#Soundbites - What's the hardest aspect of training?

Christophe Clement

You’ve got to be kidding. The list would be too long and you will not have enough room to cover it in one page. You’ve got to find the talent; you’ve got to find the help; you have to keep your owners happy; you have to find the right races. The list is endless. It’s not getting any easier. That's all I can tell you. In 2024, compared to twenty years ago, it’s not a one-man job anymore. It’s a team job now. It cannot be one individual. It’s got to be a team, I’m very lucky. I’ve got a great team.

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David Donk

Overall, probably the administration work. Managing the regulatory and administration of the business. With horses, I don’t think there is one. Just be patient and do the right thing every day.

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Joe Sharp

The most difficult aspect of training would probably be the human resources, managing people’s expectations and things like that. I would say that the animals are the easy part of the business.

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Tony Dutrow

I think the most difficult aspect of training for almost all trainers is the quality of the horse, trying to get their hands on a good horse. Now, once I have that good horse, I don’t think there’s anything difficult about training a good horse. A good trainer, and there are a lot of them, knows how to train. I can only hope that I’m on the same page as my client. That’s where I want to be. The client and the trainer can’t be feuding and fighting about where he is going to run and the details of all that. The horse will feel that.

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Mark Glatt

The most difficult thing about training is keeping horses racing sound. They’re athletes, of course, and they get injured. We have to put them in the best situation we can. Keeping them from getting injured is a difficult task.

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John Kimmel

That’s an interesting question. I think the most difficult thing is to run it as a business model that actually doesn’t cost you money. It’s a poor business model to begin with. For all the time and effort, if you just look at what it takes to train horses, the increasing labor costs, the increase of feed price, it makes it very difficult to train a horse and break even. It’s basically a negative cash flow pattern. That to me is the most difficult part of the business. I think the biggest problem that we face as trainers is trying to be somewhat cost effective. I think that’s why a lot of people are dropping out. It’s very tough to run things the proper way. 

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Craig Dollase

The horses don’t talk back. They can’t speak for themselves. You have to be a good horseman, always do the right thing by the animal. Dealing with the animals who don’t speak back to you is the tough part of training. You’ve got to be inquisitive about things and always put the horse first. It can be a difficult task at times. You have to be in tune with the horses.

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Eoin Harty

Where do I begin? I would say the most difficult aspect of training is obtaining new owners and keeping the owners you have happy. It’s a very competitive industry, and there’ll always be somebody that seems a little bit more attractive than you do. So you have to constantly deal with that, you can never rest; you can never turn your phone off. You need to appease a disgruntled client or attract a new one.

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Scott Lake

(Laugh). Honestly, it’s probably dealing with all the different personalities in the industry. Each owner handles good news and bad news differently. Your help might not like the way you say something.  One guy’s fine with you yelling at him; the other guy’s not. In every aspect of the business, there are different personalities.

#Soundbites - What would you do if you weren’t training Thoroughbreds?

By Bill Heller

Mike Trombetta

Mike Trombetta

That’s a heck of a good question. I’ve been doing this so long, I couldn’t tell you. I really don’t know. Construction and demolition, that would be an option. I did that for 15-20 years, but I was doing this at the same time, too. I like this a heck of a lot more.

John Kimmel


John Kimmel

There are two things besides horses I love: snow skiing and deep sea fishing. I’m in Utah, skiing right now. I’m not that far from retirement. I’ve been doing this for 40 plus years. When things tail off, if my business slows down, that’s what I would be doing.

Mark Casse

Mark Casse

I’ve thought about that many times. Probably real estate. I just think it’s a challenge, and the rewards are great. That’s what I would probably do.

Jeremiah Englehart

Jeremiah Englehart

Oh, wow! I’m not sure. I’ve been doing horses since I was so young; I always wanted to be a trainer. I guess I would like to do something with football. I’ve always had a passion for football, maybe coaching or working with kids. I’ve always been a fan in sports. I played sports in high school. That’s something I would like to do. 

Craig Dollase

Craig Dollase

I’ve always wanted to pursue sports. I’m a big sports advocate. I’d go for something in the sports world, not physical—something to help people in the sports world. I have a cousin who was actually the trainer for the San Francisco 49ers. I had an in. I could have gone in that direction. But I went to work for my dad, and now I’m a trainer. It turned out pretty good.

