War Emblem Bonus Dispute Is Settled

In a pre-trial settlement, the long-running dispute over the $1-million bonus that War Emblem earned last year has ended.

“We’re not supposed to talk about it, but the other side seems to be talking, so I’ll tell you,” Russell Reineman said from his home in suburban Chicago. “I got $315,000, which is fine.”

After War Emblem won the Illinois Derby and Kentucky Derby, earning the bonus that was paid by an insurance policy taken out by Sportsman’s Park, Reineman demanded to be included in the payoff, since he owned the colt at the time of the Illinois Derby. But Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp., which paid $900,000 to buy 90% interest in the horse from Reineman 25 days before the Kentucky Derby, laid claim to the bonus. The settlement leaves the Thoroughbred Corp. with $685,000. Salman, who was 43, died of an apparent heart attack on July 22 and his family has taken over the stable.

Reineman said that he also shared in the estimated $17 million that the Thoroughbred Corp. received when it sold War Emblem to Japanese interests as a stallion.

-- Bill Christine