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Alex Sausville ‘Looking Forward To The Experience’ In Racing Office At Colonial Downs

When horses break out of the starting gate July 27 for the season's first race at Colonial Downs, Alex Sausville will add another check mark to the long list of tracks at which he has seen live racing. The New Kent, Virginia, oval will mark number 70. And when you add in his visits to tracks that have been shuttered, mothballed or are gone completely, the list grows to around 135. Pretty impressive for someone who is just 24 years old.

Sausville, who grew up outside of Saratoga in upstate New York, won't just savor the action as a fan. He has been able take his intense passion for racing and turn it into a budding career. This summer, he will be working in the racing department at Colonial Downs. He made a key connection last fall when he met Colonial's Vice President of Racing Operations Jill Byrne on Breeders' Cup weekend at Santa Anita. Byrne offered him a position during the 2020 meet and he arrived in New Kent two weeks ago.

Come Monday when the track opens for training, he will be a backstretch “gap” attendant every morning during training hours — overseeing the flow of equine traffic on and off the track, to and from the barn area. During the races, he will help insert Equibase timing system chips into each horse's saddle towel as an assistant paddock judge. And in between, he'll do anything else that is needed or asked of him.

“I expect to have some long days but am looking forward to the experience,” he said.

Sausville didn't grow up in a racing family, but his family had a lot of interest in the races given his proximity to Saratoga.

“I'd go to the races and simulcast rooms with my father, uncle, and godfather pretty much every Friday and Saturday when Saratoga was racing,” he said. “We did doubleheaders those days — Thoroughbreds in the afternoon and harness, which was right across the street, at night.”

Sausville enjoyed everything about racing and thought about a career in the field but didn't know how to go about it. After high school, he attended St. John Fisher College in Rochester for four years where he played basketball and got a degree in Marketing. After graduating, he heard about the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) from Gulfstream track announcer Pete Aiello and decided to pursue the opportunity.

He ended up spending the next 1 1/2 years in Tucson taking courses in racetrack management, racetrack marketing and animal sciences among others. Students in the program get valuable hands-on experience interning at nearby Rillito Park — the birthplace of Quarter Horse racing — which has an annual six-week winter meet.

The combination of classwork and experience — and treks across the country to visit racetracks — came together quite nicely for him.

“I realized this is what I wanted pretty quickly after I got out there,” he recalled. “The last two years have been the best of my life, from when I started there, to when I graduated from there (in December), to being able to visit tracks and gain new experiences. I loved so much of it and still love every second of it.”

Sausville's fascination with traveling to tracks around the country started eight or nine years ago though.

“I had already been to Keeneland, Belmont and Saratoga at that point, but the next place I visited was Beulah Park in Columbus. It was on its last legs. It was down to its final few race days left. There weren't more than a dozen people in the place the day I was there. It was dusty and dirty. But you could visualize how nice the place was at one time. There was an air to it. I said to my family, if there are other places like this around the country, I want to see them.”

Future track trips would sometimes be as a family, as father and son, and on other occasions, solo. On one trip, he drove from school in Tuscon to New York and visited eight or nine different tracks on the way east. With help from RTIP's Wendy Davis and Mike Weiss, he set up meetings at each with graduates of the program and with former guest speakers they had.

“I found there's such a comradery among everyone. I got to see so many alumni from the program and meet people that all had a common ground. It was great to see the passion that brings everyone together. I grew up watching races from the rail with my dad. This gave me the chance to see racing from the inside.

“I'm trying to learn bits and pieces of everything,” he added. “When you watch racing as a fan, you see some of those bits and pieces. When you get into it more, you see all the avenues it takes — working hands on with the horses, working the sales, breeding. I spent five months helping foal out mares — something I never thought about doing when I was 16 or 17.”

Sausville was asked about some top highlights from his travels.

“Arlington was great,” he replied. “I went to the Million and had an amazing time. Saratoga is my home and I sometimes get spoiled with it. Fairmount Park in Illinois stands out. I was there on a Saturday night when they had an 8:30 PM post time. The place was packed. They ran for lower purses but the crowds were jammed in along the rail. Same with Rillito,” he continued. “They didn't run for a lot of purse money there. Maiden special weight races went for $1,000. But when the horses came down the stretch, people were three- and four-deep at the rail screaming. At every track, there is an experience that separates each one from the other.”

