Tag: In Their Care

Oct. 17, 1992.

Simon Harris, a long-time exercise rider and valet on the New York circuit, remembers the day as if it was yesterday.

It was a day of roiling emotions – sadness, anxiety, excitement. He was 24 years young and was leaving behind friends and family in Dublin, Ireland, for Ocala, Fla. He knew he had a job there with breeder and trainer Noel Hickey. Nothing else was certain.

Was he making the right move? Among others, he was leaving behind a girlfriend and a loving relationship that had lasted for a decade. It had been the saddest of goodbyes.

“It was hard to leave home,” he said simply.

Perhaps harder than anyone can imagine. And yet he never looked back. He was first struck by the warmth of the Florida air – and then by the warmth of those he met.

“I love the way people are here,” said Harris, now 55. “If you work hard, people give you a shot.”

The husband-and-wife training team of John and Tonya Terranova head the list of people who gave him a shot. The 5-6, 135-pound Harris began galloping horses for them in 1993 and was instrumental in the development of Gander, a star gelding. He continues to be a key figure in their operation.

“He's like family to us,” said Tonya. “He's like a brother to me.”

He interacts with the horses in the barn almost as well. “It's very rare that there is one he can't get along with,” Tonya said. “It's not just a job for him. He really has dedication and a love for the animal.”

The Terranovas count on Harris to breeze their horses. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert frequently sends top runners to them from his West Coast base ahead of scheduled starts in major New York stakes. Harris is a major reason why. Harris ranks Point Given, Baffert's 2001 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner, among the best he has ever climbed aboard despite the horse's headstrong nature.

When Baffert was considering retiring Indian Blessing at the end of the 2009 campaign, he left the deciding vote to Harris. Indian Blessing had been champion 2-year-old filly in 2007 and the nation's leading female sprinter in 2008.

“She's still good,” Harris told Baffert after hopping off. “She's not the same.”

Baffert had suspected as much. “She's done,” Baffert told him before the retirement was made official.

When trainer Tom Albertrani sensed he had a gem in Bernardini, he turned to Harris to help prepare the colt. Harris still ranks the winner of the Preakness, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2006 as the best horse he has ever ridden.

“He had everything. He had a great mind. He knew what he was,” Harris said. “When he went on the track, he had such a presence about him. He just looked special.”

According to Harris, much of his success has to do with demeanor. “The better exercise riders have a way about them that is calm,” he said. “They do things a little bit slower.”

He establishes relationships with his mounts almost immediately. “Horses have different personalities. They can tell right away that they can do whatever they want with you or they can't,” the rider said. “They know.”

Harris got his shot as a full-time valet in 1996. He continues to hurry to the jockeys' room as soon as his morning work is done. The jockeys' room is a world unlike any other. Opposing teams cool off in separate locker rooms. Opposing jockeys may sit beside one another.

“You're trying to win a race and something happens,” Harris said. “You're going back to a place where you're going to see that person right away.” It is not uncommon for valets to jump in as peacemakers.

Harris has worked for numerous riders, with Hall of Famers Jerry Bailey and Gary Stevens most prominent among them. He views Bailey as the greatest he has ever been around for his ability to anticipate the moves of his rivals.

“What made Bailey different from other riders I've taken care of, he was like a poker player,” Harris said. “He knew you. He knew your tendencies.”

Harris currently assists future Hall of Famer Flavien Prat and Jaime Torres, a promising youngster from Puerto Rico.

As far as tales from the jockeys' room, do not expect to hear any of those. “What goes in there,” he said, “stays in there.”

Harris is a divorced father of two daughters. Brianna, 22, and Eva, 20, live in England. Many family members remain in Ireland. But he stopped feeling as though he was a foreigner in a foreign land long ago.

Tom Pedulla, 2022 recipient of the Walter Haight Award from the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

If you wish to suggest someone as a potential subject for In Their Care, please send an email to info @ paulickreport.com that includes the person's name and contact information in addition to a brief description of the individual's background.

