#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 - Should rules be added to limit or eliminate a jockey’s use of the whip?

#Soundbites

Compiled by Bill Heller

Robbie Davis

Yes. When a horse is beat, he shouldn’t be beaten up. Horses are competitive for the most part. Once they’re tired, you’re not going to get any more out of them. Or if he’s winning by several lengths, he shouldn’t be getting hit. It doesn’t take long to look right, look left and see how far ahead you are. I’ve seen the whip do more trouble than not. You’re not supposed to steer with the whip. That’s what the reins are for. In Canada, they limit the number of hits from the quarter-pole home and you can’t go above your head to whip.

Carla Gaines

It’s interesting. At this stage, the whip is so soft. Here in California, our sticks are as soft as can be. We used to use a stick which was far more severe for decades. It left welts. I rode horses all my life. I think the stick is necessary. You’re sitting on top of an explosive, thousand-pound animal. The stick will help control the horse. A lot of people advocate no stick. I understand that public concern is we’re hitting the horse, but it’s used to control the horse. People who work with other animals know you have to have some sense of control, not abuse. You have to keep them going in a straight line, or they could endanger somebody’s life.

John Velazquez (Hall of Fame Jockey)

We have rules already, but there are different rules. Would uniform rules be nice? Yes. But we talk about it, and nothing happens. It would be nice to see it happen before I retire. About eliminating the whip, absolutely not. It’s a tool we need. We need something to get the horse’s attention. We need it to get horses to go straight. Also, horses need to be encouraged. I’m not concerned about the perception because we use new whips that are much softer, much different now than the ones we used to use. 

Jeremiah Englehart

I can see a limited use of the whip to a certain degree. I like what Ramon’s (Dominguez) whip has done. I think from before, the old whips, you would get more whelps. With Ramon’s whip, it will be enough to get a horse’s attention. There are times when the whip has a good use. With a green horse, you’re trying to keep everyone on the racetrack safe. They’re not going to run in a straight line all the time. The use of the whip is necessary. I don’t think eliminating the whip is the answer. There should be panel looking at it with riders involved.

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