Amer Abdulaziz Salman

Lady Apple (Curlin-Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick), third in the 2019 GI Kentucky Oaks, has been retired and will be bred to Grade I sire Quality Road, owner Phoenix Thoroughbred announced on Monday. A four-time Grade III winner-in the 2019 Fantasy S., Iowa Oaks, Remington Park Oaks-and in the 2020 Houston Ladies Classic, the bay was trained by Steve Asmussen for the majority of her career. Bred by KatieRich Farms in Kentucky, the 5-year-old was a debut second at Keeneland in April of 2018 for trainer Mark Hubley after...

Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Phoenix Ladies Syndicate have been barred from racing in Dubai, the Racing Post reported on Thursday. Phoenix, which is already prevented from racing in the UK and France, does not have any runners in Dubai yet and last raced in the UAE in 2020. In November of 2019, Phoenix's founder, Amer Abdulaziz Salman was named in an alleged money laundering and fraud scandal in New York in connection to the crypto currency Ponzi scheme OneCoin. Phoenix denies all claims. "We have the horses in the stable but...

Effective Monday, Sept. 7, Phoenix Thoroughbreds cannot have runners in races in Great Britain until further notice, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Thursday. Phoenix had earlier in August made the decision to leave UK racing and was reportedly banned from racing in France a few days later. Any horse currently entered will not be permitted to be declared in its current ownership. All racing administration accounts of all registered ownership entities that involve Phoenix Thoroughbreds have been suspended. The BHA is in regular correspondence with Phoenix Thoroughbreds, and after...

Phoenix Thoroughbreds and the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate have been allegedly banned from running horses in France, Racing Post reported late on Friday. France Galop has not confirmed the ban. Phoenix Thoroughbreds has been shrouded in controversy since last November when its founder and chief executive officer Amer Abdulaziz Salman was named in a U.S. federal court trial as being involved in a money-laundering operation. Abdulaziz was also accused of stealing money from sham cryptocurrency OneCoin, which he purportedly helped to run. Abdulaziz has repeatedly denied the allegations. Phoenix announced earlier...

Phoenix Thoroughbreds has announced that it will end its racing operations in the UK with immediate effect. Phoenix Thoroughbreds has been embroiled in controversy since last November when its chief executive officer Amer Abdulaziz Salman was named in a U.S. federal court trial as being involved in a money-laundering operation. Abdulaziz was also accused of stealing money from sham cryptocurrency OneCoin, which he purportedly helped to run. Abdulaziz has repeatedly denied the allegations. A statement from Phoenix on Tuesday read in part, "everybody at Phoenix Thoroughbreds is keen for investment...

Tom Ludt, who joined Phoenix Thoroughbreds as head of U.S. operations in December of 2017, has left the company, Racing Post reported. According to Ludt, he accepted a termination agreement offered by Phoenix's creator, Amer Abdulaziz Salman. Abdulaziz's brainchild operates on multiple continents and has enjoyed Group 1/I success, but first came under investigation in November of 2019, as first reported by Racing Post. Abdulaziz allegedly stole €100 million from sham cryptocurrency OneCoin-which he allegedly helped operate as an international Ponzi scheme-and reinvested those funds into thoroughbreds through Phoenix. The...