The post Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: U.S. Quickly Became Home Sweet Home For Irish Transplant Simon Harris appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As she prepared to launch her training career, Brittany Russell learned everything she could as an understudy to top-flight conditioners such as Jonathan Sheppard, Brad Cox, Jimmy Jerkens and Ron Moquett. She also kept a close eye on her fellow workers.

Luis Barajas, a groom for Moquett, stood apart from the crowd.

“He was a good horseman from the beginning and he wanted to learn,” Russell said. “He didn't want to just groom forever. We had a conversation and I knew if my business grew, he could grow as well.”

When Russell was ready to strike out on her own, she persuaded Barajas to take a chance on her in 2018. It was just the two of them in the beginning, overseeing five horses in Maryland. She gained insight as she galloped them each morning; he tended to their needs as a groom.

Their combined work ethic and talent has allowed them to come far. Russell, 32, is attaining heights never reached before as a female trainer in Maryland.

Last season, she became only the fourth woman to win a meet in that state when she topped the trainer standings during the Laurel spring stand, following paths blazed by Karen Patty (1992, Pimlico spring), Mary Eppler (2016, Laurel fall) and Linda Rice (2017, Laurel winter). Rice tied Keiron Magee with 27 winners despite starting 77 fewer horses.

Russell followed her Laurel breakthrough by earning the title at Pimlico's Preakness meet. She narrowly missed year-end honors. Claudio Gonzalez showed the way for the sixth consecutive season with 74 victories, one more than Russell and Jamie Ness.

The Pennsylvania native competed primarily in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. She established career highs with 453 starters, 100 wins and $4,373,996 in purse earnings. According to Equibase, her winning percentage has always exceeded 20 percent with her horses cracking the top three more than 50 percent of the time every season.

Russell traces much of her dramatic growth and success to the day she made Barajas, 33, her first and, for some time, only hire. “He was trustworthy,” she said. “From the beginning, I knew whatever I needed, it was going to get done. I knew right away I could trust the guy. Obviously, I had good reviews from other people.”

She is a good judge of men, period. She married Sheldon Russell, one of Maryland's leading riders, on Aug. 26, 2018. They have two children, Edy, 3, and Rye, 1. Sheldon has been a boon to her operation because he gallops her best horses in the morning. The knowledge he gains contributes to afternoon success.

Still, Sheldon refers to Barajas as “the main man at the barn.”

Barajas grew up on a farm in Mexico and came to the United States in 2008 to pursue a better quality of life. The Russells have made him feel very much at home.

“They are the best people I ever met,” Barajas said. “They are like a part of my family.”

Russell's operation neared 100 horses last summer as more and more owners were drawn to her. She emphasized that her growth would not have been possible without the charismatic Barajas. Many trainers struggle to attract and keep good hotwalkers and grooms. She does not. That may not sound like much, but it is extremely significant if an operation is to deliver consistently strong results.

“I have grooms who have been in my barn for years and these are his guys,” she said. “He has made my team.”

Russell went on, “He is a kind leader. People like working for him. I have good grooms in the barn and I anticipate they will stay for a long time.”

Barajas credits his success in building a strong team to his ability to read people. “I try to make all of them happy and try to help them so they feel comfortable,” he said. “I have to treat all of them different. I know how to treat all of them.”

Barajas added: “I think that is one of the hardest parts, to work with people. I'm doing great with that. I think that is one of the best points I've got.”

He is quite a horseman as well. “He knows the things I look for. He knows the things that are really important to me,” Russell said. “He's not afraid to say, 'Hey, do you want to do this?' or 'I noticed this.' Those are the people you need when you are overseeing a large number of horses.”

As if all of that is not enough, Barajas comes with an added benefit. His mother, Eduvina Amaro, is often available as a much-needed babysitter.

Tom Pedulla, 2022 recipient of the Walter Haight Award from the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

If you wish to suggest someone as a potential subject for In Their Care, please send an email to info @ paulickreport.com that includes the person's name and contact information in addition to a brief description of the individual's background.

The post Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: Barajas A ‘Kind Leader’ In Brittany Russell Stable appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Johnathan Estrada feels very much at home at Belmont Park.

His parents worked as grooms there. He is proud to be part of the first graduating class of Anna House, established in 2002 as a daycare and early education center for children of backstretch employees at the Elmont, N.Y., track.

