2011 KENTUCKY DERBY HORSES_new

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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OPERATION COMING HOME’S 2011 KENTUCKY DERBY FUNDRAISER

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2011 KENTUCKY DERBY AUCTION OVERVIEW LIVE AUCTION FORMAT HIGHEST BIDDER TAKES HORSE 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd PLACE HORSE OWNERS TAKE CASH PRIZE 1 st Place - $500 2 nd Place - $300 3 rd Place - $200 GROUP BETTING IS ENCOURAGED! PLEASE, NO SIDE BETTING

ANIMAL KINGDOM:

ANIMAL KINGDOM OWNER – TEAM VALOR INTERNATIONAL Team Valor International is a syndicate race horse ownership group under the leadership of Barry Irwin. Team Valor has started 3 horses in the Kentucky Derby, with their top finisher being Captain Bodgit who ran second in 1997. Other Team Valor stars include Gitano Hernando, Cashier’s Dream, Unbridled Belle, Pluck, and Visionaire.

ANIMAL KINGDOM:

ANIMAL KINGDOM TRAINER – H. GRAHAM MOTION JOCKEY – JOHN VELAZQUEZ Motion, a native of Cambridge, England, moved to the United States at age 16 with his father who was a United States representative for the British sales company Tattersalls. Motion has captured over 1,000 races in his career and has had 2 starters in the Kentucky Derby. His biggest career wins came with Better Talk Now in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf and Shared Account in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. John Velazquez has ridden in eleven editions of the Kentucky Derby with his best finish coming in 2001 on Invisible Ink, who ran second. He won the 2004 Kentucky Oaks with Ashado, who would win the Eclipse Award for top Three-Year-Old filly in 2004 and in 2005 won for Top Older Female .

ARCHARCHARCH:

ARCHARCHARCH OWNER – ROBERT and VAL YAGOS The Arkansas-based couple has turned down multiple seven figure offers for their prized colt. The two own a salvage yard as well as a farm in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Archarcharch’s victory in the $1 million Arkansas Derby gave them their largest win in racing .

ARCHARCHARCH:

ARCHARCHARCH TRAINER – WILLIAM H. FIRES JOCKEY – JON COURT “Jinks” Fires, as he is known around the track, is one of 11 children from the small Arkansas town of Riverdale. He is one of eleven children many of whom are heavily involved in the racing industry including Hall of Fame jockey Earlie Fires. Jinks has been training horses for over 50 years and trained notable stakes winner Spotsgone. Archarcharch is his first Grade 1 stakes win and jockey Jon Court is his son-in-law . Court grew up in Ponce Inlet, Florida and began his riding career in 1980 in Colorado at Centennial Park. Court has notched over 3,000 career victories and has won riding titles at Oaklawn Park, Hoosier Park, and Ellis Park. Court has won several major stakes races including the Citation Handicap (G1) and the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap aboard Leroidesanimaux. In 2010, we won the $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby on Line of David and he scored international success with his win in the 2003 Japan Dirt Cup aboard Fleetsreet Dancer .

BRILLIANT SPEED:

BRILLIANT SPEED OWNER – LIVE OAK PLANTATION Live Oak Plantation’s last Kentucky Derby contender was in 2005 with High Fly who won the Grade I Florida Derby. In 2006, Live Oak Plantation’s homebred Miesque’s Approval won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Mile. To Honor and Serve became Charlotte Weber’s most prominent Kentucky Derby contender after easily winning the Nashua Stakes (GII) and Remsen (GII) in November 2010.

