Allied Racing Stable LLC - By My Standards

Winning Owners - sponsored by

Kentucky native Chester Thomas has spent a huge chunk of his life in coal mining. But it wasn’t his only focus. “I’ve been around horses all my life,” Thomas said. “My dad owned a couple of horses. We spent a lot of time at Keeneland.”

Now, seven years after he sold his coal supply company, Green River Collieries. Thomas runs horses under the name of  Allied Racing Stable.

Thomas, 60, maintains a stable of 16 to 18 horses, none more special than By My Standards, who followed an easy maiden victory with an impressive score in the Louisiana Derby. It was Thomas’ 100th career victory and his first graded stakes win. “We don’t run horses in spots we don’t expect to win,” Thomas said. “He galloped out real strong in his maiden win. We thought he was going to run huge.”

And he did—winning by three-quarters of a length. Thomas’ reaction? “Oh, my goodness, words can’t describe it,” he said.

By My Standards’ next start will be in the Kentucky Derby. “I’ve been to a lot of Derbies,” Thomas said. “I loved Gato del Sol, Real Quiet, Alysheba. They were all special. Being a Kentucky native and having gone to so many Derbies makes it even more special to even think about winning it. Obviously, if you’re a horseman, the first Saturday of May is a special day.”

Thomas, who was the leading owner at Ellis Park in 2016 and second there in 2017, has campaigned other good horses including multiple stakes winner Viam. But By My Standards has taken him to a whole new level. Will By My Standards do it again? “We’re really excited to be where we are with this horse,” Thomas said. “I can’t wait to get my family to Churchill Downs.”