The Second Jewel of the Triple Crown

This Saturday the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, will run at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland. Normally the Preakness is held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, but has moved this year due to renovations at Pimlico. The race comes just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks before the Belmont Stakes. The Preakness is 1 3/16 miles on dirt and has been this distance since 1925.

The Preakness was established just two years before the Kentucky Derby by the Governor of Maryland. The race was named after a colt named Preakness who won the inaugural Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico in 1870. Pimlico Race Course is the second oldest racetrack in the United States. Between 1890 – 1908 the race was moved to New York due to the lack of interest in Maryland. It later returned permanently in 1909. The first winner of the Preakness was Survivor by 10 lengths. This record remained the largest margin of victory until 2004 when Smarty Jones won by 11 ½ lengths.

While the Kentucky Derby is known as the “Run for the Roses”, the Preakness is known as the “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” which are the Maryland state flower. The Friday before the Preakness also hosts the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for the 3-year-old fillies on a 1 1/8 mile dirt track.

The Preakness is the second most watched and attended horse race each year, second to the Kentucky Derby. Only 37 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, with 13 of those being Triple Crown winners. This will remain the same this year with Golden Tempo opting out of the race. Throughout the running of the Preakness Stakes only 6 fillies have won the race with the most recent being Swiss Skydiver in 2020. Eddie Arcaro is the winningest jockey, and Bob Baffert is the winningest trainer with 8 wins in Preakness Stakes history.

Riley Mott is set to race Incredibolt again this Saturday. He was unable to capture his first win in the Kentucky Derby as Incredibolt came in 6th and Albus finished in 15th but could capture his first win in the Preakness this year. Ocelli the long shot who finished 3rdin the Kentucky Derby is also set to race this weekend along with Great White who scratched from the Derby at the starting gate. Robusta who finished 14th in the Derby will also run in the Preakness. Silent Tactic was set to run this weekend but has scratched due to a lingering bruised foot. He was also scratched from the Derby for the same issue.

Cherie DeVaux Makes History for Women

If you were watching the most exciting two minutes in sports this past weekend, then you witnessed a piece of history. On May 2nd, Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo, making history for all women in and out of the racing industry. Not only was it her first Derby winner, but it was also her Derby debut. Cherie is the second female trainer to become a Triple Crown winner, after Jena Antonucci won the 2023 Belmont Stakes. Cherie DeVaux went out on her own as a trainer in 2018 and, just 8 years later, has made history, further proving there is a place in this industry for women in every aspect.

The 152nd Kentucky Derby also marked the last Derby for NBC reporter Donna Brothers, who has been reporting on the sport since 2000. Before working as an NBC reporter, she had earned the title of the second leading female jockey in the United States with 1,1130 wins and over $18 million in purse earnings.

Looking further back at trailblazers in racing media, before Donna was Charlsie Cantey, the first female racing broadcaster and former exercise rider for Ruffian. She had a broadcasting career spanning 30 years between ABC, CBS, ESPN, and NBC.

In 1993 Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race, winning the Belmont Stakes with Colonial Affair. She was later the first woman inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

Some other women, you may not know the history behind… Laska Durnell, Kathy Kusner, Barbara Jo Rubin, Rosemary Homeister Jr, Marylou Witney, Penny Chenery, or Stella Thayer. All these women helped pave the path for the rest and for those still to come.

Laska Durnell owned Kentucky Derby winner Elwood, who became the first Derby winner to be owned and bred by a woman. He made Laska the first woman to own a starter and winner in the Kentucky Derby. Kathy Kusner was the first female jockey to become licensed and was the first licensed female jockey to ride in multiple countries. Kathy was also the first woman to medal in an equestrian competition when she received silver in the 1972 Olympics.

Barbara Jo Rubin was the first woman rider to win a race in New York. Rosemary Homeister Jr.’s jockey career saw 2,784 wins between 1992 and 2015, and in 1992, she was the first female rider to win an Eclipse Award. Marylou Whitney helped to lift and build excitement for upstate New York and Saratoga (ever heard of the Whitney Stakes?). She was the first woman in 80 years to breed and own a Kentucky Oaks winner and then won the Belmont Stakes and Travers the following year. Marylou also received an Eclipse Award.

