirely — there is no passing of the buck to third parties with no intimate connection to the company or our partners.
The “It Factor”
Whether a horse is acquired privately abroad or at a domestic auction, transparency about the horse and the partnership opportunity is essential. But it’s also important to educate our partners about the “it factor” we see: What makes us believe that this particular horse possesses the tools necessary to develop into a Graded Stakes-caliber runner?
One of the best ways we can share our insights is by having partners join us at public auctions. This allows Aron to share his rationale as he performs his due diligence process and gives partners an illuminating behind-the-scenes experience.
We want our partners to be informed, and we’re committed to empowering them with the knowledge we’ve acquired. The educational aspect of the service we provide establishes trust, and equips our partners with the perspective and skills they need to be effective owners.
Behind-The-Scenes Access
Many of our partners have only experienced the frontside of a racetrack on race day. They see the races being run, the gamblers placing their bets and the usual goings-on of a typical day at the track. But there is another side of this beautiful sport that we want our partners to understand, appreciate and embrace to the fullest.
From barn and backside visits to attending public auctions, partners are encouraged to take advantage of the VIP access Eclipse offers. It’s like having access to practices, the locker room and courtside seats to your favorite sports team.