Estrada, 21, has been employed by trainer David Donk for the last four years, first as a hotwalker and now as a groom. He is part of the workforce that lives on the backside. He devotes countless hours to the Racetrack Chaplaincy, helping with teen mentoring and other programs. And if the need should arise, he is not afraid to put himself at risk to rescue horses from a fire.

Estrada was relaxing in his room during the early evening on April 13, 2021, when he thought he heard a loose horse running by. He opened his door in his flip-flops to find three loose horses barreling past. He knew something was very wrong.

Then he smelled smoke. Then he saw barn 60 on fire. He never hesitated. Flip-flops and all, he charged into the rapidly-burning structure and joined workers from other nearby barns in rescuing as many terrified horses as possible.

“People from trainers I didn't even know were here,” he said, “running in and out of the barn and trying to help these horses.”

Fifty-eight horses were saved. American Sailor and Beastie D, both trained by Wayne Potts, could not be spared. American Sailor had won the Grade 3 Troy Stakes on turf the year before. No one will ever know what Beastie D might have accomplished. He was an unraced 3-year-old.

Any parent would be proud to have Estrada as a son. His work ethic and selflessness were recognized not long ago when Godolphin's Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards were presented at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. He received the Newcomer Award, sponsored by the New York Racing Association.

“He is a warm, kind-hearted young man who is willing to go the extra mile for so many people,” said Nick Caras, program director for the Racetrack Chaplaincy in New York. “He is always asking, 'What do we have to do today? Who are we helping?'”

No task seems to be too small or too big for Estrada. On a recent day, he removed some seats from a 15-seat Chaplaincy van to create more space for supplies for a holiday party.

He never knows where the course of each day might take him. “He has sat with somebody in the waiting room of a hospital for hours on end,” Caras noted.

Estrada has been part of Donk's team since he was 18. “He's very kind with the horses and he loves the horses,” the trainer said.

Estrada's wonderful demeanor leads him to be consistently paired with fillies. “I'm very kind to animals and fillies like that type of person,” he said. “They like to be handled very carefully and you have to be gentle with them. I guess I have that touch.”

Initially, Estrada did not think he could adjust to waking up in time to arrive at the barn before dawn. The long hours were daunting. He briefly moved to California to study in a seminary, but the lure of the horses was too strong. He returned to Belmont after only a few months.

He said of his interaction with horses, “Being able to connect with them and bond with them as you're working, it brings me peace. They are always there for you, the horses. As much as we are there for them, they are there for us.”

He has spent countless hours volunteering since he was 15, helping first at a backstretch social event. “Ever since that day, when I got to see families smiling and children laughing and enjoying themselves, it just clicked in me. I love to help people,” he said.

He has become so indispensable that Caras calls him “part of the Chaplaincy family.”

Estrada's goal is to become a trainer. He learns valuable lessons every day from Donk and his top assistant, Arturo Ramirez. He holds Ramirez in such high esteem that he views him as a “father figure” around the barn.

Donk would like nothing more than for Estrada to realize his dream one day. “Any goal is achievable,” he said. “Anyone this young, it's up to you to learn how to train horses and also learn the business side of it.”

Estrada understands how much he must learn if he is to train on his own. He knows the business aspect can be particularly demanding, and he has recently begun to consider attending college as a way to complement his hands-on knowledge that increases daily.

“It sounds impossible, but nothing is impossible,” said Estrada of his career goal.

Tom Pedulla wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

If you wish to suggest someone as a potential subject for In Their Care, please send an email to info@paulickreport.com that includes the person's name and contact information in addition to a brief description of the individual's background.

The post Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: Future Trainer Estrada Found His Calling In Helping Others appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jordan Freeman never imagined his work as a hotwalker would provide a livelihood while being medicinal. That is the way it has played out.

The 27-year-old Toronto native has not had an easy life. He was diagnosed at a young age with Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum that affects the ability to socialize and communicate.

Freeman coped with that as well as he could. He felt he was just hitting his stride academically at Northern Secondary School when it became clear to him that something else was very wrong. Suddenly, he felt he was not recognizing people he knew well or places he had been. He was forgetful.

