Riders' Up!

Today I visited Monmouth Park for the first time. I was excited to see what New Jersey racing had in store, and as it turns out, it was a beautiful day of racing and a great atmosphere! Many fans were in attendance at the popular picnic area, and most of them ventured over to visit the hotdog competition, where countless cooks were pulling out all the stops to see who could fry up the best lunchtime treat. The highlight of the day was watching Addie's Surprise, a first time starter by War Front, win the seventh race. Addie's Surprise is named for a 101 year old woman (an aunt of the owner) who happened to be in attendance! A close second in terms of highlights was meeting the jockey pictured below. He was named on a live mount in the second race, but unfortunately had to take off the mount for being overweight. He visited the picnic area and had a few drinks to console himself. Better luck next time, my friend! 

So Long Lexington

It’s hard to believe the time has come to bid farewell once again. Yes, I will be back for two weeks in July to wrap up my Flying Start affairs, but after this week, in essence, my time here is finished.

I have had a lot of practice with goodbyes since joining Flying Start. In just nine months we have moved camp three times, and within in our three locations we have done many short courses and work placements in which people and places move quickly in and out of our lives. It’s never easy to say good bye to any place or anyone, but I expect it will be especially difficult to say so long to Lexington. Over the past five months I feel that it has become my home.

Perhaps it is the trials and tribulations that have inspired such an attachment. Myself and my fellow Flying Starters have been through a lot in Lexington. We braved and suffered the treacherous cold for far too long, pounded through mentally and physically demanding courses like the farrier school, nutrition class, the steward’s accreditation course, and a variety of work placements. We experienced the challenge of all-night vigils in the foaling barn, and in contrast, early mornings at the racetrack and on the stud farms.

It seems as if for every challenge, however, there was a reward. We got to assist with foalings, experience the rewards of getting mares in foal, and work with some of the best bloodstock in the world. I won’t soon forget the time I spent with Street Cry, Bernardini, Medaglia d’Oro, Ashado, Music Note, and the likes. We also made many new friends along the way. We won’t soon forget all the Darley employees who became our comrades, and all of the wonderful industry professionals and management staff who helped us along the way.

Then there was the Keeneland Spring Meet and the Kentucky Derby. A trip to Nashville. Nights in Downtown Lexington. Life in Lexington has truly been a pleasure.

So the next stop for me will be New Jersey, where I will complete my six week work placement with the TDN. I am so excited for this opportunity and everything the company and the city has to offer. I will be sure to give you all an update from the Jersey Shore, but until then, so long.

Life Updates

First of all, let me apologize for my absence over the last few weeks. A lot has been happening in the time since my last post, including but not limited to a major presentation in Ireland, a visit with the world’s greatest racehorse, the move to England, and a heartbreaking loss. Let’s break it down:


Accentuating the Positive

The 12 Flying Start trainees wrapped up our stint in Ireland with a conference where we each gave a speech highlighting a positive industry trend. A lot of work went into these presentations, and overall the event was a success. My topic was racing movies and documentaries, and how they can promote racing to a wide audience. I was a little nervous beforehand, but once I got in front of the audience, I had a great time giving the speech. I look forward to another chance at it later on in America.

Seeing Stars

On one of our final days in Ireland, we received a curious e-mail from Clodagh:

“Please meet in the boardroom tomorrow at 3 p.m. Wear your Flying Start jackets and your jodhpurs.”

Yes, this was very curious indeed. After having gone through the past ten weeks with our every move planned out and scheduled, this mysterious request caused a whirlwind among the trainees. What could possibly be happening? We put all of our little future leader noggins together to make an educated guess, and it turns out we were right: Clodagh had arranged a surprise visit for us to view Sea The Stars at High Highness the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud.

We looked at the horse for less than ten minutes, but it was an incredibly captivating ten minutes. As far as perfection comes, Sea the Stars is about as close as it gets. With his unbeaten 2009 championship season aside, Sea the Stars is a physical masterpiece. He stepped from the barn as if he owned it, and each time he moved past us flicked his tail carelessly in our direction as if to suggest we were wasting his time.

