Rashid al Maktoum, who had purchased Shamardal, a thank you
note. Hertrich sent Sheikh Mohammed another note following
one of the colt's Group 1 wins. About two months later, Her-
trich received a crystal trophy given out to the winning owner
from Sheikh Mohammed.
"He sent it to me as a gift," Hertrich says. "How many people
would do that? A lot of people don't realize the generosity he
possesses."
Hertrich, McCarthy and Fielding sold the colt's 11-year-old
mare, Helsinki, in foal to Cherokee Run in 2004 for $3.9 million.
Her Unbridled's Song weanling filly sold for $1.9 million. It was
by far the trio's biggest score at the time and led to some sim-
ilar sales in the next two years.
In 2009, McCarthy, who had been battling melanoma, passed
away at age 58. It was a particularly emotional loss for Her-
trich, who had learned so much from McCarthy, and who was
also losing his confidant and great friend.
"He was proactive, watched the foals every day and we were
different than anybody else in that our horses were raised out-
