By Katie Merritt
Owner Warren Bush grew up in Lake Park, Iowa, only two and a half miles from the Minnesota border. He is a successful attorney, but has also been very involved in the Iowa HBPA (Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association), having served as vice president and currently is a popular candidate for the presidency.
Bush has been a fan of racing ever since a friend took him to the races at Aksarben Racetrack in Nebraska many years ago. “Ownership was always sort of a bucket-list thing, just to buy a racehorse,” he explained, “and now I own 17 thoroughbreds!” Of those, three of them are mares that Bush takes to Kentucky to breed. He initially brought them home to foal in Iowa, but because of the purse enhancements at Canterbury due to the SMSC agreement, he began foaling them out in Minnesota as well. “I wanted to spread my risk a little bit. It made a lot of sense to me to foal in Minnesota, too,” he reasoned.
For Bush, racing is a family affair, and almost all of his horses are named after family members. “My good broodmare, the dam of Hot Shot Kid, is Our Sweet Mary B. She’s named after my first granddaughter Mary Bush.” He said with a smile. Hot Shot Kid, a 3-year-old Majestic Warrior colt, is Bush’s first Minnesota – bred, who won a Maiden Special Weight at Oaklawn before dominating an allowance at Canterbury last weekend. Hot Shot Kid is trained by Mac Robertson.
Bush enjoys being an owner and getting to watch his horses run and win, but there are other facets of ownership that he enjoys as well, “I would say the people we’ve met is my favorite part,” Bush said. “We’ve met a lot of great people.”