Sausville estimates he has visited between 55 and 57 closed racetracks.

“There is an element about seeing a closed venue. I love seeing what is left. I love the history of racing.  It's what drew me into visiting. I went to Alabama and visited the Birmingham Turf Club.  It was a mecca at one time, but just never made it. To see it was amazing. It's gorgeous to see what they built it for. They had been running greyhounds most recently but aren't any more since the pandemic hit. To see that element of the past is just really exciting to feel it and experience it.”

Garden State Park, Great Lakes Downs and Pinnacle are some of the tracks he has been to that did not survive.

“At Detroit Race Course, there is nothing left,” he said. “It's just a couple of warehouses now. In other places, you can still see the grandstand or the track. Everybody in the industry started somewhere and has experiences. Take a place like Woodlands in Kansas City. Nobody knows what's going on with it now but there are 10 people that started their careers there and had some of the best times of their professional lives there. I've heard some amazing stories about some amazing places and they are all genuine. I don't know if I would have heard these unless people knew I had that level of interest.”

Before arriving at Colonial Downs, Sausville worked for five months at the 2,200-acre Stone Farm in Paris, Kentucky. After the Colonial meet ends, he will head back to Kentucky but instead of a farm, he'll be based at Keeneland to help prepare for this year's Breeders' Cup. Working at Colonial though completes a “full circle” type experience.

“I've always loved watching races on TV and certain simulcast signals would catch my eye,” he recalled. “Colonial was one of them. One of my favorite horses won the 2012 Virginia Derby. I remember watching Silver Max win it upstairs at the Saratoga harness track on a small, dirty simulcast screen. Now eight years later, I get to look out at that beautiful turf course in person every day. It's amazing to realize where I came from and where I am now.”

Colonial's Jill Byrne could not be happier with where Sausville is now.

“I met Alex initially at Breeders' Cup last year where he was working for Dora Delgado in the racing department. I knew if he was Dora-approved he had to have all the necessary qualities for a future in racing operations! Then I got to see Alex in action at the RTIP Symposium and it was even more obvious that he has the drive, knowledge and passion to learn everything about the racing industry and be a positive addition to our team at Colonial Downs. Alex is going to be a major force in horse racing's future.”

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Training Begins At Colonial Downs; 18-Day Meet To Start July 27

With the return of live racing to Colonial Downs just two weeks away, trainers from Tampa Bay Downs were amongst the initial conditioners to arrive on the backstretch which recently opened. As a light rain shower passed through the area, the first horses made their way onto the mile and a quarter main track signaling the start of training for the 18-day meet that starts Monday, July 27.

The first horse onto the track was Mo Margarita from the barn of James Tsirigotis, Jr., who has eight horses here from Tampa.

“The Tampa horsemen definitely played a big role in the success of our 'racing revival' last year and I'm certainly glad to see so many of them return,” said Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Allison DeLuca, who serves in the same role at the Oldsmar, Florida, oval.

The Sunshine State outfits are topped by last year's co-leading trainer Mike Stidham, who will again have a string at Colonial this summer. The 62-year-old native of Neptune, New Jersey, won 10 races during the 2019 meet including stakes scores with Embolden in the Jamestown Stakes and with Doc's Boy in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Kitten's Joy. He surpassed the 2,000-win mark in November.

“We enjoyed racing here last year,” Stidham said. “We had a lot of grass horses that we were able to run that we couldn't get in at other tracks. We won a lot of races. Our horses liked the grass course and the dirt surface was good as well.

“We're anxious and looking forward to another good meet,” he continued. “We will have a strong presence at Colonial and plan to run as many as possible this year.”

In addition to Stidham and Tsirigotis, others trainers who have made the trek from the western peninsula of Florida include Mike Campbell, Francisco Machado, Abdul Williams, James Dimmett, Jonathon Feron, Joseph Minieri, Mauricio Nunez, Derek Ryan, Dennis Ward, John Fennessey, Sarah Nagle, Moises Yanez, and Whitney Vallis to name just a few.

Among the prominent new trainers to have a Colonial Downs outfit is that of Christophe Clemente. The Paris-born Clemente, who saddled Tonalist to win the 2014 Belmont Stakes (G1), though based in New York this time of year he will have a contingent of eight horses here. Earlier this year, Clemente notched his 2,000th victory.

