Olin Gentry: One of a Kind

[Wandering Eyes]

Mutual friends thought Olin and I should meet a few years after Olin graduated college and several years after a Bank prematurely pulled the rug out from under his Dad disrupting a future Olin had prepared himself for since childhood. Our friends were right. We became instant friends. At the same time John Gaines was getting very bored just buying art after selling Gainesway Farm and began selecting high-quality broodmares through agents in 1990 when the market was at its lowest-but all the while he had his eye on young Olin whom, he told me later, was in his opinion a “certifiable genius.”

Mr. Gaines thought so much of Olin that when he formed John R Gaines Thoroughbreds in 1992 he granted Olin a large equity position in the new company. After Gaines’s passing, Olin continued to operate the venture forming a close relationship with the Coolmore Crew–John Magnier was a hero of Olin’s and Olin had his ear: In November of American Pharoah’s juvenile year, it was Olin that forcefully suggested Mr. Magnier buy the colt and take a position in Pioneerof The Nile’s syndicate which he did.

Olin knew a little about Stallions and Stallion Shares–he raised millions to start a Stallion Fund and made as his first purchase 30% of Tiznow when that stallion had three year olds. Along the way countless top mares, foals and yearlings passed through his hands-Olin loved the action.

We had our differences and when Olin wasn’t invited to my small wedding he called me on the morning of the ceremony with a smile in his voice and we talked for two hours. Olin loved to quote lines from movies to drive a point home and then howl with laughter. He was good friend who would do anything for those he loved.

We will miss him sorely and never see another quite like him.

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