BRILLIANT SPEED:

BRILLIANT SPEED TRAINER – TOM ALBERTRANI JOCKEY – JOEL ROSARIO Albertrani made his way to the backstretch at age 13 when he walked and groomed horses for his uncle. He began his career as an assistant for top trainers Jack Van Berg, LeRoy Jolley, Saeed bin Suroor, and Bill Mott. Albertrani went out on his own in 2003 and in 2006 moved into the national spotlight when he trained 3-year old champion Bernardini. Other notable stakes winners he has trained are Odysseus, Deputy Glitters, and Gozzip Girl. Joel Rosario made his first appearance in the 2010 Kentucky Derby aboard Make Music for Me finishing fourth. He enrolled in jockey school for six months in his native Dominican Republic and by the age of fourteen had his jockey’s license. Joel won his first graded stakes race in 2008 aboard Zappa in the San Pasquel (GII) and his first Breeders’ Cup race in 2009 in the sprint division with Dancing in Silks.

COMMA TO THE TOP:

COMMA TO THE TOP OWNER – GARY BARBER, ROGER BIRNBAUM, KEVIN TSUJIHARA Three Hollywood movie makers own Kentucky Derby 137 contender Comma to the Top who has swept the $750,000 Cash Call Futurity (GI), Generous Stakes, and Real Quiet Stakes during Hollywood Park’s Fall Meet. Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum are co-founders of Spyglass Entertainment, the company has produced motion pictures like Seabiscuit, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Insider, and The Sixth Sense.

COMMA TO THE TOP:

COMMA TO THE TOP TRAINER – PETE MILLER JOCKEY – PATRICK VALENZUELA His interest in horses started at a young age when his parents would take him to the racetrack to watch their horses run. Peter wanted to be a jockey so at age 10 he went to a jockey school in Castaic, California for one year. When it was obvious he would grow to tall to pursue his dream of being a jockey, so he started to work as a groom on the backside during high school. After graduation, he worked full-time as a groom for the late Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Wittingham. Peter Miller has also worked for trainers Mike Mitchell and Don Wareen. Valenzuela burst on to the racing scene when he became the youngest jockey to win the Santa Anita Derby when he piloted Codex to win at age 17. In 1989, he guided Sunday Silence to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but came up just short of winning the illusive Triple Crown. Valenzuela has won seven Breeders’ Cup races and has ridden such outstanding horses like Arazi, Best Pal, and Lava Man.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

DECISIVE MOMENT:

DECISIVE MOMENT OWNER – JUST FOR FUN STABLES (RUBEN SIERRA) Sierra has had a passion for racing since he was just 6 years old when he would watch races with his family on Sunday afternoons in his hometown of Caracas, Venezuela.  For his 12th birthday Sierra picked out a thoroughbred that his father purchased for him, that horse went on to win two races.

DECISIVE MOMENT:

DECISIVE MOMENT TRAINER – JUAN ARIAS JOCKEY – KERWIN CLARK Arias came to the United States in 1981 after a brief riding career in his native Panama. He retired from riding to pursue a career as a trainer and in 2003 started is own stable. Based in Florida, Arias saddled his first stakes winner when Renda won the Brave Raj stakes at Calder. Decisive Moment will be his first starter in the Kentucky Derby. A native of South Louisiana, Clark has been involved in racing since an early age. Clark won his first race at Evangeline Downs in 1975 and has won over 2,000 races since then. Clark will be making his debut in the Kentucky Derby

DERBY KITTEN:

DERBY KITTEN OWNER – KEN AND SARAH RAMSEY Ken and Sarah Ramsey are natives of Artemus, Kentucky and are longtime horse lovers. Ken’s first glimpse of the Twin Spires came at age 5 when his family took a trip to Louisville and since that day he has always wanted to win the Kentucky Derby. The Ramsey’s have won numerous owners titles at racetracks across the country and have owned such stakes winners as Kitten’s Joy, Roses in May, Precious Kitten, and Pleasant Prince.