Penny Chenery was among the first women admitted to The Jockey Club, and she bred and owned Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Stella Thayer purchased Tampa Bay Downs, making it the first Thoroughbred racetrack with separate female ownership and management.

All of these women had major accomplishments beyond what was listed; these are just the highlights of the highlights. These women, and now Cherie DeVaux, have proved and continue to prove that there is a place in this industry for women. If you were ever on the fence about taking that step or getting involved, this is the time.

To see it come full circle like this is what makes this sport so special. From the women who had to fight just to be allowed in the gate, to someone like Cherie DeVaux winning the biggest race in the world in her very first try, it’s a reminder of how far the industry has come, and how much further it can still go. The names mentioned here are only scratching the surface, but each one played a role in getting us to this moment. And moments like this don’t just belong to history, they shape what comes next.

The First Saturday in May: The Mott Legacy

As the first Saturday in May approaches, the air at Churchill Downs is thick with more than just the scent of blooming magnolias and mint juleps. The 152nd Kentucky Derby is upon us, promising the "most exciting two minutes in sports" to a global audience of millions. But this year, the international spectacle of the Triple Crown’s first leg features a narrative rarely seen in the sport’s storied history: a father and son dueling for the same blanket of roses.

The Mott family name is already etched into the bedrock of American racing. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott—the mastermind behind our home team at Dream Maker Racing—is no stranger to the winner's circle. After the historic 2019 victory with Country House and his more recent "old-fashioned" triumph with Sovereignty in 2025, Bill enters this year's fray with the formidable Chief Wallabee.

However, the spotlight has widened to include his son, Riley Mott. After a decade as his father’s top assistant, Riley launched his own stable in 2022 and has since skyrocketed to the pinnacle of the sport. Making his Derby debut this year, Riley saddles two contenders, Albus and Incredibolt, creating a rare father-son showdown that hasn't been seen on this stage in over six decades.

While the Motts aim for the winner's circle, they—and every other competitor—run in the long shadow of history. Every year, the clock at Churchill Downs is measured against the gold standard: Secretariat. In 1973, "Big Red" tore through the 1 1/4 miles in a blistering 1:59 2/5, a record that has remained untouched for over half a century. It is the ghost every trainer chases and the benchmark that defines true immortality in the sport.

For those of us at Dream Maker Racing, this spring is particularly poignant. Having Bill Mott as our trainer means we are witnessing first-hand the dedication and "horse-first" philosophy that has built this dynasty. Whether it's the high-stakes drama of the Derby or the upcoming summer meets, we are looking forward to an exhilarating season with the horses Bill prepares for our stable.

As the gates swing open and the roar of the crowd rises, we'll be rooting for the Mott family. In a sport that moves so fast, it’s a beautiful thing to see a legacy being passed from one generation to the next, one furlong at a time.

That’s exactly the kind of energy that makes this sport so infectious! There is nothing quite like that "bench" clearing—watching those winter breakers return to the track with fresh legs and big dreams is where the summer magic really begins for the Dream Maker Racing family.

The buzz around the next generation is clearly building:

• Magavi: Already a name that’s starting to roll off the tongue of racing fans. With the Mott stable behind them, the expectations are rightfully high.

• The Epicenter x San Saria (IRE) Filly: Talk about a blue-blooded powerhouse! Crossing the speed and grit of Epicenter (the 2022 Eclipse Award Champion Three-Year-Old Male) with the class of an Irish-bred mare like San Saria is a recipe for something special. If she’s as "blisteringly fast" as she looks in morning works, a name better be something iconic.

• The suspense is indeed palpable. Between the Mott family legacy unfolding at the Derby and these rising stars preparing for their debuts, the Dream Maker colors are set for a massive season of racing.

A Closer Look at the OBS Sale

Horse auctions for me are like Christmas morning. And to mention another holiday, if you think about it, it's like an Easter egg hunt. You're looking for that one Easter egg that will give you the big prize. All these beautiful horses are just waiting to be unwrapped and taken home. Yes we put on the miles. I think I walked 16,000 to 18,000 steps each day that I was down at the OBS two-year-old sale that just concluded.

