Before Rombauer won the Preakness, his owners planned to sell the bay colt

So what’s the deal with Rombauer? His owners, Diane and John Fradkin, planned to sell him. They view themselves as “small-time, commercial breeders” who sell most of their horses.

The Fradkins were planning on selling Rombauer last year, but the pandemic threw things off.

The Fradkins ended up racing Rombauer instead, with the hope they would be able to sell him later. He won at Del Mar, but the (later proved inaccurate) time was regarded as unimpressive. That made a sale more difficult. They continued to race him, and he ended up improbably winning the Preakness. He has won three times in seven starts.

The entire story via Blood Horse is a good read.