DERBY KITTEN:

DERBY KITTEN TRAINER – MIKE MAKER JOCKEY – JAVIER CASTELLANO Maker, the son of a trainer, grew up in the suburbs of Detroit attending races at Hazel Park and Detroit Race Course. At the young age of 13, Maker was already involved in the Thoroughbred industry as a horse owner. He was an assistant for Hall of Fame trainer D Wayne Lukas and worked with Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic. Maker opened his own stable in 2003 and has trained such graded stakes winners as Furthest Land and Stately Victor. Castellano began his riding career in his native Venezuela in 1996 and in June 1997 moved to the United States where he rode at race tracks in southern Florida until 2001 when he moved to race on the New York State racing circuit. In 2004, Javier Castellano got his big break when he was the rider for Frank Stronach's colt Ghostzapper on whom he won several major races including the 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic. In 2006, Castellano rode Bernardini for Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Darley Racing. Among his wins with Bernardini was the Preakness Stakes, and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

DIALED IN:

DIALED IN OWNER – ROBERT LAPENTA LaPenta and Zito (trainer) have teamed up on three trips to the Kentucky Derby, but the closest they have come to the winner’s circle is a fifth place finish with The Cliff’s Edge in 2005.  His horse, Ice Box, finished second in the 2010 Kentucky Derby.  In 2007 LaPenta won the Eclipse Award for top two-year-old War Pass, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for that year.

DIALED IN:

DIALED IN TRAINER – NICK ZITO JOCKEY – JULIEN LEPAROUX Zito saddled Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold in 1991 and Go For Gin in 1994 and trained Bird Town, who won the 2003 running of the Kentucky Oaks. He was inducted into the racing Hall of Fame in 2005. During that same year he saddled a record five starters for the Kentucky Derby, for five different owners. He has also won the Preakness with Louis Quatorze in 1996 and the Belmont twice with Birdstone in 2004, and Da’Tara in 2008 . Leparoux won the Eclipse Award in 2005 for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and then in 2009 for Outstanding Jockey and has had four mounts in the Kentucky Derby; his best finish was a fifth in 2006 with Sedgefield.  He took home the Shoemaker Award in 2009 at the Breeders’ Cup by winning three races, the Juvenile Fillies with She Be Wild, the Dirt Mile with Furthest Land, and the Filly and Mare Turf on Informed Decision

MASTER OF HOUNDS:

MASTER OF HOUNDS OWNER – MRS. JOHN MAGNIER Susan Magnier is the daughter of legendary Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien who campaigned champion Nijinsky II and is the wife of Coolmore head John Magnier. The Magnier’s have enjoyed great success in racing both in Europe and America. The two along with other partnerships have raced greats like Montjeu, High Chaparral, Galileo, Rock of Gibraltar, and Giant’s Causeway.

MASTER OF HOUNDS:

MASTER OF HOUNDS TRAINER – AIDAN O’BRIEN JOCKEY – GARRETT GOMEZ O’Brien is a formidable training force in his native country of Ireland having won numerous training titles on both the jump and flat circuit. In the mid- 1990s, O’Brien was back by the Coolmore group of John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith and together they have risen to great heights in the racing world. The partnership of Coolmore and O’Brien has captured nearly every prestigious race in Europe as well as three Breeders’ Cup in America. The team has campaigned such champions as Johannesburg, Galileo, Giant’s Causeway, and Rock of Gibraltar. Garrett won back-to-back Eclipses for Outstanding Jockey in 2007 and 2008, has won ten Breeders’ Cup races, and won the Shoemaker Award for top performance by a jockey at the Breeders’ Cup in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2010.Garrett won the 2007 Kentucky Oaks on Rags to Riches and has made nine appearances in the Kentucky Derby with his best finish coming in 2009 on Pioneerofthe Nile, who ran second.

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MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE:

MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE OWNER – ARNOLD ZETCHER Zetcher is the former CEO of Talbots, a manufacturer and retailer of upscale women’s clothing. While attending college at Washington University in St. Louis, Zetcher began attending races at different tracks including a trip to Arlington Park where he saw the great Secretariat. In 2000, he started owning horses and his stable has included Grade 1 stakes winners Gabby’s Golden Gal, E Z’s Gentleman, and El Brujo .

MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE:

MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE TRAINER – BOB BAFFERT JOCKEY – VICTOR ESPINOZA Baffert captured the world’s attention after sending Silver Charm and Real Quiet to back-to-back wins in the Kentucky Derby in 1997 and 1998. He would follow those wins up by training War Emblem to win the Kentucky Derby in 2002. Bob Baffert has saddled 18 horses in the Run for the Roses. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2009. Espinoza made national headlines when he guided War Emblem to victory in the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2002. The native of Mexico City, Mexico began riding in the United States in 1993 and has found great success on the California circuit. He won the 2000 Breeders’ cup Distaff aboard Spain and has ridden other great horses such as Evening Jewel, The Usual Q.T., Smiling Tiger, and Congaree .

MUCHO MACHO MAN:

MUCHO MACHO MAN OWNER – REEVES THOROUGHBRED RACING & DREAM TEAM RACING STABLE Reeves Thoroughbred Racing was founded in 2009 when Dean and Patti Reeves purchased two colts. In July 2010, Reeves purchased a majority interest in Kentucky Derby contender Mucho Macho Man from Dream Team Racing Stable. Dream Team Racing LLC is a thoroughbred racing partnership group that was founded to provide affordable partnership opportunities in the thoroughbred industry.

MUCHO MACHO MAN:

MUCHO MACHO MAN TRAINER – KATHY RITVO JOCKEY – RAJIV MARAGH Born into a horse racing family, Kathy has been training on her own since 1987. Kathy Ritvo took over the training responsibilities of her husband’s, Tim Ritvo, stable after Tim took a job in race track management in the fall of 2010. Kathy has had over 150 winners and seven stakes winners including a win in the Calder Breeders’ Cup. Mucho Macho Man would be her first starter in the Kentucky Derby. Maragh grew up in the horse racing industry in his native Jamaica. Maragh’s father was a jockey but he forced Rajiv to earn his high school diploma before he was allowed to ride a racehorse. His first winner came aboard Pricedale Kid on February 1, 2004 at Tampa Bay Downs.

NEHRO:

NEHRO OWNER – ZAYAT STABLES Zayat Stables was formed in 2005 by Ahmed Zayat, an entrepreneur from Cairo, Egypt.  Zayat was introduced to horses in his early teens while competing in national show jumping events in his native country. In 2009, Zayat’s Pioneer of the Nile won the Santa Anita Derby before finishing second in the Kentucky Derby. In 2010, Zayat was back on the Derby trail with early favorite Eskendereya, but he was withdrawn from the race because of injury. His other notable winners include AZ Warrior, Thorn’s Song, and Soul Warrior.

NEHRO:

NEHRO TRAINER – STEVE ASMUSSEN JOCKEY – COREY NAKATANI Asmussen was born into a racing family as his father and mother are both trainers and his brother Cash is a champion jockey. Asmussen started out his career as a jockey, but turned to training after three years due to his size. In 2009, Asmussen shattered his own record for wins in a single year with 650 earning himself the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top trainer. Asmussen also trained back-to-back Horse of the Year’s in Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. His other graded stakes winners include Majesticperfection, Kodiak Kowboy, Haynesfield, and Pyro . Corey has had success in the Kentucky Oaks riding Lite Light in 1991 and Pike Place Dancer in 1996. He had previously ridden top Kentucky Derby contender, Comma to the Top, who has been victorious in the $750,000 Cash Call Futurity (GI), Generous Stakes, and Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park. Corey was a champion wrestler in high school and had his first experience with horse racing when his father stopped at Santa Anita Park on their way home from a wrestling tournament. Intrigued by the sport he began working on the backside as a hot walker and later learned to ride .

PANTS ON FIRE:

PANTS ON FIRE OWNER – GEORGE AND LORI HALL George Hall is the president, founder, and majority shareholder of Clinton Group, Inc., an investment company, and has owned horses with wife Lori since 2004. In 2009, the Hall’s sent out West Side Bernie to a 9th place finish and Atomic Rain to 16th place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Their biggest win came when Pants on Fire captured the $1 Million Louisiana Derby.