We start around 7:30 in the morning and hopefully we had breakfast before then. We know what horses are on our list so it's just a matter of going from barn to barn. Sometimes you're walking from one barn to another or you're standing there watching a horse walk and another horse passes you and catches your eye. So you quickly fumble through the catalog to find that horse's hip number (if it has one; if not, you chase it down) to identify it, check if it qualifies as a New York bred, and determine if it fits our budget. I don't go to these sales looking to buy five or six horses or to fill orders for different clients like I used to. I go down there looking for one possibly two horses that I think:

#1 does not cost too much money, putting the downside out of reach even with the BIG NYRA purses and modern earnings.

#2 a horse that passes all our strict criteria. Physical, Stride, Gallop time, Vet, pedigree analysis etc.

Believe me you're looking at a lot of really nice horses. Big, muscular, strapping horses just like the one I purchased. However, if they are sired by a high price stallion out of a very good family I have to tell myself that I must pass because I will not be able to afford that horse and there's no sense chasing somebody else's dream.

As a horse appraiser, along with a buddy of mine who is both an astute bloodstock agent and an appraiser we can narrow down a horse's value to what we think it will cost in the ring pretty accurately. That helps us weed out the big gorgeous $10.5 million horses and concentrate on the ones that we have a realistic shot of purchasing. But from time to time, just for fun we still look at some of the big expensive horses because we must keep our eyes sharp and keep our competition in sight. Sort of like when we were high school freshmen and couldn't take our eyes off that beautiful, senior prom queen even though we knew she wouldn’t give us the time of day. Still had to steal a glance.

The days aren't glamorous; we end up having an early dinner between 4:30 and 5 PM because they stop showing horses between 4:00 and 4:30 PM. Then it's back to the room for pedigree analysis, research, and racing form analysis on progeny and siblings, all the deep-dive work required to figure out which horse has not only the ability to run but also the class to rise through the ranks. And while rising through the ranks staying sound for an extended racing career.

That's where spending all day carefully looking at these horses walk back-and-forth, side to side comes in. Observing not only how they track but also how they hold up after a gallop show and four subsequent days of showing can truly reveal the tale. If we look at a horse on day one of our visit to the sales grounds and return on sales day which might be two or three days later, that horse must look as fresh and bright as it did the first time we saw it. If that horse is dragging, dull, or looks more tucked up than it did the first time we observed it, we remove it from consideration. Because if they can't sustain their form and stamina through five or six days of showing at the sale, how are they going to sustain themselves through training six days a week and racing every three weeks.

We are looking for herd leaders not lazy followers.

And that brings me full circle to our top choice at the sale: Hip Number 116, She's passed every test with flying colors; was as bright on day four as she was on day one., Great demeanor, no excess motion, which means no expending of excess energy. Her female family - San Saria (IRE) is a total out-cross to all the inbred families in the US. Sired by the up-and-coming Epicenter, this horse comes from a family of stars on all European surfaces. The broodmare sire, Australia, son of Champion Galileo is producing very fast, precocious two-year-old runners. She is gorgeous, vetted, 100%, and in her gallop show she sustained her drive, galloping out very impressively. I'm trulyexcited about this Filly and hope some of you out there will join us in our newest journey to The New NYRA (SPA/BELMONT) winner'scircle.

Bill Mott and Riley Mott: Derby Bound

With the Kentucky Derby only 3 weeks away, something incredible may be happening. There is a likely matchup between father and son trainers, Bill Mott and Riley Mott. This is a rare matchup that adds an extra layer of excitement to one of the most anticipated races of the year.

As most of you know, Bill Mott serves as the trainer for Dream Maker Racing and is one of the most respected figures in the sport. His resume speaks for itself, being highlighted by Horse of the Year, Sovereignty. He consistently competes at the highest level, and the 2026 season has been no different. Already this year, Bill Mott has had 35 firsts and earnings of almost $3 million. Riley Mott, in his fourth year on his own, has achieved 12 firsts and earned over $1.2 million.

Bill could be taking Chief Wallabee, who is currently 22nd on the leaderboard with 50 points, into the Kentucky Derby. Chief Wallabee proved himself during the prep season, finishing second in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and third in the Florida Derby (G1). As for his son, Riley Mott, he has two contenders for the Kentucky Derby: Incredibolt and Albus. Incredibolt is currently in 13th on the leaderboard with 60 points from his win in the Virginia Derby (G1) and his win in the Street Sense Stakes (G3). Albus currently sits at 9th on the leaderboard with 100 points, winning the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Having multiple horses on the Derby trail this early in his career is a testament to his horsemanship and training as his father’s assistant for 9 years.