Of course, Virginia-bred, -sired or -restricted runners will be featured prominently during the Colonial Downs season with numerous stakes opportunities sprinkled throughout the meet with as many as six such events planned for the opening three programs.

“Move in day was hectic – we have 100 horses at home; trying to get a batch down here,” said trainer Karen Godsey. “Mom and I were throwing hay the other day trying to get it all done.  We have 11 (horses) here so far, nine or 10 more to come from the farm and some from other tracks. We'll trickle them in — I'll bring another couple more every day.

“It feels great to be back especially after this year that we've all had — at one point, didn't even know we'd be here,” she said. “I hope I have as a good meet as I did last year but don't know if you can get lucky twice. What the Beep, winner of the 2019 Tyson Gilpin Stakes is back and will compete in the same Virginia-bred stakes this year (Sept. 2).”

Another Virginia-based trainer David Bourke arrived over the weekend and will have 10 horses here for the meet. “I just brought the first set out to train and the track feels great — it has a really nice cushion on it. It is all manicured and looks A1,” he said. “We fortunately brought a bit better stock with us this year. We have two really nice 2-year-olds. We have something more to look forward to than we did last year. The quality in our stable this year is better.”

The Colonial Downs season begins Monday, July 27, with racing conducted three days a week – Monday through Wednesday – with a first post of 5:30 p.m. EDT with provisions for a limited number of spectators in attendance for the 18-day schedule.

Under conditions established in Virginia's Phase 3 reopening plan, which allows for outdoor venues to cap attendance at 1,000 spectators, Colonial Downs will plan the following protocols for the nightly meeting:

·        Up to 1000 spectators will be admitted to the outdoor areas of the grandstand and the track apron.

·        All guests will receive temperature checks upon arrival at the facility and a 6-foot social distancing policy will be enforced.

·        Guests are required to wear masks indoors and encouraged outdoors.

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Samantha Randazzo Ready To Begin Her Role As Safety Compliance Officer At Colonial Downs

When the stable area at Colonial Downs Racetrack opens July 13, Samantha Randazzo will begin her first stint as a Safety Compliance Officer, a job that is part of the new Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to reduce equine fatalities. Her “Best Practices” position focuses on 23 different responsibilities to ensure all activities and practices that involve the training and racing of horses at the track meet required safety standards and regulatory guidelines.

Among her duties, she will monitor daily activities in the barn area, conduct random inspections of safety equipment like helmets and vests, serve as a member of the Mortality Review Board and conduct random checks of ship-in health papers at the stable gate, along with many others.

Randazzo brings a wealth of experience to the table. She has been a Thoroughbred trainer for 27 years and most recently, has spent six years in regulatory roles. After college, she went to work full time for trainer Linda Rice and ended up having her own division of Rice's stable in Florida for 17 years, at Monmouth for 10 years and at Saratoga for seven.

“Linda and I have a symbiotic relationship with training,” she said. “I worked for her brother Brian one summer while in college because he had younger horses and got the chance to see how they were developed and trained. When I joined Linda right after graduating, she was just starting out on her own. I'd travel with her horses when they raced at Parx or River Downs just to get more experience. I love training. It's a passion.”

Randazzo was born and raised outside of Reading, Pennsylvania, and grew up around horses at their family farm. Her father was a mushroom farmer and her mother was a bookkeeper and tax collector. “My mother was interested in breeding and racing so we did have a small breeding operation at the farm,” she recalled. “She did layups and rehabilitation along with breeding and foaling horses then in the late '60's, she got a racehorse that competed at Pocono.”

When Randazzo thought about pursuing a career as a Thoroughbred horse trainer, her parents insisted she have a backup plan in case that didn't work. “They didn't think it was a great career choice for women at the time,” she said.

At 16, she learned how to shoe horses at a blacksmith school in Martinsville, Virginia, so she could help at the family farm. After high school, she studied animal husbandry for two years at the Delaware Valley College of Science & Agriculture before switching majors and schools. At Albright College in Reading, Randazzo earned degrees in Political Science and History. And keeping her parents' wishes in mind, she attended the University of Toledo College of Law afterwards and earned a law degree.

Six years ago at the age of 50, Randazzo decided to switch gears in her career — not to practice law, which she has never done — but to move into the regulatory aspect of racing.