PANTS ON FIRE:

PANTS ON FIRE TRAINER – KELLY BREEN JOCKEY – ANNA NAPRAVNIK Breen first attended the races at age 13 with his father, Jackie. During this time Breen aspired to be a jockey, but after a 6-inch growth spurt he turned his attention to training. Breen has saddled two horses in the Kentucky Derby with his top finisher being West Side Bernie, who finished 9th in 2009. Breen’s other stakes winners include Bold Union, All of Her Twist, Desire to Excel, and Praying for Cash. Napravnik burst on to the racing scene in 2005 when she made her first career start a winning one aboard Ringofdiamonds. In 2006, she captured all four riding titles at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park and was runner-up as the nation’s top apprentice. She won the riding title at Fair Grounds Race course where she captured the Grade 2 $1 Million Louisiana Derby.

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SANTIVA:

SANTIVA OWNER – TOM WALTERS Tom has been a horse owner of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds for most of his adult life.  His son, Chris, has chosen one horse annually for his father to buy for the past five years.  With Chris’ guidance, Tom has purchased three graded stakes winners. Santiva, their Kentucky Derby 137 hopeful, was victorious in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs and finished second in Keeneland’s Grade I Breeders’ Futurity.

SANTIVA:

SANTIVA TRAINER – EDDIE KENNEALLY JOCKEY – SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN Eddie was born and raised in Ireland by a family who was involved with horses. His uncle was a jockey and finished second aboard Purple Silk in the 1964 Aintree Grand National. Eddie moved to the United States in 1987 to work with Thoroughbred sales yearlings at Pegasus Stud. He was an exercise rider for trainer Rusty Arnold and later worked for trainers Tom Skiffington and Niall O’Callaghan. The $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen is Eddie’s biggest career accomplishment, which he won in 2007 with Kelly’s Landing. A native of Jamaica, Shaun moved to Florida at age 13 and was introduced to horse racing at Calder Race Course by his father Gerald, an avid horse racing fan who would not let his son pursue a career as a jockey until he had graduated high school. He received the 1998 Eclipse Award for Apprentice Jockey and his first Grade I winner was in the 2000 Carter Handicap aboard Brutally Frank. He has won riding titles at Fair Grounds, Aqueduct, Arlington Park, and Churchill Downsand has over 2,000 victories in more than 160 stakes and over 60 graded stakes in his career.

SHACKLEFORD:

SHACKLEFORD OWNER – MIKE LAUFFER and BILL CUBBEDGE Lauffer and Cubbedge have been friends for over 30 years through their natural gas business. Lauffer made his first splash in the industry when he purchased a piece of an up and coming juvenile filly named Rachel Alexandra from owner Dolphus Morrison. They sold Rachel Alexandra privately after her dominating performance in the Kentucky Oaks. In 2006, the Lauffer and Cubbedge purchased Oatsee from a broodmare sale. Oatsee proved to be a great investment as she is the mother of Shackleford, who will give the partnership their first start in the Kentucky Derby .

SHACKLEFORD:

SHACKLEFORD TRAINER – DALE ROMANS JOCKEY – JESUS CASTANON Dale Romans grew up on the Churchill Downs backstretch learning his trade from longtime trainer and father Jerry Romans. The Louisville, KY native just missed winning the 2010 Kentucky Derby when Paddy O’ Prado finished a game third. He has won 1,300 career races with over 500 of those coming at Churchill Downs. His other top runners include First Dude, Kitten’s Joy, Tapitsfly, and Roses in May. Castanon, who was born in Mexico City, came to the U.S. in 1989 to begin his riding career. During that same year he found immediate success winning two stakes in Southern California. Castanon scored his first graded stakes victory when he rode Bonus Pack to win the Dominion Day (G3) at Woodbine in 2002. He has ridden over 2,000 career winners and will be making his Kentucky Derby Debut.