Beyond the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty is set to return this year, with Bill having his sights set on the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). The return of the Horse of the Year is highly anticipated, after he was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and expectations will be high.

As Derby Day approaches, all eyes are on the leaderboard and whether or not the father-son matchup becomes a reality. Here at Dream Maker Racing, we will be cheering on Bill and Riley in their current and future successes.

Become A Racehorse Owner Now

Don't you just love horse racing? You're 5/2 in a race with six horses. It looked like two of them were put in there to fill the race. You're gonna run open company with a Virginia certified horse. If you win, you get Virginia certified awards plus New York owners awards because you are a New York bred in an open company race. On top of that it's for straight three-year-olds.

And of course your horse decides not to feel well that day and gets mom to call the teacher and tell them that he won't be coming to school. Not because he didn't do his homework but because he just didn't feel up to it. A day in the life of owning a racehorse.

Ultimately, these aren’t ruent kids but finely tuned 1,200-pound athletes trained to run 35 to 40 mph. All systems, including heart lungs, brain, (which is the desire to run) muscles, tendons have to be firing like eight finally tune cylinders. If not, something is bound to happen. What could happen is whatever was causing the underlying condition illustrated by a slight temperature which was minor at the time the temperature was taken first thing in the morning. Luckily our horses are very carefully and well managed. If that was missed for some reason and the horse runs with a slight temperature, the exertion of the race could cause that slight temperature to blossom into pneumonia, colitis, and even founder, which is technically referred to as laminitis. Because these giant animals are so sensitive any of these conditions, if left undetected and/or untreated it can blossom into full-blown, potentially fatal ailments. That's why we have to be so careful and always be listening and looking for the slightest indication that a horse is not 110%. As you know, they can't talk but there's so many other ways, including taking the temperature, watching how they clean up their feed, noticing the shine or lack there of in their coats and just general attitude. Changes in any of these factors could indicate an underlying condition that prevents them from performing at their best and we need them at their best. This isn't Parx, this ain't no disco. This ain't no fooling around. This is New York and good horses come out of the woodwork to crash your party. It's so frustrating to scratch your horse with a temp. I'm fine with it because we live to fight another day.

You have to be living under a rock not to know that it is Derby season and in the horse industry it's also two-year-old in-training season. I will be heading down to the OBS sale next week. My selection team will be coming in from Kentucky to join me and we will be perusing the various horses that will be offered for sale. My philosophy has always been to be reasonable and set a tight budget because there is already significant downside in this business that many of us know well. I try to find very well bred horses from high performance families at a reasonable price so if we get a consistent horse, it will pay for itself. Even though we're all looking to win the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup classic the first issue at hand is to find a sound horse that knows where the wire is and has the desire, the athleticism and the aptitude to get their first. While others dazzle the public and make headlines buying mid-to-high six-figure horses, I always wish them good luck but I will stick to my strategy of trying to find a diamond in the rough. The majority of horses offered for sale are horses that love to follow the leader and run around with their friends on a beautifully groomed surface. It's the select few that have the genetic intuition to be the herd leaders and finish first. In the wild, these are the horses whose ears prick at the slightest noise. They raise their heads up when they sense danger and lead the herd to safety running 40 to 45 miles an hour until they are satisfied that they have outrun their predators. Lucky for us there are no predators chasing our race horses but we still have to find the herd leaders.

If you are interested in following us through the process of selecting a two-year-old and adding another fabulous athlete to your stable, please contact me this week or click here to fill out the interest form.

For this OBS April sale I am looking to raise $200 - $250,000 to help bring in a herd leader and expand our roster at Dream Maker Racing. If you’ve been following along but haven’t quite bit the bullet yet, we would love to bring you in on this new selection. I will be happy to map out a detailed strategy along with some of our early pics. We are very picky and do not believe in purchasing a quantity of horses. When your horse is training in Mr. Mott's barn, you must have a quality individual. If you would like to follow along, you can get an idea of what we're looking at and how the process works.

