The 30th anniversary of the Forbes 400 was published in the eponymous magazine of October 8, 2012. It took a net worth of $1.1 billion to make this year’s list of the 400 wealthiest Americans.
Following are six billionaires on the Forbes list with a current connection to horse racing. (There may be others on the Forbes 400 involved with horse racing that I am not aware of.) Billionaires Carl Icahn and Robert McNair were formerly very active in horse racing but no longer are.
Lee Bass (Ramona Bass), age 56
Fort Worth, Texas
Net Worth: $2 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 239
Source of Wealth: Oil (Bass Enterprises Production), Investments
The Bass horses run in the name of Ramona Bass, wife of Lee Bass.
Forbes: “Funded Fort Worth Bass Performance Hall… Lee…is a dedicated conservationist who raises black rhinoceroses.”
Daniel Gilbert, age 50
Detroit, Michigan
Net Worth: $1.9 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 250
Source of Wealth: Quicken Loans, the largest online lender in the United States.
Mr. Gilbert is a partner in Rock Ohio Caesars, the parent company of the horse racetracks Turfway Park in Kentucky near Cincinnati, Ohio and Thistledown in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He is a self-made serial entrepreneur. Mr. Gilbert owns the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association.
Forbes: “Gilbert founded, owns, or controls about 40 loosely connected companies… Now he’s trying to create a tech hub in downtown Detroit.”
B. Wayne Hughes, age 79
Lexington, Kentucky
Net Worth: $1.9 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 250
Source of Wealth: Self-Storage
Mr. Hughes is the founder of Public Storage and owns the fabled Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
Forbes: “Hughes opened his first self-storage facility in 1972; that one location led to the Public Storage chain… (Hughes is) a Thoroughbred enthusiast.”
Brad Kelley, age 55
Franklin, Tennessee
Net Worth: $1.9 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 250
Source of Wealth: Tobacco
Mr. Kelley founded and sold Commonwealth Brands. He owns the legendary Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky and is the majority owner of Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky.
Forbes: “Farmer’s son, he peddled discounted cigarette brands… Now a rancher, he owns 1.7 million acres in Texas, Florida, and New Mexico. Mostly used to propagate rare animal species, like the pygmy hippo and okapi.”
Sidney Kimmel, age 84
New York, New York
Net Worth: $1.2 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 360
Source of Wealth: Retail
Mr. Kimmel is a racehorse owner and the father of trainer and veterinarian John Kimmel.
Forbes: “Founder of Jones Apparel Group, now focuses on his movie production company…”
Kenny Troutt, age 64
Dallas, Texas
Net Worth: $1.2 billion
Rank on Forbes 400: 360
Source of Wealth: Telecommunications
Forbes: “Bartender’s son made his money in telecom. He now owns Winstar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.”
Copyright © 2012 Horse Racing Business
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