I don’t believe Sea the Stars is as well known or appreciated outside of Ireland as he should be. So for those who don’t know about his historic campaign, Google it. This race should also help get you excited:

“Perfection in equine form; a horse of a lifetime”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f824CU-F3rc

Hello, Newmarket

Our final few days in Ireland were a whirlwind of preparing for our presentations, finishing up in the yards, and packing for the move to England. After arriving home late from the conference, we were up before the sun the next day to catch our flight to England.

Those who have visited Newmarket would likely describe it as a small town, but on our first few days it may as well have been London or Paris. While I enjoyed my time in Ireland, the town of Kildangan did not offer enough to keep me amused, and I’m very pleased to be back in a somewhat urban setting.

While the town is small, our accommodations certainly are not. We have been fortunate enough to score a four-storey palace in the heart of the town. The 12 of us living together has created our own re-enactment of Big Brother. While the guys (six of whom are sharing rooms) struggle to adjust to one another’s sleeping habits, all of us have had to rise to the challenge of sharing a kitchen, sharing food, sharing a shower (not literally...I don’t think), and having a very finite amount of personal space. I’m proud to say there has been no “storming” thus far, and we even collaborated one night to cook a big meal for 12.

The girls have created some drama of our own in the town of Newmarket. To make a long story short, I would simply suggest that all drivers proceed with caution over the next month as the North Americans continue to adjust to driving stick, and on the “wrong” side of the road. While the guys can sometimes tease us for our lack of driving skills, all I have to say is that it is seriously trippy driving into what should be oncoming traffic!

Personal lives aside, we’ve had some great experiences thus far in Newmarket. We arrived to a tour of the mind-blowing Dalham studs and office, and a very pleasant day of racing at the Rowley Mile. On Monday morning we received our first Newmarket lecture from racing reporter James Willoughby. Many of us considered this the best lecture we have had so far on the Flying Start, and an exciting indication of what Newmarket might hold.

And it has certainly lived up to the bar that James set on our first day. We’ve had some great discussions with Olly Tait, Sam Bullard, Barney Curly, Lisa Hancock, James Crowhurst, and Geoff Lane. We have experienced great tours of the vast miles of Newmarket gallops, various trainers’ yards, and an exceptionally nice visit to Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Farm with Johnnie Peter-Hoblyn.

Newmarket has been a blast so far, and it’s a bit sad to think that we’re only here another four weeks. But with so much to look forward to in that time (especially the Tattersalls breeding stock sales), it’s hard to feel sad about time passing!

Breeders’ Cup Blues

In the ensuing days since the Breeders’ Cup, I have on numerous occasions opened my computer to begin a passionate blog entry about this year’s events, but on each occasion I have failed. As a writer, my first impulse is to pour out my emotions in words, but for once I don’t really know what to say.

Zenyatta’s loss was a disappointment, but at the same time, a success in its own right. For the first time, the mighty mare gave it her all, and proved to the world that she has always deserved to be ranked among top company.

This success is darkened by the fact that for the most part, the world doesn’t care. I think I have authority to speak about this, as I’m currently living with young racing enthusiasts from six different countries. Rather than celebrate her accomplishments and the fact that she gave racing in America incredible mainstream exposure, some people would prefer to cut her down, or argue why their own country’s heroes are better.

This frustrates me to no end. Athletes like Zenyatta do a lot for racing both within the industry and mainstream, and when we keep arguing about it, we eventually begin to undermine the accomplishments of the horse. In constantly arguing Zenyatta vs. (insert name here), eventually we just find ourselves bashing great horses for no fair or good reason, no matter what side we fall on. Why can’t we simply appreciate the accomplishments of all the great horses of the world?

Looking Ahead

Over the next few months I will be working on some ideas to improve Turf Beat. I have been spending some time thinking to myself and talking with others about what I want my purpose in the media to be, and what I need to be doing in the meantime to expose myself and put myself in a position for success. I would like for Turf Beat to have a focused identity that both plays to my strengths and offers reader what they want. I am hoping to have a specific plan by January, but in the meantime I will continue to update as much as possible.

Thanks again as always for reading,

Kelsey

France in Photos

On the weekend of Oct. 2 and 3, I spent a whirlwind two days in Paris, France with my Flying Start classmates. After rising at the crack of dawn to catch a plane to Paris on Saturday morning, we spent the day exploring beautiful Paris, hitting hot spots like the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. The evening was spent enjoying French nightlife, an atmosphere both relaxing and exciting in one breath.

