For obvious reasons, Mike Cannon has enjoyed the run that Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) is on. It's not just that he's become a Grade I winner this year, has earned $933,823 in his career or that he is the morning line favorite in Saturday's
GII Eddie Read S. at Del Mar. That matters to Cannon, but maybe not as much as the fact that the horse's success has allowed him to pump a large sum of money into a charity he supports, The Special Operations Care Fund (SOC-F).
While it is not unusual for owners to donate a portion of a horse's winnings to a charity, Cannon has gone above and beyond. He donates 50% of the horse's earnings to the charity which provides support to soldiers who had served in special operations forces, including the Navy Seals. If Smooth Like Strait, who could be one of the favorites in this year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile, continues to thrive, it's possible that Cannon will donate more than $1 million this year to SOC-F.
“They are a small charity and I support them,” the Las Vegas-based businessman, who owns an outdoor lighting company, said. “The reason why? I think it is civilians' guilt.”
Cannon, who never served in the military, assumed that the country's elite soldiers would be treated like heroes once they return to civilian life. After befriending a member of the Navy Seal team that killed Osama Bin Laden, Cannon learned that isn't necessarily the case. Rather, he says, the government turns their back on these soldiers once they are out of the military.
“I just assumed these guys, including Seal Team 6 guys, were treated like rock stars while serving and I just assumed that when they got out, they were treated the same,” he said. “Then I found out that when you are out, the government doesn't do too much for them. The government doesn't give a damn about them.”
Those who have what it takes to serve in special forces units are generally among the toughest and bravest people out there. Yet, Cannon says that since they are constantly put into such high stress and dangerous situations they are not immune from suffering from mental problems.
“These guys have a ton of issues,” he said. “Brain problems, PTSD, drinking, drugs, marital issues. When they are in they get treated really well because the government puts so much money into their training. They are taken care of because the government sees them as assets. But, when they are out, the government stops caring about them and doesn't help them in any way. These guys have long lasting injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. From all the concussions of breaching the doors with explosives, they get traumatic brain injuries. They can't even sleep at night or think straight. They go to alcohol and drugs because that's the only thing that calms them down.”
Many of the afflicted soldiers are sent to the Brain Treatment Center in San Diego, which, Cannon said, is about 20 minutes from his summer home in Del Mar. The treatment includes an analysis of brain wave data that is used to target treatment parameters. Cannon said he has opened his home to more than 20 soldiers who have signed up for the treatment, which takes eight weeks. The program, Cannon says, can be highly effective.
“It's life-changing,” Cannon said. “I can say that because I live with these guys and they stay at my house. They show up and they can only sleep two hours a night. They are in really bad shape. Imagine only being able to sleep two, three hours a night. The government, all they do is put them on all these drugs. It's terrible what they do to them. By the time they leave, after eight weeks of this brain treatment, they can sleep like normal human beings, they don't have anxiety, they're off the meds. They're like real people again.”
While Cannon is to be commended for his charitable work, it wouldn't have been possible had his fortunes as an owner not changed dramatically because of Smooth Like Strait. Cannon normally has four or five broodmares and says that his initial years in racing were filled with frustrations and “not a lot of trips to the winner's circle.” Entering 2020, his Cannon Thoroughbreds Stable, had never made more than $172,000.
“Before Smooth Like Strait, I was on my way out,” he said. “I was about ready to sell everything.”
The colt started off strong as a 2-year-old, winning the GIII Cecil B. DeMille S., and has been getting better ever since. At three, he won the GIII La Jolla H., GII Twilight Derby and GII Mathis Brothers Mile S. After running second in this year's I Kilroe Mile S. and third in the GI Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, he broke through to win the GI Shoemaker Mile S. in his last start. He earned $180,000 in the Shoemaker, with $90,000 going to the Special Operations Care Fund.
“By the grace of God, he came along and brought me back in,” said Cannon. “He just tries and he's got a lot of heart. We've been on a lucky roll and have been able to do something really important. I just hope it continues.”
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