SOLDAT:

SOLDAT OWNER – HARVEY CLARKE & W CRAIG ROBERTSON III Clarke and Robertson were introduced by bloodstock agent Steve Shahinian, who advised them on the purchase of Soldat. Clarke is in real estate in New Jersey and Robertson is a Kentucky attorney. Clarke also owns graded stake winners Yankee Fortune and Eye of Taurus

SOLDAT:

SOLDAT TRAINER – KIARAN McLAUGHLIN JOCKEY – ALAN GARCIA Kiaran began his career as an assistant trainer for numerous top trainers including D. Wayne Lukas. After a brief stint training in the United Arab Emirates, McLaughlin returned to the United States with his own string of horses. In 2006, he trained Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Invasor. Other top horses that he has campaigned are Henny Hughes, Jazil, and Flashy Bull. Alan Garcia’s father and grandfather were both professional riders in Garcia’s native Peru. Garcia was named leading apprentice in his country and soon moved to the United States to advance his riding career. In 2008, he won the Belmont Stakes aboard Da’Tara which spoiled Big Brown’s attempt at a Triple Crown. He made his Kentucky Derby debut in 2009 with an eighth place finish on Regal Ransom.

STAY THIRSTY:

STAY THIRSTY OWNER – REPOLE STABLE Mike Repole made his fortune with the popular water drinks Vitaminwater and Smartwater under the Glaceau company which he sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2007 for $4.1 billion dollars. Mike’s most exciting and well known racehorse to date is Uncle Mo, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner at Churchill Downs. Uncle Mo is coming into the 2011 Derby prep race season as the top choice for Kentucky Derby 137. Mike also owns, Stay Thirsty, who was runner-up in the 2010 Grade I Hopeful Stakes

STAY THIRSTY:

STAY THIRSTY TRAINER – TODD PLETCHER JOCKEY – RAMON DOMINGUEZ The 2010 Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer, Pletcher won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver. He trained Rags to Riches not only to win the Kentucky Oaks in 2007, but became the first filly to take the Belmont Stakes in 102 years. He won four straight Eclipse Awards as nation’s outstanding trainer from 2004-2007 and has trained Eclipse champions Ashado, English Channel, Speighstown, Fleet Indian, Wait a While, Lawyer Ron, and Left Bank. Dominguez is the 2010 Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey.  Top Mounts in 2010 included: Gio Ponti, Boys At Tosconova, Haynesfield, Check the Label, Strike a Deal, Tar Heel Mom, Winslow Homer, and Eightyfiveinafifty

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TOBY’S CORNER:

TOBY’S CORNER OWNER – DIANNE COTTER Cotter bred and owns Toby’s Corner with her husband Julian. The Cotter’s also bred Bellamy Road who was later purchased by Kinsman Farm and who subsequently won the Wood Memorial before finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. Bellamy Road is also the sire of Toby’s Corner. They named Toby’s Corner after a stable pony named Toby that they purchased for their granddaughter years ago.

TOBY’S CORNER:

TOBY’S CORNER TRAINER – H. GRAHAM MOTION JOCKEY – EDDIE CASTRO Motion, a native of Cambridge, England, moved to the United States at age 16 with his father who was a United States representative for the British sales company Tattersalls. Motion has captured over 1,000 races in his career and has had 2 starters in the Kentucky Derby. His biggest career wins came with Better Talk Now in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf and Shared Account in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Castro is a native of Panama where he attended jockey school and won 36 races before coming to the United States in 2003 to advance his career. His biggest victory came aboard Miesque’s Approval in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at just 19 years old. He was awarded the Eclipse Award as the Most Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2003. Other stakes winners that Castro has ridden include My Typhoon, Roaring Lion, Get Stormy, and Pampered Princess.

