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Ep.66-Dr. Martin Ivey- Racetrack Veterinarian
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Ep.66-Dr. Martin Ivey- Racetrack Veterinarian
It's Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly for Wednesday, June 17th. Maybe the most talked-about thing in the quarter horse racing world at the moment is this podcast, Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. And we have you, the listener, to thank, where we talk to the legends and the newsmakers, introducing our host, Greg Thompson, and co-host Bailey Ivey. It's Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.
SPEAKER_08And hello everyone, I'm Bailey Ivey at Stunningesearch.com, and this is Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. This week I've got a special co-host joining me, Yancy Guiman.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I'm glad to be here, Bailey. It's always fun to jump on here and talk about quarter horse racing.
SPEAKER_08Yancy, it was a big weekend at Sam Houston Race Park last week, and they had a full card of stakes races Saturday night, and I was lucky enough to be there to watch it all in person, but we're gonna recap those races a little later in the show and talk about the grade two Sam Houston Faturity. We'll also look ahead to this week's grade one race out in California, the Ed Burke Memorial Faturity.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, there were some really good races at Sam Houston, a lot of the favorites won, but there were also a lot of long shots that came up in one as well. So there'll be plenty to talk about.
SPEAKER_08Yes, Yancy. And this week we've got a very special guest, my dad, Dr. Marty Ivey. He's gonna join us to talk about his career as a racetrack veterinarian, some of the changes he's seen in the industry over the years, and give listeners a unique perspective on the sport.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I think this will be a really interesting and good podcast to turn into for our listeners. It'll be really neat to see a veterinarian's aspect of quarter horse racing and everything that they do behind the scenes to make this sport go.
SPEAKER_08So stick around, we've got plenty to cover, and we'll be right back after these words from our sponsor.
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SPEAKER_01All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_08Joining me today on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly is my dad, Dr. Martin Ivey. He's been around quarter horse racing for decades, knows just about everybody, and somehow everybody loves him. I grew up with him, so I can assure you he's not nearly as cool as everyone thinks he is.
SPEAKER_10Oh come on, Bailey.
SPEAKER_08I'm just kidding, Dad. In all seriousness, a lot of people in this industry respect you, look up to you, and value your opinion. You've dedicated your life to quarter horse racing and equine medicine, and you've had a front row seat to watch this industry evolve over the years.
SPEAKER_10Yes, I have. I it's been quite a ride, honestly. I've been very fortunate. I grew up in West Texas, El Paso, Lower Valley with a farming family, and uh I had a large family, and uh my older brothers were pretty heavily involved in ranch horses or rope horses, and later on got involved in racehorses in New Mexico, uh racing quarter horses mostly. And um through that I kind of I got experience. I I was an avid horse person. I loved horses and rogue babies and and the whole nine yards, but when my brothers were into racehorses and it and they would have them back home to be turned out and then needed to be legged up, I I kind of developed an interest and a and a desire to spend a lot of time with the equine athlete, and racing was uh especially fascinating to me. I also kind of got the bug to in veterinary medicine. I I worked for a large animal veterinarian in right there in El Paso or the Lower Valley and and and spent quite a few summers with him during when I was out of school and and I kind of developed an interest for veterinary medicine and the two of them kind of tied together with racing. I just I felt the opportunity I could be around equine athletes as well as you know the veterinary medicine part of it. And uh so I set my sights to to go to Texas AM and study pre-vet. I didn't know if I was gonna be smart enough or dedicated enough to make it, but I was fortunate that uh I was dedicated. I probably wasn't smart enough, but I was dedicated enough and I got into vet school and actually is kind of towards the end of my vet school that one of my a guy that was actually a veterinarian that was there, he came later on when Texas got perimutual wagering and they were starting to really the horse industry was booming. And so he came to AM to a residency in theory of genomic, and but he had a no a racetrack practice background, and he's the one that encouraged me to really go out and start working for some of these racetrack practices while I was in school. And so I went to New Orleans, to the fairgrounds and to hot springs, to Oaklawn and uh down to Miami to Gulf Stream and Calder and got exposed to some really interesting high-quality horses from there. I kind of worked worked to make that my career.
SPEAKER_08So, when did you start equine sports medicine and surgery? What year was that?