Tony Dutrow

Tony Dutrow

You know, at 64, I’m so much still in love with horses and horse racing. There will never be anything else for me. But if I would have never done horse racing, I’d try my hand at real estate. Because that’s a challenge.

David Donk

David Donk

A good question. Later in life, what interests me is management—racing management. But I’m lucky to be doing something now I love.

#Soundbites - If you could add one Breeders’ Cup race, what would it be? Or are there enough Breeders’ Cup races already?

#SoundbitesBy Bill HellerIf you could add one Breeders’ Cup race, what would it be? Or are there enough Breeders’ Cup races already?Dale RomansIt’s a good question. Let me think for a minute. A filly and mare turf mile. I just think it would be a good race.************************************Al StallI’ve never thought about that. I’m not sure. It seems like they have it covered. I think it’s fine as is.************************************Craig DollaseA straight three-year-old dirt race for fillies and one for the boys. That might be something. They don’t have that. With the situation right now, all the three-year-olds are backed up because of the virus and are racing in the fall. See if that sparks some interest moving forward. It would produce big fields.*************************************Richard MandellaI remember the first one in one day. It seemed more important with one day. But racing needs desperately to get people involved in it and interested in it. If they want to add another race, have one and then have an auction afterwards. You put up a good purse of $300,000, $400,000 or $500,000. And then anyone can bid on the winner. You would have to have the money in an account and a rule so that the current owner couldn’t bid and keep his horse. You make it the last race of the day. Get the winner, get the bids, and anyone could get the horse. If you did it once, it might start a following. It might get the public involved.*************************************David DonkI think they pretty much cover all the divisions. I think it would dilute the quality. I think what they have is sufficient because of the horse population in the country. It’s an owner issue, not a trainer issue. At the end of the day, the buck stops there.*************************************D. Wayne LukasI think I’d leave it alone. I don‘t think there’s any other race that would have much significance. I might change the format on Friday and Saturday. I think they definitely need to beef up the Friday card.************************************Michael MatzAre there any divisions left? I think it’s enough the way it is. You don’t want to water it down anymore than it already is.*************************************Mark HennigThey keep changing it so often. They’ve got 14 now. Allowing races strictly for three-year-olds would make the Classic a disaster. Most years, the older horses have been depleted, and the three-year-olds have done well. To me, do a turf mile for fillies and mares just like the boys.

By Bill Heller

If you could add one Breeders’ Cup race, what would it be? Or are there enough Breeders’ Cup races already?

Dale Romans

Dale Romans

It’s a good question. Let me think for a minute. A filly and mare turf mile. I just think it would be a good race.

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Al Stall

I’ve never thought about that. I’m not sure. It seems like they have it covered. I think it’s fine as is.

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Craig Dollase

Craig Dollase

Craig Dollase

A straight three-year-old dirt race for fillies and one for the boys. That might be something. They don’t have that. With the situation right now, all the three-year-olds are backed up because of the virus and are racing in the fall. See if that sparks some interest moving forward. It would produce big fields.

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Richard Mandella

Richard Mandella

Richard Mandella

I remember the first one in one day. It seemed more important with one day. But racing needs desperately to get people involved in it and interested in it. If they want to add another race, have one and then have an auction afterwards. You put up a good purse of $300,000, $400,000 or $500,000. And then anyone can bid on the winner. You would have to have the money in an account and a rule so that the current owner couldn’t bid and keep his horse. You make it the last race of the day. Get the winner, get the bids, and anyone could get the horse. If you did it once, it might start a following. It might get the public involved.

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David Donk

I think they pretty much cover all the divisions. I think it would dilute the quality. I think what they have is sufficient because of the horse population in the country. It’s an owner issue, not a trainer issue. At the end of the day, the buck stops there.

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D. Wayne Lukas

David Donk

David Donk

I think I’d leave it alone. I don‘t think there’s any other race that would have much significance. I might change the format on Friday and Saturday. I think they definitely need to beef up the Friday card.

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Michael Matz

Michael Matz

Michael Matz

Are there any divisions left? I think it’s enough the way it is. You don’t want to water it down anymore than it already is.

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Mark Hennig

They keep changing it so often. They’ve got 14 now. Allowing races strictly for three-year-olds would make the Classic a disaster. Most years, the older horses have been depleted, and the three-year-olds have done well. To me, do a turf mile for fillies and mares just like the boys. …

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