TWICE THE APPEAL:

TWICE THE APPEAL OWNER – EDWARD BROWN, VICTOR FLORES, HENRY HERNANDEZ Majority owner Edward “Rusty” Brown fell in love with horses at a very early age while attending races with his father at Saratoga Race Course near his hometown. Brown’s first job was cleaning the stables for an owner and this is when he realized his dream of owning racehorses. Victor Flores, much like Brown, attended races with his father at age 11 at Santa Anita. The group was linked together by trainer Jeff Bonde and Twice the Appeal is their first major stakes winner.

TWICE THE APPEAL:

TWICE THE APPEAL TRAINER – JEFF BONDE JOCKEY – CALVIN BOREL Bonde grew up in a family full of horse farriers but decided to follow a different path and took out his trainer’s license in 1973 at age 19. Bonde has become a formidable force on the west coast and won his first career Grade 1 when Smiling Tiger scored in the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar. He has trained numerous graded winners such as Sierra Sunset, High Tech Friend, Epic Honor, and Red’s Sky. Borel was born in a small town in South Louisiana and he knew from a very early age he wanted to become a jockey. Borel captured the hearts of millions of Americans when he won his first career Kentucky Derby in 2007 on Street Sense. He followed that up two years later with a rail skimming ride on longshot Mine That Bird to win the 2009 edition. In 2010, he scored his third Kentucky Derby victory in four years aboard Super Saver. Nicknamed “Bo-Rail” for his daring rides along the inside fence, Borel is today’s “king” of the Kentucky Derby.

TWINSPIRED:

TWINSPIRED OWNER – ALPHA STABLES, SKYCHAI RACING, SAND DOLLAR STABLES Jim Shircliff and Harvey Diamond entered the horse business together nearly 20 years ago. Recently, the two have been putting together syndicate stables for new owners looking to get into the racing. David Koenig founded Sand Dollar Stables and Shircliff and Diamond started Skychai Racing. Shircliff and Daniel Johnson created Alpha Stables which is a group of 12 co-workers from River Road Asset Management and the three stables have joined together as the owners of Twinspired.

TWINSPIRED:

TWINSPIRED TRAINER – MIKE MAKER JOCKEY – MIKE SMITH Maker, the son of a trainer, grew up in the suburbs of Detroit attending races at Hazel Park and Detroit Race Course. At the young age of 13, Maker was already involved in the Thoroughbred industry as a horse owner. He was an assistant for Hall of Fame trainer D Wayne Lukas and worked with Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic. Maker opened his own stable in 2003 and has trained such graded stakes winners as Furthest Land and Stately Victor. The son of a jockey, Smith, rode in his first race at age 11. He was the regular rider of Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year. Smith captured the hearts of fans around the world as the rider of the fabulous Zenyatta, who was the 2010 Horse of the Year. In 2005 Smith guided Giacomo to a win in the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

WATCH ME GO:

WATCH ME GO OWNER – GILBERT CAMPBELL Campbell is a real estate developer in his native Massachusetts and owns Stonehedge Farm South in Williston Fla. He found instant success in racing with his first horse being a multiple stakes winner Shananie. Campbell has raced over 20 stakes winners including top earner Blazing Sword, who earned more than $1 million.

WATCH ME GO:

WATCH ME GO TRAINER – KATHLEEN O’ CONNELL JOCKEY – RAFAEL BEJARANO O’Connell, a native of Detroit, Michigan, started out riding show horses as a youth before taking a job at the race track walking horses at age 19. She moved her stable to Florida in 1985 and became the first female trainer to ever win a training title at Calder Race Course in 2010. Her top runners include millionaire Blazing Sword, Shananie’s Best, Lindsay Lane, and Shan’s Ready. Bejarano fell in love with horse racing at a very early age while attending the races in his native Peru. He studied at the country’s jockey school and groomed horses in the mornings to pay for his tuition. In May of 2002 he came to the United States and won his first race in July that same year. After winning riding titles at every track in Kentucky, he decided to take his talents to the Southern California circuit where he currently resides.