Secretariat | Horse Racing Free Tips

Twelve Days a Racing: Jared Shoemaker Pipes Up

Jared Shoemaker, co-managing partner of Pocket Aces Racing, grew up in Lexington and fondly remembers going to Keeneland with his extended family from the time he could walk. It was one of his favorite things to do as a child.

By the time he was in high school, he admits to spending a lot of afternoons at the track while supposedly in class. Not one to miss a good day of racing–no matter the reason–he scheduled all of his lectures at the University of Kentucky to be done by noon so he could get to Keeneland by first post.

Shoemaker has spent the last 27 years in northeastern Kentucky, where his wife is from. He invested about 10 years working in college athletics and has been in the pharmaceutical industry full-time since 2008.

Pocket Aces Racing was born over a card game among friends in 2005, hence the double ace silks. They all pitched in and bought a Victory Gallop yearling filly to eventually race at Charles Town. Aptly named 'Victory Morning', the filly won her debut by about 10 lengths in her first start in September of her 2-year-old year. People that had never been owners, and had never even imagined owning a race horse (Shoemaker included), had so much fun with it that they decided to formalize, and turn it into a business.

Almost 17 years later from that four-time winning first filly, the syndicate has grown to over 300 partners and 30 active runners, give or take a few.

Shoemaker joined TDN for a Q&A and some reminiscing. Here are his answers to breeding and racing's most poignant questions for 2022 and into the new year!

TDN: What is your racing or bloodstock highlight for this year?

JS: Temple City Terror winning the G3 Dowager at Keeneland.

TDN: Who is your value sire for 2023?

JS: Temple City

TDN: Who do you predict will be the leading freshman sire next year?

JS: Flameaway

TDN: If you could nominate one candidate (person or horse) to the Hall of Fame, who would get your nomination? Why?

JS: Perry Ouzts – 7,336 says it all. I don't care what level it is; you can't argue with that number of wins.

TDN: What is one positive change you'd like to see in racing next year?

JS: Serious, real, and swift consequences for individuals that tarnish our great sport by cheating. Enough is enough.

TDN: Who is your favorite horse of all time?

JS: Ferdinand. His win in the Derby with Bill Shoemaker aboard is what really elevated my love for racing to the next level.

TDN: What was the most exciting race you saw this year?

JS: It's personal for me – it was Temple City Terror in the Dowager. To win a graded stake at Keeneland [having grown up at the track] is everything for me.

TDN: If you could go back in time and see one race in person, what would it be?

JS: The 1978 Triple Crown Races, but if I have to pick one, the 1978 Belmont.

TDN: If you could only go to one track for the rest of your life, which one would you pick?

JS: Keeneland

TDN: If you could compete in any race in the world outside the US, which one would you want an entry in?

JS: Dubai World Cup

TDN: What was the biggest “surprise” of 2022–be it sales price, track performance, or a stallion?

JS: I don't really think I'd call it a surprise, but I'm happy to see Good Magic at the top of the First-Crop Sire list. It's great to see a son of Curlin off to such a great start as a sire.

TDN: Who would you tab as your favorite 'TDN Rising Star'?

JS: We bought a Siyouni gelding out of the HORA sale at Keeneland last month so I'll go with Intinso who won an allowance at New Castle in late October.

TDN: What is a hill you will die on when it comes to horse racing or breeding?

JS: We have to clean up the sport, but we can't fool ourselves into thinking that getting rid of the cheaters and restoring confidence in the game is the panacea for all our woes.

TDN: Do you have thoughts on what more needs doing?

JS: We have to do a better job attracting new fans and making our sport more accessible. I realize everyone has their fiefdoms they want to protect, but the industry HAS to come together and cooperate to grow our sport.

TDN: Secretariat or Flightline? Care to stir the pot?

JS: Secretariat. Always Secretariat

TDN: The burning question on everyone's mind–do you decorate your house for the winter holidays before or after Thanksgiving?

JS: Always after.

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Cody’s Wish Wins 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award

Edited Press Release

Cody's Wish (Curlin), this year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner who shares an endearing bond with Cody Dorman, has been voted the winner of the 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award. Created by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, the annual award recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing.

Owned by Godolphin, trained by Bill Mott, and ridden throughout the year by Junior Alvarado, Cody's Wish and his special story have gained affection and admiration that transcend the sport of racing. On the track, Cody's Wish's 2022 accomplishments featured four victories in five starts, including impressive performances in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Forego Stakes. In addition to his racing success, it was his continuing connection with his now 16-year-old namesake Cody Dorman, who lives with a rare genetic disorder, that captured fans' hearts and an abundance of Vox Populi votes.

