What It Feels Like When the Horse Is Yours
Real Stories
Going all in on racehorse ownership brought Jim, Scott, Robert, Sheila, and Rick closer to the sport they love, and to the unforgettable thrill of seeing their horse compete on racing’s biggest stage.
The First Step
Late afternoons at Del Mar have a rhythm of their own.
The sun hangs low over the Pacific, the crowd settles in, and the sound of hooves carries across the track.
For Jim Cahill, those afternoons were where it all began. Back in college, he and a group of friends would head to the racetrack after work, beach chairs and coolers in tow, settling in along the rail to watch the races. It was carefree fun, and the kind of summer tradition that sticks with you.
Years later, the game changed. Instead of watching the horses run, Cahill was suddenly watching his horse run.
The same sense of excitement drew others in. Scott Knight grew up with family traditions at the track, remembering how his mother and grandmother always bet the gray horse.
Robert and Sheila Bambauer had long loved the sport and the people behind it. And Rick Sutcliffe, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, knew the feeling of high-stakes competition well.
Now, standing together as part of a partnership behind Pali Kitten, they share something more than a casual day at the races.
When the gates open, the horse on the track isn’t just another number in the program. It’s theirs.
Why They Decided to Own
None of these owners followed the same path into the sport.
Some grew up around racing, but others arrived through family traditions or curiosity. What they share is the realization that ownership made the experience far more personal.
For Cahill, the connection began years ago at Del Mar, where afternoons at the track with friends turned into a lifelong affection for the sport. Owning a horse transformed that familiar routine into something entirely different.
“There’s nothing like it when I have a horse running,” he says. “You’re yelling, you’re screaming, you’re jumping up and down with your friends and family.”
Knight traces his love of racing back to memories with his family. His grandmother always bet the gray horse, a small ritual that stuck with him. Today, ownership gives him a way to recreate those moments of camaraderie and celebration with friends.
For Robert and Sheila Bambauer, the draw has always been the community surrounding the sport. It’s the trainers and people behind the scenes who care for the horses every day.
They all had different beginnings, but the same pull toward something deeper than watching from the stands.
What Surprised Them
What surprised many of them was how familiar the feeling was.
Sutcliffe spent years pitching in Major League Baseball stadiums packed with thousands of fans. He had experienced pressure, adrenaline, and the electricity of competition at the highest level of sports. But when Pali Kitten stepped onto the track, something unexpected happened.
“It kind of feels like I just turned 20 years old when I pitched my first game in the big leagues,” Sutcliffe says. “My palms were sweaty.”
Knight discovered something else: how much the sport brings people together. His love of racing traces back to family traditions. Ownership, he says, is about the experience you share with the people around you.
“You forget about all your life problems for the time that you’re at the track,” Knight says. “You’re just having a good time.”
For this group of owners, the surprise was realizing how much more meaningful the moment feels when the horse is yours.
“You forget about all your life problems for the time that you’re at the track. You’re just having a good time.”
What They’d Tell Someone New
If there’s one thing these owners agree on, it’s that the hardest part is taking the first step.
Real talk: the idea of owning a horse can feel intimidating. But the owners behind Pali Kitten say the best moments come from sharing the ride with people who love the sport as much as you do.
Ownership isn’t just about the race itself. It’s the community built along the way and the anticipation that builds when your horse is about to run.
Whether you come to the sport through family traditions, friendships, or pure curiosity, the reward is the same. When the gates open and the horse is yours, it feels incredible.
And that’s when you realize why people decide to go all in.
Ownership Snapshot
Ownership Level: Go All In (Private Ownership & Strategic Partnerships)
Location: California
Years Involved: New to Veteran Owners
Favorite Moment: Watching Pali Kitten charge down the stretch with friends and family cheering from the suite