After catching a few winks of sleep we treked over to Longchamp Racecourse for a spectacular card of racing highlighted by total Workforce domination in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The showcase race barely overshadowed stellar performances earlier on the card by Group 1 winners Gentoo, Gilt Edge Girl, Misty For Me, Wootton Bassett, and Goldikova, the super mare who recorded her 11th Group 1 win (a European record) in the Prix de la Foret (G1). The card was closed with the running of the Prix de l'Opera (G1), which was claimed by the Galileo filly Lily of the Valley.

The atmosphere at Longchamp Oct. 3 was spectacular. The Arc meeting certainly rallied the Breeders' Cup for best individual day of racing I have attended. In fact, I would give Arc day the advantage based on the unprecedented high quality of racing all rolled into one compact card, which was supercharged by a fan-friendly atmosphere that was focused on the horse and the love of the sport. The enthusiasm of those on hand created an electric feel that gave me the feeling that I was in the presence of racing at its finest.

Without further ado, here are some photos from my unforgettable weekend in France

The Louvre

The Champs Elysees

Beautiful sitting spot in Paris

The Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower from afar

Eiffel Tower from beneath

Super mare Goldikova returns victorious in the Prix de la Foret

Cape Blanco parading before the Arc

Godolphin's Cavalryman

The Arc finish line

Workforce enjoys Arc glory

  

One Month Down

It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Ireland for a month, but at the same time I have the feeling I’ve been here all my life. I have made some incredible friends and learned so much in such a short amount of time. Every day is a fairytale that I get to spend with people who are much like me, all with the desire to learn and help one another along. What more could one want?

Being just one month into two years, I have so much time ahead on Darley Flying Start, and I feel like I’ve already accomplished so much. Talks with people like Joe Osborne, Olly Tait, Jimmy Hyland, Charles Spiller, and veterinarians from UCD have helped me grow academically and intellectually. Visits’ to the Curragh, Leopardstown, Laytown, and various studs have opened my eyes to worlds that before only existed in dreams. Nights at Cross Keys, Cunninghams, and Tiger Lillies have been just plain fun!

I have learned a lot from my course mates, and I feel that I bring a lot to the group. I have already been able to put to use so much of what I learned in Canada, particularly from my days at Schonberg Farm.

Here are some of the interesting things we have done so far:

• Racing at the Curragh (Futurity Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes, National Stakes and Irish St. Leger)
• Racing at Leopardstown in the Kildangan Suite for the Irish Champion and Matron Stakes
• Beach racing at Laytown
• Courses at the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE)
• Very interesting anatomy and physiology lectures, including musculoskeletal anatomy and equine reproduction
• Working with regally-bred yearlings in the Kildangan yards
• Vet rounds and rotations in the stallion yard
• Visiting Sheikh Mohammed’s various other Irish studs
• Pedigree discussions with Charles Spiller, who has been the brainchild of Darley pedigrees for 27 years
• Spending the afternoon in Dublin on our first weekend in Ireland
• Horse production assignments that have helped me learn a lot about horse selection and valuation.

And what to expect in the coming weeks:

• Attending the Goffs Orby sales with an agent
• Meeting John Ferguson
• Continuing anatomy and physiology courses at UCD
• Visiting Coolmore Stud and trainer John Oxx’s yard
• Spending a day in Galway as a tourist
• Weekend trip to France for the Arc
• And in just over a month, moving on to Newmarket. Hard to believe!

Irish National Stud

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Irish National Stud. In addition to being a stalwart at the top of the Irish (and global) Thoroughbred industry, the National Stud is a tourism hallmark in Ireland. I was surprised (and thoroughly impressed) to learn that the National Stud accomodates over 140,000 tourists per year.

The Flying Start tour began with a visit to the stallion yard, where we saw Art Connoisseur, Indian Haven, Jeremy, Verglas, and last but definitely not least, Invincible Spirit. Already a champion sire, Invincible Spirit certainly looked the part. He is an incredibly powerful and well-balanced horse, with no apparent flaw to my learning eye.