And it did not end there.

“I'm having thoughts I can't explain. I was having really strange and irrational thoughts,” recalled Freeman. “I was worried all of the time.”

Doctors ultimately diagnosed him with generalized anxiety disorder. “I've always dealt with Asperger syndrome,” he said. “To add that on was a punch to the gut.”

Still, Freeman fought on. He had appeared in a television commercial when he was six years old. He decided to attend George Brown College in downtown Toronto, where he studied acting for stage and screen. He graduated in 2015 only to find that opportunities for him were few.

“I realized it was going to be a lot more challenging than I hoped,” he said.

With all of that as a difficult backdrop, Freeman tuned in to watch American Pharoah's Triple Crown bid in 2015. The young man came from a long line of racegoers. Some of his fondest memories revolved around spending hours with his father at Woodbine racetrack in their hometown.

The two of them had always appreciated the majesty of Thoroughbreds. American Pharoah was a sight to behold during the post parade leading to the Belmont Stakes, and he ran to his imposing appearance. He broke sharply for jockey Victor Espinoza and was never threatened during his historic run as the 12^th Triple Crown champion and first in 37 years.

Freeman watched in awe. He could not believe what he had just seen. And, suddenly, he had a clear vision for himself. His parents, Sharon and Michael, had always encouraged him and his younger brother, Jacob, to follow their passions. Jacob, now 22, is regarded as one of the world's finest young bridge players. Jordan would look to work with horses at Woodbine.

He learned a great deal during a two-year stint as a hotwalker for Kevin Attard, one of Canada's leading trainers. That experience led Brad Cox to hire him sight unseen.

Attard and Cox were excellent fits.

“Jordan's not the easiest guy. He works very hard, but he's a little quirky and sometimes doesn't get along as well as you'd like him to,” his father said. “Kevin and Brad had tremendous patience with him. They understand him and what he's all about and he's been fine.”

Cox has won consecutive Eclipse Awards as leading trainer in North America. Freeman said of him: “He's a teacher. If you're struggling, he's going to show you what to do. He's not one of these people who is going to leave you to figure it out for yourself.”

Cox has entrusted Freeman with many of his finest horses. Freeman is particularly proud of his handling of Cyberknife, one of the nation's leading 3-year-olds, in helping the colt to overcome early behavioral issues.

“I love having my picture taken. I love being associated with winning horses,” Freeman said. “It's a huge thrill for me.”

His itinerant life is not at all easy. He typically lives in track dormitories and laments that their condition falls well short of what he enjoyed at Woodbine. He has struggled to save enough money for a car, leaving him to walk far and wide. But he followed his passion and is grateful he did.

“This job is kind of two-fold. It's a way to make money. It's also a way to relax myself, to be calm,” he said. “You get to be around these phenomenal athletes who can sense when you've had a rough day. They can sense when you're tense and they help you with that. They have a great calming effect for me.

“I never feel anxious when I'm around a horse. I never feel the slightest bit of anxiety when I'm around a horse.”

His father, an attorney, was impressed by his son's interactions with horses and humans when he visited him at Churchill Downs in late May. “Jordan has found friendships and community that he never really had here, even as a child or a young man,” he said, noting that his son learned some Spanish to help him communicate with many co-workers.

Freeman could not take his responsibilities more seriously. He emphasized the importance of spacing as horses circle the shedrow and the need to be alert at all times for anything that might spook the horse being walked.

Once horses are cooled out, Freeman does not consider his work to be over. “I've always been a believer that you never say, 'That's not my job.' If something needs to be done, before you leave the barn you make sure it's done.”

The financial rewards for his toil may be few, but Freeman is finally at ease. For him, that is priceless.

Tom Pedulla wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.

If you wish to suggest someone as a potential subject for In Their Care, please send an email to info@paulickreport.com that includes the person's name and contact information in addition to a brief description of the individual's background.

The post Kirkpatrick & Co. Presents In Their Care: Once Filled With Anxiety, Hotwalker Freeman Says Horses Give Him ‘Great Calming Effect’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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