Let's Get YOU Racing

Horse racing is one of the most exciting sports there is. Whether you are a fan, a handicapper, or a part-owner, there's nothing more exciting than watching your horse come bounding down the stretch to the wire and hopefully finish first. Many people have said it's an out-of-body experience. You're jumping up and down, screaming, yelling, banging strangers on the back. When your horse comes in, you end up kissing and hugging everybody within shouting distance, and all is good with the world. For one split second, you are on top of it!! What many people don't realize is how easy it is to become a licensed owner of your own sports team. Your players are the trainer, the jockey, the groom, and of course, your horse. You may share this experience with a small group of co-owners, which makes it even more fun.

Over the years, we've introduced and licensed over 600 individuals into this fabulous game we call horse racing. Even though TV only shows millionaires, billionaires, high-priced horses, and celebrities, those people represent a very small percentage of those who truly keep this game afloat. And unfortunately, when people hear about the millionaires, billionaires, and celebrities who own the high-priced horses, they get the wrong idea that it takes oodles of money to get into this game.

First, you don't need a lot of money to get involved.

Second, just because a horse costs a lot of money doesn't guarantee success. This isn't like buying a car. If you spend a lot more money on a Mercedes or a Bentley or a fancy Land Rover with all the bells and whistles presumably you will get a better vehicle. Exactly the opposite with horses. Even though the press loves to talk about the million dollar horses you'd be surprised how many of those million dollar horses a never make it to the races or be end up running for $12,500 at Tampa Bay Bay in a maiden claimer. Ever hear of the Green Monkey?

The beauty of it is that horses do not know what they cost. They either want to run and be first to the wire (like the herd leaders) or they like running around the groomed surface with a bunch of horses (like the herd followers). Our job is to find the herd leaders, the competitive horses that intrinsically know that they need to get to the wire first. Somehow genetically they know. It's up to us to find out which are the ones that know. And many times those aren't the expensive ones. So don't be impressed by the fancy big numbers. The key is to join a nice group led by an expert, such as myself who will educate you, communicate with you regularly so you know when and where your horse is running, and allow you to visit in the morning to pet and feed them and watch them run in the afternoon.

The bottom line is that it's extremely high risk. Your partner is Mother Nature. You could have the 6/5 in the eighth race, the gates open, the horse stumbles, and there goes the 6/5. So I urge people to only use money they can afford to lose. But if you do have disposable income, there's nothing more exciting you can do with it. Yes, you could take that money and go on a cruise, visit the midnight buffet, and sail around the world with a bunch of cruisers who, by the way, constantly compare one cruise line to another. But ultimately, the money is gone. When the cruise is over, either you loved it and will do it again, or you got seasick and will never do it again.

The nice thing about horse racing is that you can take the money invest it in a good horse, and if you pick the right one, it could pay for your vacation. With the purses these days, it only takes a consistent horse to really break even. But let's face it it's not about breaking even it's about winning the Kentucky Derby or the Breeders' Cup classic or the Dubai World Cup. Those are the horses we are all looking for and if you keep at it long enough, you will eventually find that great horse. And he doesn't have to be a world-beater, just a big handsome athletic monster standing next to you in the Winner's circle.

This time of year, Derby fever is right around the corner, and everyone has visions of red roses being draped over their horse. Horse racing is in the air, take a nice deep breath and inhale it, and let's get you in on the most exciting game outdoors!!!

Is Your Horse A Turf Force or a Dirt Horse?

It's funny how the expression goes: maybe that horse can handle the turf better than the dirt. If you really think about it horses in their natural habitat do not run around on groomed dirt surfaces. They all run around on turf in one form or another. So to me, the question isn't whether a horse handles turf better than dirt, but whether a horse adapts better to a groomed dirt surface than to the surface its ancestors handled for millennia.

Horses may perform better on turf because their individual characteristics suit their stride, body mechanics, and running style. Sometimes it's as easy as a horse not wanting dirt kicked back in its face which can affect both vision and breathing.

Turf is a firm sometimes soft surface. Especially with fillies the fact that they have something under them to grab onto builds their confidence and allows them to relax and enjoy the trip.

The same horses may not be able to get hold of a dirt track. Because of their body mechanics and conformation, they may slip, slide and be unable to dig in. As a result, they flounder, climb, switch leads multiple times and if you see this happeining, you know that the horse is just not comfortable on a dirt surface.