Invincible Spirit at Irish National Stud

We then headed off to see some mares and foals, but not before detouring through some beautiful woodlands complete with lakes, waterfalls, and stone huts:

After viewing some broodmares and foals, we got a great surprise: the entire Flying Start class was allowed to go into the paddock with Vintage Crop, the 1993 Melbourne Cup winner who now resides at the National Stud. This was a great treat, especially for our three Australian trainees. Vintage Crop was an absolute sweetheart, and between that and the beautiful shining sun, I'm sure we all would have been content to stay with him all day.

Nick, Leah, and Lindsay with Vintage Crop

Australian trainees Adrian, Nick, and Michael with Vintage Crop

Yours truly with Vintage Crop

Spoiling the Champ

After a stop by the National Stud museum, we were kindly treated to tea and desserts by the staff.

My visit to the Irish National Stud was very memorable, and I was very impressed by what the Stud is doing to promote horses and racing to the public. I hope to return again soon, and for everyone traveling to Ireland, it is a must see.

Fun in the Sun at the Beach

Last week, I was fortunate to attend the once-yearly race meeting held in Laytown, Ireland. While the Emerald Isle is well equipped with exciting race meetings and festivals, Laytown is unique for one reason: the races are held on the beach.

Laytown racing emerged 140 years ago when it was held in conjunction with a rowing competition. Today, the races are organized when the tide is low, allowing a wide expanse of sandy beach to be converted to a makeshift racecourse. I, along with the rest of the Flying Starters, quickly learned that the Laytown meeting is a popular social event for Irish racing enthusiasts.

When we arrived at Laytown, we were met by a jovial atmosphere that included a large crowd, numerous food and beverage tents, and Irish music. When the rain cleared after the second race we were allowed to walk right on to the beach, and it was certainly something spectacular.

While the boys preferred to stay close to the action, us girls walked as far as could toward the water. We enjoyed taking photos and collecting Irish seashells. When a rainbow appeared in the sky above, we knew for sure we had struck gold.

The highlight of the day was watching a race trackside at the furlong pole. The compact sand made for a hoof-rattling surface, and I felt excitement race through my body as the horses charged past, close enough to reach out and touch.

I think it’s safe to say that a great day was had by all. My day at Laytown was certainly a day I’ll cherish for a long time. Check out these photos to understand why:

Beautiful Curragh

Driving from Kildangan Stud into County Kildare, there comes a point where the tall brush bordering the side roads recedes, offering a spectacular view of the Irish countryside. Nestled within the beautiful scenery is the Curragh Racecourse, the premier Thoroughbred track of Ireland.

Well accustomed to neat oval tracks in bustling cities, I was not prepared for my first glimpse of the Curragh. Spreading farther than the eye can see, the Curragh consists of numerous racing paths and training surfaces, from turf to synthetic and woodchip. In the distance, herds of sheep can be seen grazing lush Emerald pastures.

The Darley Flying Start students have now been fortunate enough to visit the Curragh on three occasions: once to watch training and twice for racing. Most recently, we were treated to a great card of racing on August 29, featuring the Group I Moyglare Stud Stakes. Misty For Me, a Coolmore-owned daughter of Galileo, won the feature race with favourites Memory and Laughing Lashes in her wake. Misty For Me put herself amongst the leaders for next year’s classics with the win.

On the undercard, another daughter of Galileo caught our attention. Lush Lashes, a Jim Bolger-trained three time group I winner, was making her first start in more than a year in the Dance Design Stakes. Unfortunately she could only manage fourth behind the Danehill Dancer filly Obama Rule. With that winner in mind I suggested that my American friends back Barack in the sixth race. The American president angle proved empty, with Barack finishing up the field. We were also pleased to see Astrophysical Jet, a daughter of Darley stallion Dubawi, win the Group 3 Goffs Flying Five Stakes.

Here are some photos from my visits to the Curragh:

The Flying Starters take in morning training at the Curragh

Beautiful paddock area

View from the stands

A large set heads to the gallops

Another training shot

Off to a Flying Start

Prior to my arrival in Ireland, I was offered two general pieces of useful knowledge by countless friends, family, and casual bystanders:


1. It’s always raining.

2. It’s very green.

So naturally, when my plane arrived at 7 a.m. on August 16 to bright beams of sunshine, I was cautiously optimistic. Throughout my first week in the Emerald Isle I have found that the previous statement is in fact true (it has rained every day), but the amazing experiences I have already had the wonderful people I have already met far outshine the dreary clouds that often hover overhead.