In 2018, Richmond, Kentucky native Dorman was offered a tour of Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm as part of Keeneland's Make-A-Wish Day. Dorman's condition, Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, renders him unable to speak and relegates him to a wheelchair. During Dorman's visit to the farm, an inquisitive six-month-old foal walked over to young Cody and put his head in the boy's lap. And with that, the bay colt earned his name: Cody's Wish. Nearly four years later, the special bond and sweet interactions between the two continue, including just days before this year's Breeders' Cup when the horse reconnected with his longtime pal.

“Cody's Wish and his namesake Cody Dorman forged an instant bond that would grow to connect millions of fans to their inspiring story of hope and determination,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery. “Not only did Cody's Wish win the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, as Cody predicted, but both Cody's won the hearts of people everywhere. Their uplifting story exemplifies the best ideals of the Vox Populi Award, just as Mom wished.”

Nominees for the award were submitted by the Vox Populi Committee, comprised of distinguished personalities from within and outside the racing industry. Voters also had the option to write in their own favorite candidate to recognize other exceptional horses.

The Vox Populi trophy presentation is scheduled to take place at Santa Anita Park Jan. 14. For more information about the award, visit Secretariat.com.

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Voting Now Open for 2022 Secretariat ‘Vox Populi’ Award

Online voting is now open to select the winner of the 13th annual Secretariat Vox Populi Award. Created by Secretariat's late owner Penny Chenery, the Vox Populi, or “Voice of the People” award recognizes the racehorse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for the sport during the past year.

Fans can vote in the online poll at Secretariat.com for one of three nominees selected by the Vox Populi Committee. Voters also have the option to write in a racehorse of their choice. The poll is open now through Nov. 30, with the winning recipient to be announced live on the FanDuel TV network Dec. 4. The Vox Populi trophy presentation is scheduled to take place at Santa Anita Park Jan. 14.

The 2022 nominees are: Cody's Wish (Curlin), the talented 4-year-old colt whose win in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile was his fourth in five starts this year, and who shares a heart-warming and celebrated bond with his namesake, Cody Dorman; Flightline (Tapit), the spectacular 4-year-old colt whose electrifying performances winning the GI Metropolitan Mile, the GI Pacific Classic by 19 1/4 lengths and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic capped off an undefeated season and an unprecedented racing career; and Rich Strike (Keen Ice), the 3-year-old colt and sensational 80-1 longshot winner of the GI Kentucky Derby whose rags-to-riches story and unheralded connections sparked hope for underdogs everywhere.

“All three of these nominees are definitely talented athletes in their own individual ways as well as fan favorites that have brought heart-warming stories and interest to the sport,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, family historian and daughter of Penny Chenery. “Fan engagement is the name of the game–and that was Mom's vision for the Vox Populi Award and any of these horses would be a worthy recipient.”

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Turcotte: Secretariat Was Better

Secretariat vs. Flightline (Tapit): Who was better?

“I think Secretariat would have beat him,” Secretariat's jockey Ron Turcotte said of a hypothetical match up between the two legendary horses. “That's no knock against the other horse. He's a beautiful horse. Well put together. I can't fault him in any way. But he has hasn't done enough for me to say he is better than Secretariat.”

That's not to say that Turcotte isn't a Flightline fan.

“He's a fabulous horse,” he said. “We don't know how fast he could run.”

Turcotte, 81, resides in Drummond, New Brunswick, Canada. He watched the GI Breeders' Cup Classic live on television and took a look back at Flightline's previous races on YouTube. He sees some similarities between Flightline and Secretariat.

“He's very muscular like Secretariat,” Turcotte said. “He's got a real large stride like Secretariat and it looks to me than he's taller than Secretariat was.”

But Turcotte added that he finds it difficult to compare a horse who ran only six times to Secretariat, who made 21 career starts.

“There aren't enough races for me to really judge him,” he said. “It's very hard to judge a horse against Secretariat when he only had six races. Secretariat was a machine The same goes for some of the great horses like Kelso. He won the Gold Cup five times in a row. I rode against him and know what a great horse he was.

“I would have loved to see Flightline run another year because it's very hard to judge him on just six races. it would have been much better for racing if they ran him another year, but I can understand why the people did what they did, with all the money there is now in breeding.”

Turcotte said another factor that makes a comparison difficulty is that Secretariat did not run as a 4-year-old while Flightline did.

“Comparing a 4-year-old and a 3-year-old, that's awful hard to do,” he said. “Secretariat was just maturing when he was retired. His last two races were just unbelievable.”

He also pointed to Secretariat's versatility and the track records Secretariat set in his three Triple Crown wins.

“Secretariat would run in the slop , the mud, on a fast track, the grass. He would run on anything.” he said. “The other horse only ran on fast tracks. And he never broke a track record, like Secretariat did.”

It's been 49 years since Turcotte rode Secretariat and there have been some tremendous horses that have come after him, like Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Cigar, Zenyatta and, of course Flightline. But will there ever be a horse that compares to Secretariat?

“I've always said we'd never see a horse as good as Secretariat,” Turcotte said. “But you never know.”

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