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‘I’ve Wanted To Be A Trainer For As Long As I Can Remember’: Matthew Ciamei Breaks Through At Monmouth

As much as Matthew Ciamei would have preferred not having to endure six months before his first career winner as a trainer, the fact that it happened at Monmouth Park for the Berkeley Heights, N.J., native made the wait worthwhile,

Ciamei, 25, broke through as a trainer when Runnin' Block prevailed by a neck at Monmouth Park on June 25. The only other two horses in his stable, Never and Burning Man, are entered in separate races on Friday's eight-race card at the Jersey Shore track.

“It's pretty cool that my first win came at Monmouth Park, the track I grew up at, with my grandparents there to see it,” said Ciamei. “It was exhilarating but it was also a relief to get that first one.”

Ciamei said he has been coming to Monmouth Park “since I was in a stroller,” influenced by his grandfather, Richard T. Woll, who owned horses.

“I used to come to the track with my grandfather all the time,” said Ciamei. “My grandparents lived at the Jersey Shore so I would be at the track with them the whole summer. I really loved it. I've wanted to be a trainer for as long as I can remember.”

But there was a catch before Ciamei could pursue his dream: His family insisted he get a college degree first. He did that, getting both his undergraduate degree and a Master's degree in accounting from Manhattan College.

“That was the deal with my family, to finish college, get my degree and then I could go after my dream, which was training,” he said. “I have no intentions of using those degrees but it puts my parents at ease to know I have them.”

Ciamei, who attended Oratory Prep in Summit, N.J., took out his trainer's license in January, starting at Palm Meadows in Florida.

He finished fifth with Never in his first career start at Gulfstream on Jan. 5, shifting his small stable to Monmouth Park in May. After starting 0-for-9, Runnin' Block delivered his first career win.

“I didn't expect it to be easy or smooth sailing so it has been what I expected – a learning curve with ups and downs,” said Ciamei, who started out working for Anthony Margotta. “I only have the three horses now but I am looking to claim. I have people who want to claim and I have empty stalls. We have money in the box. We're trying to claim but we're also trying to be smart about it so we're being patient.”

On Friday, Never goes in the first race, a maiden $40,000 claimer at five furlongs on the turf. Two races later Burning Man tries a $22,000 claimer at a mile and an eighth on the grass for Ciamei, who is 1-for-10 in his young career.

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A Closer Look at 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Hopeful West Will Power

The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships really begin to come into focus in summer and fall and this regular feature will offer a snapshot profile of one of the previous weekend’s standout stars.

Jockey John Hiraldo Summarily Suspended After Testing Positive For ‘Amphetamine’

Jockey John Hiraldo has been summarily suspended by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission after a random drug test produced a positive result for “amphetamine,” according to a ruling posted on the Association of Racing Commissioners International website on Wednesday.

A hearing on Hiraldo's summary suspension has been scheduled for July 7, 2023.

A 21-year-old native of Puerto Rico, Hiraldo has been riding professionally since Dec. 10, 2020. He won his first career race with 33-1 long shot Flat Rate on Laurel Park's 2020 New Year's Eve program, and was an Eclipse Award finalist for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 2021.

Prior to his debut, Hiraldo had galloped horses for Maryland trainer Brittany Russell. His father, cousin, and uncle are also jockeys

Hiraldo has tallied 140 winners from 1,293 career starts, with earnings of $4,252,790. His eight wins at Delaware Park this year have him among the top 10 jockeys at the 2023 meeting.

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CHRB: Fatal Injuries Down Sharply, Non-Exercise Related Deaths Up In 2022-’23 Fiscal Year

California horse racing again experienced a significant decline in the number of horses that died from injuries suffered during racing and training at California facilities during the 2022-'23 fiscal year that ended June 30. A total of 26 died last year as a result of musculoskeletal injuries that occurred while racing or training, compared with 39 the previous year. For context, approximately 30,000 race starts and far in excess of 100,000 workouts occur each year from 8,000 to 10,000 horses at California Horse Racing Board regulated facilities.

“That's still too many fatalities, but it shows that all of the new regulations, policies, and procedures that that we've introduced in cooperation with the industry have had a significant effect,” said CHRB Chairman Greg Ferraro. “Our efforts are focused primarily on preventable injuries, and that's what the numbers reflect. I don't know of any racing jurisdiction in the country that even comes close to matching this effort or result.”

In the interest of full transparency, the CHRB also tracks fatalities caused by any non-exercise-related catastrophic injury. The most common cause of death in this other group is gastro-intestinal diseases, such as colic, colitis, and enteritis, followed by respiratory disease. Unfortunately, the number of “other” deaths increased last year, and those 43 deaths, coupled with the 26 due to musculoskeletal injuries, brought the total to 69, or three more than the 66 the previous year.

“I've considered several times the idea of not counting other deaths, the type that occur among horse populations anywhere in the world, including the popular riding stables and in the wild, but I've always decided that full transparency is the best way to go,” said CHRB executive director Scott Chaney.

Those 43 other deaths occurred despite care and treatment by on-site veterinarians and specialized equipment located in stable areas.

“Six of those horses were transported to the veterinary hospital at the University of California, Davis, as well as other local referral hospitals, where experts did their best to save them,” said Dr. Jeff Blea, the CHRB equine medical director. “Illnesses such as severe colic, advanced neurologic cases, and obscure medical conditions, sometimes just are not treatable, as animal and horse owners throughout the world know from personal experience.”

For further context, equine fatalities at CHRB-regulated facilities have declined by 54 percent since 2019, including the “other” category.

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