Last week was my first week on the Darley Flying Start programme. If it was any indication of the two years that lie ahead, I think we’re in for the experience of a lifetime.

On the morning of August 15, the 12 trainees from the United States, Ireland, England, Australia, South Africa, and Canada (myself) all arrived at Kildangan Stud in good order, albeit Kate was short a bag when one of her suitcases decided it wasn’t quite ready to leave America (the luggage was quickly retained and immediately reunited with its owner). After settling in to our various new homes, we met up for a beautiful lunch at Kildangan House, where we were lucky enough to meet some of the personnel of Darley Ireland.

After spending the first few days sorting out administrative needs like computers, bank accounts, clothing, and bikes, we were treated to a stallion show and farm tour of Kildangan as well as three of Sheikh Mohammed’s other local properties: Ragusa, Old Connell, and Blackhall Studs. Here we saw mares, foals and yearlings with royal pedigrees, with yearlings by Street Cry, Invincible Spirit, and Pivotal among the lots, as well as mares that are sisters to Elusive Quality, Dubawi, Mozart, Goldikova, and Shamardal. The Americans were especially pleased to meet Bedazzle, the dam of Street Sense, and we were all intrigued by a gorgeous Street Cry colt out of a daughter of the great Miesque.

Our local tours were followed up by a Saturday of racing at The Curragh. For many of us, including myself, it was our first trip to the historic Irish track. Thankfully, we have our Irish representatives Barry and Michael to help us along, and they certainly have been helpful. After spending the day learning to read the Irish form and studying the horses in the paddock, we watched Pathfork roll to victory in the Futurity Stakes, a race historically known for turning out champions and top runners like New Approach and Giant’s Causeway. I’m pleased to say I picked another winner on the day: the Coolmore charge Meow, an American-bred daughter of Storm Cat.

The week was wrapped up with a trip to Dublin on Sunday, and I’m convinced the day could not have been better. For the first time since our arrival, the rain managed to stay in check all day, and we explored breathtaking cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and perfectly manicured parks beneath the beaming sun.

Our first week is over with a few minor observations on my part: first, it feels like we’ve been here far longer than a week, for two reasons:

1. The 12 of us seem to get along so well that it feels like we’ve known each other for a long time, and...

2. Kildangan has been made to feel like our home, and the wonderful people here have treated us like one of them since our arrival.

With much of the dirty work over, our coursework looks to pick up in the near future. I think we’re all eager to get started with the amazing learning and growing experiences that lie ahead.

Paths to Victory

On August 21, I had the pleasure of watching two particularly thrilling races on two continents. On my first trip to the Curragh racecourse in Ireland, I was treated to an exciting Futurity Stakes win by Pathfork, who has been labelled one of the early favourites for next year's 2000 Guineas. The American-bred son of Distorted Humor - Visions of Clarity (Sadler's Wells) remained unbeaten in two career starts with the Futurity win.

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/mrs-john-harrington-curragh-curragh-pathfork-perfect-after-futurity-stakes-triumph/758414/latest/

Later that night, some of my Darley Flying Start classmates and I stayed up to watch the Arlington Million from Chicago. We were treated to an exciting finish by Debussy, who edged our reining American turf champion Gio Ponti with a late kick up the rail. It seemed rather fitting that after our first week with Darley Flying Start that we should witness this win by a horse who was bred by Darley and is now owned by Princess Haya, the wife of Sheikh Mohammed.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/58503/debussy-catches-gio-in-arlington-million (Props to my buddy Jason Shandler for this one)

Places to Go

For those interested, here is my itinerary for the next two years:

http://darleyflyingstart.com/pdf/10_Syllabus_calendar.pdf

Sweet Flying Dreams

Thinking back over the last few years, and of what is coming next, it’s hard not to feel emotional. I remember clearly Christmas Day in 2005, flipping through the Canadian Thoroughbred magazine and landing on a story about Carolyn Costigan, a young Canadian who was enrolled in the Darley Flying Start programme. My interest immediately piqued, I jumped online to learn more. That’s where the dream began.