When training a horse in the morning, you'll notice it may have high knee action, with its knees coming up high, almost to a right angle with its chest and breast plate. These horses were referred to as "daisy cutters". Old-timers used this term because it looked like horses were cutting the flowers off the daisies with their front and hind hooves. On a dirt track these horses may work very fast at 3/8s of a mile, but at a half mile, once their rider or a jockey sets them down to accelerate at the top of the stretch, they start to climb and perhaps begin to swhich leads which results in a weak finish.

Horses that run on turf last a little bit longer because you don't have the high-impact concussion that you would have on a dirt surface. Horses on the turf may relax more at the beginning of the race get into a good rhythm and galloping position going down the backstretch, and then kick out and accelerate at the top of the stretch turning for home. Often, if you notice a European horse in the field, the jock will place that horse behind others at the beginning of the race to encourage it to settle into a good galloping rhythm, as they are ready to go, go, go once the gates open. Then, at the top of the stretch, they move the horses out and let them finish the race at their own speed. This is as opposed to horses in a dirt race that are very aggressive from the start and really need to get an early lead or be up with the leaders and run from there.

Regarding footing on the different surfaces; Turf horses run over the top of the ground, whereas dirt horses dig into the dirt. Many factors, including body conformation (which determines body mechanics), genetics, and disposition, determine a horse's ability to run on different surfaces. Many times this may not become evident until the horse's first or second race. Many horses can fool you in the morning. Until you see them race against live competition in front of a cheering crowd you may not have all the information needed to properly determine their favorite distance and surface.

And that is what makes it such a fabulous sport. The horses can not talk, which is fabulous in many ways. They don't talk back, can't fail to show up for work, can not go on strike, and can notnegotiate contracts. At the same time one must determine through daily observation how they're feeling, when they are at their best and when they are ready to reward you with a demonstration of superior, athletic prowess. It takes a team effort to win a race. That's why we call it horse racing and not horse winning just like they call fishing, fishing and not catching. When an animal is central to the story, you don't know what will happen until you land it in your net or lead it into the Winner's circle!

The Future of Racing - Inspiring the Younger Generation

This week promises to be an exciting one for me. I volunteered to read a book about farming to five second-grade classes. I'm looking forward to the energy that these young kids possess, even at 9 o'clock in the morning. Of course, the trick will be to keep their attention, but I think once I start talking about horses, everything will fall into place. Don't worry, I will put in a plug for horse racing. Over the years, I've found that you do not have to persuade a child, especially a young one, to like or love a horse. It's a magnetic attraction. Place a large, gentle animal in front of a child, and they are immediately captivated and mesmerized by its size and warmth.

At the end of the reading session, I taught them how to plant seedlings and brought seedling mix mixture cups and bean seeds. The teacher who’s out of the picture to the left, put their names on each cup, and the individual mini- gardens are sitting in their classroom in the sun, getting ready to sprout.   It was really cool. The kids really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed their energy, insight and imagination!

To be honest, I've been saying this for years. I can't tell you how many times I brought this to the attention of the higher-ups in our industry. They seem to think that interest in racing starts with affluent older people. Over the years, they've run various campaigns to attract established individuals, such as stockbrokers, business owners, millionaires, and billionaires. The issue here is that these people made their money because they saved it. They reinvested it and were essentially risk-averse. But with other industries, for instance, hospitality, McDonald's knew that attracting the world's youth was the key to building their business. Generations ago, they started with Ronald McDonald and Happy Meals. Once kids started with McDonald's, it didn't matter what they were putting into those chicken McNuggets or hamburgers. People developed an attraction and a comfort level, and if they were hungry or in a rush, they'd zip into the drive-through. You could say this about any fast food chain. It starts with the kids.

