‘The Greatest Sport in the World’ Through the Eyes of Young Racing Fan Nate Rosen

The Life
Nate Rosen, Jeremy Rosen, Ed Rosen, BBN Racing, Repole Stable, Nest, Concrete Rose, Kilwin, Bracket Buster, Mo Stash, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR
Nate Rosen with Bracket Buster ahead of the 2025 Haskell Invitational Stakes, left, and at right with his father, Jeremy, after BBN Racing's Kilwin won this year's Test Stakes at Saratoga. (Courtesy of the Rosen family)

My name is Nathan Rosen. I am 16 years old from Middletown, N.J. Horse racing has been a passion of mine since I was born and I am so glad to share my experiences with you.

My earliest racing memories are going to Monmouth Park and Saratoga Race Course with my dad, Jeremy Rosen, and my grandfather Ed Rosen. My dad is a minority partner in BBN Racing and my grandpa is the general manager for Repole Stable. Both of them have given me memories I will never forget.

Nate Rosen, Jeremy Rosen, Ed Rosen, BBN Racing, Repole Stable, Nest, Concrete Rose, Kilwin, Bracket Buster, Mo Stash, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR
Nate Rosen with Concrete Rose after 2019 Saratoga Oaks. (Courtesy of the Rosen family)

My first true racing memory was Aug. 2, 2019, at Saratoga for the Saratoga Oaks Invitational. BBN, in partnership with Ashbrook Farm, campaigned Concrete Rose. Coming off a win over Newspaperofrecord in the Belmont Oaks, she was a heavy favorite coming into this spot. I remember the mood vividly. Everyone was very confident. But at Saratoga, you never know what can happen. An extremely slow pace had some BBN partners worried, but she ultimately won the race by open lengths with jockey Julien Leparoux giving her a couple of “love taps” crossing the wire. I jumped into my dad’s arms and playfully punched him a couple times in pure joy. She was BBN’s first racing millionaire and will always have a special part in my heart.

Another important memory of mine is Nest in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. Backtracking a little, Nest won her previous race, the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, on Haskell day when we were at Monmouth Park while my grandpa was in Saratoga. I was disappointed my grandpa wouldn’t be there with us since the Haskell has been an annual family tradition for as long as I can remember. Alabama weekend was extra exciting because on our way up to Saratoga for the weekend, BBN had a first-time starter, Mo Stash, win on debut. He later became a stakes winner and a barn favorite. It was a very good start to a great weekend. Leading up to the Alabama, the feeling was tense for the same reasons as Concrete Rose. We knew Nest was the best horse and just hoped she would show her best. And boy did she. She won by 4 ¼ lengths, sending Saratoga into a frenzy. What made this win super-special to me is that I got to spend it with my whole family. To this day, Nest’s win in the Alabama is one of best performances I’ve ever seen. I got the chance to see her off the track as well and she was one of the calmest horses I’ve ever been with. Whenever people ask me, “Nate, who’s your favorite horse?” I always say Nest, just because of her dominance on the track and her sweetness off the track.

Nate Rosen, Jeremy Rosen, Ed Rosen, BBN Racing, Repole Stable, Nest, Concrete Rose, Kilwin, Bracket Buster, Mo Stash, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR
Nate Rosen with his grandfather at Saratoga. (Courtesy of the Rosen family)

In spring of 2024, my birthday wish (I was born on April 3, 2009, which was opening day at Keeneland) was to take a trip to Keeneland. Safe to say, that was one of my best presents ever. On Thursday, I took a trip with my dad to Lane’s End Farm, Ashford Stud, and Spendthrift Farm. I got to see racing legends such as Flightline, American Pharoah, and Vino Rosso. All three of those horses I consider among the best of my lifetime. At Lane’s End, we even got to see and feed the great Zenyatta. On Friday, we went to the races and I finally was able to experience Keeneland. We had multiple entries, but the main entrant was Mo Stash. Coming off a great 3-year-old campaign, we were all excited to see his 4-year-old debut. He made our trip to Kentucky well worth it by winning impressively. Blue Grass Stakes day on Saturday was an amazing day. Seeing Sierra Leone win the race impressively and then go on to have the year he had, in hindsight, is very cool.