Now, I’m just days away from beginning my own Flying Start journey. In the five years that have elapsed since that Christmas Day, I’ve met many of my goals in my quest to becoming a Thoroughbred industry leader. I’ve worked with broodmares and in foaling units, with yearlings doing sales prep, breaking, and training, at the racetrack as a groom and hotwalker, as an office assistant and an editorial intern. All of these were wonderful accomplishments, and important stepping stones along the path to Flying Start, which was the most important target.

Like in any journey, there have been important people to help me along the way. There are a few special ones I’d like to point out:

My parents: My parents ingrained in me many valuable principles from a young age. Three things in particular I have always known are to work hard, have proper manners, and most importantly, to always go after your dream. I think once my parents realized it was inevitable that I would have a career with Thoroughbreds, they pushed me to reach the very top; mediocrity was never an option. For that I will be forever grateful.

My parents are also the type of people that did everything to help me succeed. They gave up their days off to take me to the races to see my favourite horses, including nationwide treks to Kentucky, New York, and California. They ensured that I met the most influential people in the business at a young age, whether that meant bullying our way into paddocks or sneaking onto backstretches. They made me realize that it takes more than just a name to succeed. It takes heart and resilience and a little faith, and today I’m realizing the results of all of those things.

Lauri Kenny: The day I started working at Schonberg Farm (July 4, 2005), I believe was also the day Lauri took me in as another daughter. Over the last five years I have been closer to Lauri than anyone else, and there are times I swear we are telepathically connected. We basically finish one another’s sentences, and it still amazes me how Lauri always seems to know what’s best for me. He can tell me something I hate hearing at the time, but it won’t take me long to realize he knew what he was doing. Lauri understands me better than anyone else does, he is unconditionally there for me, and I don’t know what I would ever do without him.

Liz Pathak: I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and when I met Liz in September 2008, I knew this was good news. Liz had just returned to Ontario fresh from Flying Start, and I was never more eager to meet someone than when I met up with Liz to inspect yearlings at Woodbine. From the day we met Liz began helping me with my flying start quest, and I believe having her as a reference had a great impact on my being selected for the programme.

So here I go, on to the next great chapter of my life. I cannot imagine the wonderful happenings the next two years will hold, but I can promise to cherish each one and do myself and those who believe in me proud. I hope you will follow my journey, every step along the way.     

More Carolyn

So you may have noticed I'm writing a lot about Carolyn Costigan this week. Yes, I'm a journalist and I'm supposed to be unbiased, but what can I say, I think she's awesome! Earlier this week, I posted part of an interview I did with Carolyn where we discussed the future of racing and social media. Below is the part of the interview where she talks about her experience with horses, Roan Inish, and her training techniques. Enjoy!

KNR: Can you tell me a little more about the training you did with Roan Inish leading up to the Oaks? A lot of people were concerned that she only had one seven furlong prep this year leading up to this race, but you didn’t seem concerned at all.

CC: No, because when I was in Ireland I was experiencing that firsthand. You’ll see horses that are trained into classic races and that’s because the trainer is doing the training, they’re not relying on races to put fitness into a horse, but they say that a race is the equivalent of having four or five fast works, so you’re getting to that fitness level quicker. I had had her out in California, so I’d started a base on her already. The Fury was too short for her, seven furlongs is too short. When she came out of it I was able to get a grasp on the level of fitness that it gave her, and if it didn’t give her enough fitness for what I needed her to be for the Oaks, then I would have run in the La Lorgnette. Horses are fragile creatures. A friend of mine that worked for me in California, she said that one of Wayne Lukas’s quotes is, “horses are like strawberries, they go bad overnight.” So when you have a good horse, you have to pick and choose your races. There’s no point in wasting a race on a race that was $150,000, when I wanted her to win a $500,000 race. And then it comes down to the confidence that you can do that, and that you aren’t worried about what other people are saying. I was given the confidence and the not worrying about other people by working for Jim (Bolger). He doesn’t give a hoot what anyone thinks. He does his own thing. When you work for somebody like that, it rubs off. So I was confident in my ability, and confident that I didn’t care what other people thought.

