“Grant’s Farm and the Clydesdales are all-important elements of the heritage of Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch and the city of St. Louis, and those, of course, would be retained.”

So wrote InBev CEO Carlos Brito on the Post-Dispatch Commentary Page on June 17. Four weeks later, on July 14, Anheuser-Busch’s board of directors agreed to accept InBev’s $52 billion offer for the company. Two weeks after that — which is to say, yesterday — Jeremiah McWilliams of the Post-Dispatch reported:

“Grant’s Farm, the historic estate of the Busch family, will operate on a reduced schedule starting Aug. 10. The estate will be open on Saturdays and Sundays only, according to Anheuser-Busch Cos., which leases and operates the property.”

A company spokesman said “escalating operating costs require us to make some changes.” So instead of operating five days a week (Wednesday through Sunday) through the fall, the company decided that fall begins on Aug. 10.

Oh sure, you’re skeptical. But to paraphrase a great president, “it all depends on what the meaning of ‘retained’ is.”

Mr. Brito only said “Grant’s Farm” would be retained. He didn’t say when it would be open, did he? For that matter, he didn’t say it would be open to the public, did he? St. Louis should be grateful it’s open at all.

What’s more, he said “Clydesdales” would be retained. Anheuser-Busch has 250 of the great steeds, each one of which may be seen as an escalating operating cost on four hooves, eating two or three bales of hay every day, not to mention four or five gallons of crimped oats, beet pulp, bran, minerals, salt and molasses and consuming 30 gallons of water. When you have $52 billion worth of debt to pay off, how many of those 250 do you really need?