In 2025, another birthday wish came true. After an impressive 2-year-old campaign, my wish was to have BBN run Bracket Buster in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes. There was chatter about it, but it seemed like a stretch for his first start of the year. Ultimately, he ran a valiant second to Gosger and that race became the springboard for his memorable 3-year-old year. Bracket Buster will always be a very special horse to me because of his success in New Jersey. Winning the Pegasus Stakes impressively and coming back in the Haskell Stakes was a dream come true for me. Any horseman from New Jersey will tell you that having a horse in the Haskell is an amazing accomplishment. Even though he ran fourth, it was still so awesome to see him run like that on the biggest stage at the shore. My love for him keeps growing. It was incredible watching him on T.V., giving Sovereignty  all he had when he finished second in the Travers Stakes. To see his form keep true, taking home the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby was a great way to solidify himself as a top 3-year-old.

Kilwin, Test Stakes, Saratoga Race Course, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR
Kilwin wins Test Stakes. (Eclipse Sportswire)

My favorite horse from this past year has to be Kilwin. I was so stoked for her to start her year in the Limestone Stakes after a thrilling 2-year-old season ended in a very solid effort in the Breeders’ Cup. When it was time to make the switch to dirt in the Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes, I was nervous but excited. It was a new challenge. I was coming home from the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga and watched the race from the car.  My grandpa was driving and I was the passenger, attempting to give him play-by-play updates of the race while still trying to keep track of Kilwin. All the explanation of the race to him went out the window when they turned for home. I was losing my mind, rooting so hard to get her home. And it worked! After the race, I remember the text message I sent to my dad who was traveling. The exact text I sent him was “Welp … WE’RE GOING TO THE TEST!!!” I knew from that moment that was where I would want her to run. 

The Test Stakes was run on Aug. 2, the same date Concrete Rose won the Saratoga Oaks and coincidentally my mom’s birthday. Leading up to the race, everyone was saying, “I’d be happy with a second or a third.” Not me. I wanted to win and anything other than that was going to be a disappointment.

When we arrived at the clubhouse, we decided to watch the Test from the same spot where we watched Concrete Rose dazzle six years ago. The starting gates opened and, next thing you know, she spotted the field multiple lengths. I thought to myself, “Not like this …”. But as the race went on, that shifted to “Hang on, we’re not out of this yet.” Then they turned for home. When jockey Jose Ortiz angled her outside, I was mind blown. “Come on Jose! Come on Jose! Get up! Get up! Get up! YEAH!” I knew she was a winner as soon as she crossed the finish line.

We ran down to the winner’s circle yelling in pure joy. Once we got down there, I was high-fiving everyone I could see. I looked up to the crowd to see my grandparents and cousins cheering for us. It was a really extraordinary moment for me. It wasn’t until we got to the champagne room where we truly Kilwin’s the stumble out of the gate.

Kilwin’s win in the Test is the first BBN Grade 1 that I was able to watch in person and that has made my love for the sport grow ten times more.

Nate Rosen, Jeremy Rosen, Ed Rosen, BBN Racing, Repole Stable, Nest, Concrete Rose, Kilwin, Bracket Buster, Mo Stash, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR
Nate Rosen spends some time with Grade 1 winner Kilwin. (Courtesy of the Rosen family)

As you can tell, racing is extremely important to me. I spend hours scouring entries and results and watching past races on YouTube. Random times throughout the day, I will text my dad “Dad did you see this horse is entered here?” His response is usually, “What class are you in?”

As a hockey player, I tell all my friends that I would trade scoring an overtime goal for my horse winning a race. There is just something about the rush of adrenaline seeing your horse in front, barreling down to the finish line. The best part of racing however is the memories you make along the way. A lot of times during the summer, I’ll ask my grandpa if he wants to go to Monmouth Park. Whenever he says yes, I know that I’m in for a really awesome day.

Racing has completely shaped me to be the person I am today — the thrill of the race, the disappointment of losing, and all of the memories along the way.   There’s something about watching these magnificent animals doing what they were born to do that makes it really special. There is so much to be a fan of in racing … the races, the owners, the jockeys, and most importantly, the horses themselves. That’s why it is the greatest sport in the world.

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