I just got back from the OBS March 2-year-old sale. Over the years, you see the same friends and colleagues at these sales year after year. These auctions are essentially our conventions. Going to dinner or lunch, or just sitting around shooting the breeze, the one common denominator I found with all of us is that we started with an attraction to horses as kids. Whether it was slipping off to the race track with my uncle or grandfather when we were supposed to be going to the grocery store so he could place some bets, or showing up at the riding stable because that's where all the cute girls were to help them brush their horses, do the stalls, or tack them up and get them going. If you took a survey, I guarantee you would find that 95% of the people in the horse business entered it because of their love and attraction to horses as young children. So why, as an industry, aren't we making it easier for young children to get exposed to and attracted to horses? NYRA does a pretty good job at Saratoga with the morning tours. When I show people around every morning, whether it be the backstretch at Saratoga or the backstretch at Belmont, I encourage them to bring their families and their children. But this needs to be done on a much larger scale. We need to grow an educational program that begins with field trips—like the ones I used to take from local schools to the backstretch of all major racetracks. When a young child sees a horse up close and personal, it sticks with them for the rest of their lives, and mark my words, they will be back. I will continue to forge ahead with this initiative. I hope that with the new, beautiful Belmont Park, NYRA will institute some new programs to expose young kids to horses and involve them more in the Racing industry. Whether it be as fans or directly involved with the industry, it's something that has to start now!

We are not getting any younger, and every industry needs new blood to keep the dream going and hope alive! Let's hear from anyone out there about your first memory with horses! I'd love you to share some interesting stories to get the conversation going!

Back in Training: How Thoroughbreds Prepare for Their First Race Off a Layoff

A horse coming back to race after a long layoff is similar to a person getting back in shape for football, baseball or soccer season once they have been off for the winter, spring or summer. For those of you who played high school football, soccer, or baseball, or were even good enough to go on and play in college, you know that those first practices were all muscle building. You are running laps, sprints, and up and down banks. My high school coach: Coach Smith called them bankings. Our banks had roots jutting out so if you weren't paying attention and your foot caught on a root, you would go tumbling on your face and eat dirt. Then coach would give you more bankings because you should have been paying attention. I think I was the record holder for bankings. Coach Smith had a special place in his heart for me! Anyway, it is a lot of muscle toning, muscle stretching, and muscle building before you even touch, pass, or kick the ball or grab a bat. It is all about getting your body and mind ready, building muscle, sharpening your speed and increasing your stamina. 

Kid Billy wins his race at Aqueduct on February 16, 2026.

It is the same for bringing a horse back from a long layoff. They have been turned out in a green paddock eating grass, letting their bodies mend naturally. Their brains reboot while getting back to mother nature for a bit, swatting flies and admiring butterflies. 

Then it's time to lead them out, put a saddle on them and start jogging. They will be jogging for weeks until they slowly drag themselves into a gallop. When they are ready to gallop, they are telling you they are ready to move on. You gallop them for weeks until they start pulling you down the lane. You know then, when they start pulling you down the lane, it is time to start with two-minute licks (two minute miles), and opening up down the lane. That is when the quarter mile breezes start a week apart, then 3/8's probably four or five times each time a week apart until they can't blow out a candle back at the barn. You move up to half miles the same way: three, four, five weeks until they don't come back huffing and puffing and tired out but still full of energy wanting more. Some of these works will be out of the gate to get the horses to break sharply. Then you move up to five eighths of a mile every week for maybe three or four weeks. After all this, then you start looking for a race. 

Winner’s Circle at Aqueduct with Kid Billy on February 16, 2026.

The first race back is important because you want to give the horse not only a nudge but also a positive experience. You want your horse to remember how much fun it is to go back to the racing wars. If they've won races, they know the drill. If they haven't won yet, This will count as a learning experience. Hopefully they show what they are made of, break sharp and be in front at the wire. Sounds easy, but it's a work in progress. Just like you were way back in the day when you were young, spry and a bit of a show off, right? You dog, You! 

We do this because it is fun, exciting, and exhilarating. If you've got a horse that does it because they are enjoying it and because they like to go out and compete, You will feel that same exhilaration! After all that, it's just a matter of keeping them sound, pointing them in the right direction and putting them in the right spot. Sounds easy right? LOL! 

Bottom line it takes time, months not weeks and, as we all know, time is money in this business as it is with most businesses. If you're counting days or counting your money, or you are always in a rush you are probably in the wrong business. You do this for fun, for the love of racing, for the excitement it brings, and mostly for the love of the horse. Like human athletes all horses are different, they go at their own pace and it's up to the trainer to figure out just what that pace is. If you treat the horse right, they will in turn treat you right. Give your best and they will give you their best. The rest is up to the racing gods!