KNR: And she’s obviously come through on the two most important days, the Princess Elizabeth and the Oaks. It probably made a huge difference too with you being able to get on her everyday and be able to feel how fit she was and where she was at.

CC: Exactly. You don’t know that if you’re not on them, and you’re relying on the communication of your rider. I don’t have the numbers or the need for a top quality exercise rider at the moment, because I’m able to do that myself. But someday I’m going to need a good top quality exercise riders that’s able to communicate in a way that the two of us understand what we’re talking about. And that’s just finding the right person and paying them enough.

KNR: I remember you saying to Bill Tallon yesterday about how getting on your own horses was one of the most important lessons that you took away from Jim Bolger as well.

CC: Yes. He rode his horses up until a couple years ago. I mean, he’s 68 or 67 right now.

KNR: Can you tell me a little bit about why Roan Inish began her career in Ireland? I know you were over there at the time, but just exactly what the thought process behind that was?

CC: I knew that I would be coming to Canada to write my trainers exam, and that I would be having my first full season this year, and it wouldn’t do any harm to have one of my horses in the stable that I knew everything about, that wasn’t in training with a different trainer, and the filly was a yearling turning two, and my dad just said to me over the phone, “where do you think I should send this horse, to which trainer?” And I said quite honest, the only trainer that I think is worth any salt, worth their weight, in the world, is Jim (Bolger). He said, “alright, I’ll send her there, then you’ll know everything about her when you start training her.”

KNR: Of the horses that you currently have, did you have just her over there?

CC: Yes, just her. And she’s got lovely breeding, we own the dam, and we just thought if we could add something a little bit exotic to the mare’s page, ie. the horse wins some races in Ireland or Europe, you’re just doing something a bit more proactive for the broodmare’s pedigree.

KNR: Going back a bit, I wonder if you could explain to me a little about when you started getting involved with horses, at a young age, and then when you got into Thoroughbreds?

CC: I always loved horses, and I went to school with the idea that I would do pre med courses and become a vet, but my physics grades weren’t high enough. You probably know that becoming a veterinarian in Canada is probably the hardest course to get into.

CC: We got our first racehorse when I was probably 13. It was four years before we saw the inside of the winner’s circle. We’d go to the races at Hastings Park and we were the best dressed people there. But the horses were useless. So we learned the right way, because when you have the winners right away you think it’s easy, and it’s not an easy game. The lows can be long and painful, so you’ve gotta enjoy the wins. My parents are enjoying the Oaks win so much. We know what it’s like to be in a lull.

KNR: Who was the first really good horse that you worked around?

CC: I was with Arravale when she was being broken. I learned how to break yearlings at Windfields Farm in Oshawa. And she was one of the yearlings being broken at the time. The guy that was in charge of the yearlings there, his name was John Neville. He was an older Englishman. He broke the yearlings in a format that I would see again later when I was on Darley’s course, because he did it the English way, which is also the Irish way, and in some places in the world they like to do it a little quicker, and they take some shortcuts, and it doesn’t always work out. And I’m thankful that I learned the right way.

KNR: What age was it that you came to Windfields?

CC: Probably 2004.

KNR: How long did you work at Windfields before you did the National Stud?

CC: I went to Windfields, and I really hadn’t done too much hands on work with horses at that stage. I was kind of thrown into the deep end. They were one week away from the yearling sales here at Woodbine, and I was given a pitchfork and told, “muck out those six boxes, and keep up with us while we muck out.” I had a very rude awakening. And the following weekend we were at the sales, and my feet were covered in blisters after the first day. I remember I climbed into bed after the first day at the sales, and I was in tears. I thought, “I don’t know how I’m going to work the rest of the week at this sale.” But I did. Then I spent the winter at Windfields, and I had a great time. Because once you start working that hard and doing physical labour, then you have a new appreciation for the people who do that job, and you know how much work is involved, and a level of pride comes into it. And you understand what it is to show a yearling that the work has gone into that yearling, and what it is for the groom to lead up their horses to the races. This is their horse. This horse looks good because of me. I think it’s so important that you experience that first hand and know what those people go through when you’re employing them, and that they really care about their horses, they get attached to them, you know. You want the horses to do well for them, because they go through the highs and lows as well.