Never one for the limelight, trainer Henry B. (H.B.) Johnson Jr. quietly reached a career milestone on Friday, Nov. 3 at Delta Downs when City Ghost rallied for the win under jockey Angel Suarez in the seventh race. The win marked victory number 1,000 for the 82-year-old conditioner, who has been training Thoroughbreds since 1983.
“It's nice to get it out of the way, because it was a long time getting it done,” said Johnson. “She's a well-bred horse and has been developing nicely.”
Owner-breeder Russell Welch and his wife, Janis, were at Delta Downs for the win by their Texas-bred filly by Shaman Ghost out of the City Zip mare Zip Her Up. Welch, who also has horses in Kentucky with Larry Jones, has trusted Johnson with his Texas- and Louisiana-breds for the past seven years.
“He was sort of humbled by it all,” noted Welch of the post-race presentation. “We are both rodeo cowboys and H.B. does an outstanding job breaking babies. He did tell me that evening that reaching the milestone would never have been possible without the support of his owners.”
Johnson concurred with Welch, citing Dennis Milligan, Jerry Myers, Greg Hoffman, Jerry Chiles, David and Susan Bunn as well as Paul and Marianne Phillips as a few of his longtime owners.
“I have been fortunate to have great owners who understand the importance of patience,” acknowledged Johnson.
Greg Hoffman (Hoffman Family Racing LLC) shared his history with the Louisiana horseman.
“I had horses in training with Chris Candies and when he decided to get out of the business, he introduced me to H.B.,” said Hoffman. “He has always put his horses first, will back off if needed, and has a wonderful team with him at the Hurricane Bluff Training Center (in Bossier City, Louisiana).”
Earlier this year, Johnson and Hoffman teamed up with Meant for Me, who won a turf sprint on March 31 at Sam Houston Race Park giving veteran jockey Stewart Elliott his 5,500th career milestone.
Prior to his training career, Johnson was a rodeo competitor specializing in bull and steer riding. One of his closest friends on the rodeo circuit was eventual Racing Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger, who won the 1990 Kentucky Derby (G1) with Unbridled
“He was a tremendous bull rider,” said Johnson.
Early mentors for Johnson included equine veterinarian and trainer Tater Whatley and Larry Lyle.
In a career that spans four decades with success at a number of Texas and Louisiana racetracks, Johnson has saddled 6,486 horses whose purse earnings surpassed $15.1 million. Top earners included Albert's First ($477,318); Wa Bert ($356,488); Political Whit ($347,190); Icy Gentleman (($320,795), and Jimi's a Star ($314,060).
No graded stakes winners for Johnson, but he has fond memories of many of his trainees, regardless of their number of wins or earnings.
“I've had some tricky horses,” said Johnson. “Wicked Rose was a bit of a surprise; loved to come from way out of it. Jimi's Star retired sound and has become a hunter/jumper.”
Johnson and his wife, Jinnie, reside in Bossier City. They have three adult children: Hank, Josie and Kevin. Johnson has 18 horses at Delta Downs and 10 in training at Hurricane Bluff. He credits his wife, who is a major part of his operation, assistant trainer Jose Gomez and Oscar Nunez, who hails as the “backbone” of the stable's grooms.
Retirement is not on the immediate radar for Johnson, who will turn 83 in January.
“I like doing what I do and can't think of anything else I would enjoy as much as this,” stated Johnson.
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With a hot pace to run at, California-bred Closing Remarks rallied from far back to take Sunday's closing day co-feature at Santa Anita, the $200,000 Goldikova Stakes (G2), getting one mile on turf in 1:32.69.
Trained by Carla Gaines and ridden by Juan Hernandez, the 5-year-old Vronsky mare was up to win by a half-length over even-money favorie Queen Goddess.
As expected, Irish-bred Hamwood Flier went to the front out of the gate and enjoyed a two length advantage over Queen Goddess around the clubhouse turn. Heading up the backside, Closing Remarks had one horse beat while about seven off the lead.
Heading to the far turn, Hernandez opted to sit chilly as Lucky Girl rallied from last to her outside, but Closing Remarks would soon be into gear three-deep turning for home and rolled late to easily reel in the favorite well inside the sixteenth pole.
Owned and bred in California by Harris Farms Inc., Closing Remarks, a three-time graded stakes winner who was most recently fourth going 1 1/4 miles on turf in the Rodeo Drive (G2) on Oct. 7 at Santa Anita, was off at 5-1 in a field of six fillies and mares and paid $13.60 for the win.
Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks has five stakes wins and is 7-5-4 from 24 career starts. With the Goldikova's winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $999,320.