“When I turned 50, I realized I wasn't 30 anymore,” she said. “The industry had changed a lot — some good and some not so good. I found it more difficult to get things done. Help wasn't the way it was 30 years ago either. So, I decided to make the move. I may be a little Pollyanna, but I believe one person can be a force for change and make a difference given the right circumstances,” she continued. “I feel like I can contribute more at the regulatory level at this stage of my career because I have seen so much. I know the difference between things that are illegal versus things that are morally wrong. Sometimes they are the same and sometimes they are not. I have passion for both the horses and people in the sport. We don't want anyone — horse or human — getting hurt. The interest of gamblers needs to be protected as well.”

In 2014, Randazzo enrolled at the University of Louisville's Racing Officials Accreditation Program and got her certification in Thoroughbreds. She became cross accredited by completing coursework in Standardbred racing three years later.

Since then, she has held positions as a sitting steward at Canterbury Park and Fairmount Park, as an alternate state steward and as a Florida-based vet technician at Tampa Bay Downs, and as a race office team member and placing judge at Colonial Downs, among others.

“Looking back at all these experiences I've had, the industry is changing, and I believe it's for the better,” she said. “There is a litany of issues that are being addressed now between the HBPA, Jockeys Guild and various associations. They are seeing the importance of backstretch workers and helping them with health and family care needs. The progression of horse welfare and finding ways to repurpose them after their racing days are over has taken great importance now,” she added. “People didn't retire or re-home horses before or seek alternative careers for them, but today owners, trainers, grooms, and anyone else associated with the horse is involved. There is more of an awareness that avenues like New Vocations (Racehorse Adoption Program), retirement programs and even individuals are available to accept those horses and often repurpose them.”

Randazzo has first-hand experience with a retired racehorse — she owns one that is based at a farm in upstate New York. “I have to walk the walk too,” she said. “That horse competed in my division from the age of two until he was claimed from me at the age of eight. When he was racing in the bottom level at Penn National afterwards, I contacted the owner and had planned to fill out paperwork to claim him back. But the owner instead graciously just gave him to me. He's a special child,” she added. “I thought I could repurpose him for myself to be a racetrack pony horse, but he is a little too high strung. Horses are like people. Not all are actually fit for another career. Now, I just ride him when I get up that way after the Colonial meet. I spend a month or two up there visiting friends and family.”

Recently, Randazzo was working the final days of June at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale for 2-year-olds in training. She clocks and grades the horses as they are breezing. She also helps with stable release paperwork. She doublechecks the bill of sale and bill of lading then releases each horse so the sales company knows the destination of where each horse is going and how he is getting there.

“I like to stay busy and always enjoy doing different things,” she said. “There's not a lot that I couldn't do.”

Her next stop is Colonial Downs and she is looking forward to the new challenge. “I've performed most of the Safety Compliance tasks before,” she said. “At Fairmount and Canterbury, I'd walk the backside every morning. I checked every single stall to make sure the horses were properly bedded, had water and had hay. I watched breezes regularly. If a horse or rider went down, I'd speak to the outrider. They control the track in the morning but wanted them to know I was another set of eyes. I was there to back them up. I helped make sure everyone had their helmets snapped up. The outriders get tired of telling people to wear helmets securely but it is for everyone's safety. I wanted to make sure horses and people were taken care of.”

When speaking of Colonial specifically, Randazzo hopes her summer is unexciting. “Reflecting on the constitution of the backside last year, I expect to be bored this summer,” she said half joking. “I walked the barn every morning last year. People came there to race. They wanted to win, they wanted to make money, then they wanted to leave. Colonial wants a set of boots on the ground — someone who knows what should happen on the backstretch. That's what I'll be there to do this year. I'll be walking around and observing to make sure horses are being taken care of. Hopefully, I'll be pretty good at it. I believe I'm doing this job for the right reason and that I have the right attitude going into it.”

“We are very fortunate to have 'Sam' for this important role,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial's Vice President of Racing Operations. “Her extensive background and knowledge from a horse person's perspective has earned her immense respect from horsemen. Combine that with her experience as a racing official and her passion for the industry, and she is the perfect representative to ensure the safety and welfare of horses, riders, and all stable help, as well as the integrity of racing.”

Colonial Downs' summer season begins July 27 and continues thru September 2. Racing will take place every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM (EDT). Virginia Derby Night is slated for Tuesday September 1. For more information and to see a copy of the Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan, visit colonialdowns.com.

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