Timing is everything. Nowhere is this more relevant than when preparing an elite equine athlete for a race. Thoroughbred trainers are critically aware of the importance of fine-tuning the feeding and exercise regimes of their charges in the months, weeks and days before a big event. Timing is also critical for the smooth functioning of a horse’s musculoskeletal system for optimal performance.
Read MoreRacehorses are athletes performing at the peak of their physical capabilities, with their strength and fitness carefully monitored and researched. However less consideration is given to the psychological factors that may affect their performance, with fear being a major influence.
Read MoreNearly three decades after his plan to open a racetrack in Ocala, Florida failed to materialize, Domenic Martelli's Plan B is still flourishing. Martelli, a New Jersey real estate maven, thought legislation to approve a racetrack in Ocala was imminent in the mid '80's. He didn't wait for that approval, instead purchasing a 704-acre parcel on U.S. Highway 40 near the now late Fred Hooper's Farm, and building a one-mile racetrack with a seven-furlong turf course, a three-furlong training track and 26 barns with 776 stalls, each barn featuring several paddocks for turnouts.
He named his facility Classic Mile and planned to have a mixed-meet of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses. He was sure racing would be approved. "It looked like a piece of cake," Martelli told Dave Goldman in his October 12, 2006 story in the Daily Racing Form. "Boy, was I wrong."
Photos by Sandra Madison
Read MoreThe stride of the thoroughbred has been a subject of fascination for horseman since the early days of its breeding.
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THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN - NORTH AMERICAN TRAINER - ISSUE 29
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BILL HELLER - (Issue 24 - Triple Crown 2012)
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Bill Heller (17 October 2011 - Issue Number: 22)
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K.T. DONOVAN (17 October 2011 - Issue 22)
Whipping offenses are arguably the most controversial part of horseracing when it comes to opinion of a non-racing public, to whom hitting a racehorse is strictly a punishment and a cruelty as opposed to a safety tool or a reminder to keep a horse’s mind on task. At North American Trainer, we were interested in how this topic is viewed across some of the major racing countries and compiled thoughts from writers based in Australia, the United States, and Europe.
By Mitchell Lamb, Gary West, Colin Mackenzie
First Published (20 April 2011 - Issue 20)
Every year, on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a number of fillies and mares that show significant improvement on the racetrack while racing in foal. Last season in Ireland was no exception as at least two in-foal mares achieved career-best performances.
By Clive Webb-Carter
First Published (02 February 2011 - Issue Number: Issue 19)
Almost all trainers will have experienced a problem with individual horses, groups of horses, or sometimes even a whole barn where performance drops off for no immediately apparent reason. Blood tests, lameness examinations, clinical examinations, etc. reveal no apparent cause. The drop in performance is often put down to the fact the horse has “gone stale,” become “sour” or “gone over the top.” In human medicine we talk about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) which can affect both athletes and non-athletes, but in athletes we may be more likely to talk about overtraining.
By Dr David Marlin
First Published (02 February 2011 - Issue Number: 19)
Hard work never scared Mike Puype. When he was 11, he had his own newspaper delivery route in Phoenix.While Puype earned a degree in business at Arizona State, he worked three jobs simultaneously, including training a couple of horses at Turf Paradise.He has never slowed down, helping to explain his rise to the top echelon on the Southern California circuit.
By Steve Schuelein
First Published (02 February 2011 - Issue Number: Issue 19)
Vibration therapy, whereby the horse’s whole body receives massaging vibrations, has been found to be an effective way of not only speeding up the healing process but of preventing injuries.
First Published (21 October 2010 - Issue Number: 18)
It’s the same story at every dinner party, writes Frances J. Karon. A stranger will invariably ask, “What do you do?”, as if the response will somehow explain the very essence of one’s being. Similarly, the first question we have for the owner or trainer who tells us he has a nice yearling on the farm is, “What’s it by?”
By Frances Karon
First Published (21 July 2010 - Issue Number: 17)