Queen Goddess, idle since her third in the Gamely Stakes (G1) on May 29 at Santa Anita, overtook Hamwood Flier a furlong out but was no match for the winner late.
Hamwood Flier held off Full Count Felicia by a head for third.
Santa Anita's leading rider through 18 racing days, Hernandez notched his league-leading seventh stakes win and his 24th overall victory.
Fractions on the race were :22.67, :45.38, 1:08.38, and 1:20.42.
GOLDIKOVA STAKES QUOTES
JOCKEY JUAN HERNANDEZ, CLOSING REMARKS, WINNER: “This mare she tries all the time, she's a really nice, honest mare. She knows what she is doing on the track, she is a professional and always shows up. Last time, there was no pace at all and I think I was too close to the pace and that's why she didn't finish. Today the race set up really good for her. Carla brought her ready today because she was feeling really good in the post parade and she showed up in the race. When I asked her turning for home around the three-eighths, she picked it up really well and she switched leads. At the end we got the win.”
TRAINER CARLA GAINES, CLOSING REMARKS, WINNER:
On why she opted for the Goldikova and not the Breeders' Cup: “Basically the competition; she's been very effective at a mile before but basically the competition.
“Juan did give her a lot to do but the pace was horrid upfront, so he just worked it out perfectly, but that's Juan.
“Thank you, John (Harris) for everything you've done for my team and I want to thank your team too, it all works together.”
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Walking L Thoroughbreds' Shimmering Allure launched a devastating rally in deep stretch to capture Sunday's 49th running of the listed $150,000 Tempted for 2-year-old fillies going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Shimmering Allure, a dark bay daughter of first crop sire Enticed, previously finished fourth in her lone two-turn start in the Darley Alcibiades (G1) on October 6 at Keeneland, which came following a fourth-out graduation going a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs for trainer Kenny McPeek. She handled the cutback with flying colors, tracking well off the pace, to post a sharp three-length victory under Junior Alvarado.
Breaking from post 1 in the eight-horse field, Shimmering Allure was in seventh position early on while 36-1 longshot Belle's Blue Bell set the tempo through an opening quarter-mile in :23.03 and the half-mile in 46.48 over the fast main track. Caitlinhergrtness, the 8-5 favorite, tracked a close second with Vino Rouge tracking to her outside in third.
Around the far turn, Caitlinhergrtness matched strides with the pacesetter and came under a drive in upper stretch with Vino Rouge battling to her outside. Vino Rouge took command at the stretch call, but could not fend off a rallying Shimmering Allure, who completed the journey in 1:37.84.
Vino Rouge finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Perfectly Wicked. Caitlinhergrtness, Don't Tell Kelly, Belle's Blue Bell, Enfuega, and A Primera Vista completed the order of finish. Caress and Vicountess were both scratched.
Alvarado said a fast pace up front helped his filly's chances.
“She was a filly we knew would come from behind. She broke very well today, and they outran her the first part, but I knew there was going to be a lot of speed since there was a lot of fillies coming from sprints, so that helped her to get a fast pace up front,” said Alvarado. “I bought my time and let her get her feet underneath. When we hit the three-eighths pole, I started tapping the shoulder and she turned it on. I knew I had enough horse to get there at the end, so I tipped out at that point and she finished up very well.”
The triumph only added to a whirlwind weekend for Alvarado, who piloted Just F Y I to victory in Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park before winning the following day's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) aboard multiple Grade 1 winner Cody's Wish.
“That's why we wake up every day. We work almost every day just to get to those big races with horses with a chance, and then to be able to win those types of races is what you do for your career,” Alvarado said. “You want to be there. You want to show them that you can ride with any jockeys. Here, there are a lot of good riders all around. It was just an unbelievable weekend and something I will never forget in my life.”
Nick Galati, assistant to McPeek, said the conditioner had the Tempted circled following her last start.
“She ran so good last time and Ken told me right away that he wanted to run in the Tempted. I think this was the plan and she just turned a corner,” Galati said. “She liked going two turns and last time it was a really tough race, but she hung in there for a good fourth. Today, she was ready. I'm sure we'll find a good spot. She's really a nice filly, for sure. We always thought she was a nice filly, even the first time she ran in Saratoga, she ran really well. She sprinted a couple of times and it set her up nicely. I think she just keeps getting better. She seems to like any track she runs on also, so she's honest.”
Shimmering Allure, who returned $6.10 for a $2 win wager as the second choice, banked $82,500 in victory to push her lifetime earnings up to $189,095. Her record now stands at 6-2-2-0.
Bred in Kentucky by Clifton Farm, Shimmering Allure is out of the stakes-placed Wild Again mare Shimmering Tale and was bought from her breeder for $40,000 from the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale.
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