SPEAKER_10So I actually, so a little before that, I I actually had a job offer in Miami, uh, my fourth year in bed school, and and I would have done it. I would have led to it was actually the time that Unbridled had won the Florida Derby and uh was fixing to go to the Kentucky Derby. And unfortunately, I couldn't take my boards, and maybe fortunately, but I couldn't get my boards taken in time to accept the job position. And Dr. Jack Sells, who was practicing throughout New Mexico, and he's actually from El Paso also, but he offered me a job to start working in Redoso. It was May of 1990 that I started there. And uh and I worked that meet from Riodoso to the Albuquerque to the fairgrounds, the state fair, and then back down to Sunland Park, and from Sunland Park back up to Riodoso. And so after that meet in '91, Trinity Meadows had opened up the race meet in paramutual wager. And so there was a lot of opportunity there at Trinity Meadows, west of Fort Worth. And so I took that opportunity to move there and start my own practice. And I had one client, honestly, just one client. That was Charlie Smith, and he ran thoroughbreds predominantly and had a farm nearby. So I did his farm work, breeding work, racetrack work. I picked up a few other clients, and actually Craig Smith became one of my staple clients also at my beginning. And I would drive up to the 440 ranch just east of Denton toward Frisco. I'd drive up there almost daily, which was a long ways from Trinity Meadows, but I was doing whatever I could to make a living. And so after the 440 ranch, I'd travel to Frisco to the Phillips Ranch and uh check with Sleepy and go over any of the horses that he had to look at. But it was uh it was quite a trip from Trinity Meadows pretty often, going up to Denton and 440 Ranch and and uh the Phillips Ranch, which all that's changed immensely. Uh it's all developed now, but but back then there was a lot of a lot of country, a lot of a lot of farmland and and ranch land. And so after several years of Trinity Meadows and becoming friends, although competitors, we became friends with Dr. Steve Herlbert and Dr. Mike Fox, and we all were pretty, you know, although competitive uh friends with each other, and and after a period of time, Steve and I were roping one day at my house, or team roping, and we kind of discussed veterinary medicine and the industry and and uh the different tracks that were open and how we'd love to try to service the different ones, you know. We'd been going down to Rotoma Park and and Maynard Downs and Trinity and uh Lone Star was fixing to open up, Houston had opened up, and so we were trying to make all these things as individuals, and he and I talked about maybe helping each other out by coming together, and and so that was actually the inception of equine sports medicine and surgery. It was sitting on the back of a trailer discussing our futures, and to be honest with you, our primary goal was to service our clients better and to provide an opportunity to get to be with our family more uh as we were all going so much. And so family was important and and servicing our clients was so so we started it there, and then Dr. Fox joined our practice very shortly after that. He was already in a very large, successful practice, and he left that practice and and joined up with us. So the three of us got got busier and covered more grounds and started bringing on uh other veterinarians that would help make our practice one of the best.
SPEAKER_08That's awesome. So that was back in 2001 when you started it.
SPEAKER_10I would say it was more like 96, probably 1995, 1996.
SPEAKER_08Okay.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, and then actually we we brought Chris Ray. Dr. Chris Ray was a classmate of mine, and and he was kind of traveling all over uh doing a lot of work, and and he was looking kind of for a home that would allow him to to stay more in one spot and do focus on surgeries, and and so we actually Chris was looking to maybe take a job at a nearby practice, and Dr. Fox and I and Steve offered Chris an opportunity to come join our practice, and we would build him a hospital. And so that's when we we built our hospital there on the interstate and west of Weatherford, and Chris got extremely busy, and we kept bringing on bigger and better practitioners to to service our clients.
SPEAKER_08Well, you've been doing this for a very long time, and honestly, I feel like half of the people listening have called you for veterinary advice at some point. You seem to know everybody, or at least you act like you do. How did you build so many relationships in this industry over the years?
SPEAKER_10Well, that's a great question, and I honestly I'll tell you, and you've come to know this with the racetrack's one very large family. Uh although some are in and out and some are full-time, that's all they do, and others are part-time in it. But over the years you get to know a lot of people. And I mean, I would say that some people probably have good reputations and some not so good. And and I think those with good reputations and that um care for their animals properly and and well and have success, and those that treat other people with respect, and I think those people remember each other and and and like I said, this is a a large family, and you see each other often, and you know, you you serve these people in all honesty. Trainers serve their horses and their clients that pay for these horses and and and enter them uh or nominate them into big races and stuff. So veterinarians serve the trainers and the horses and and the owners, and it's uh it's all for the greater good of being able to watch and develop these equine athletes to to have success.
SPEAKER_08And so is there someone that you've met in this industry that has had a major impact on your career, like a vet or a trainer?
SPEAKER_10You know, I've been really fortunate to learn from many great horsemen, you know, trainers, veterinarians, owners over the years. And I uh yeah, there there are some that probably stick out more than others. And you know, I I'd say I've obviously become very close with my father-in-law, Sleepy, who we've spent many years together. But uh golly mother, all the way from the beginning, I spent a lot of time with Jack Brooks, and you know, he was an influential person to a lot of people, including myself. And you know, there's there's just so many. But but so one of the things I I most admire about Sleepy is that he, you know, he treats most everybody equal, like like we're all equals, from the groom to the owners, the the middle guy to the million-dollar owners. I mean, he he looks at them as human beings and and and they're they're good people or they're maybe not so good people that he doesn't really want to be around. But and and on top of that, he he never says that. He never talks bad about people. He's extremely focused in his occupation as a trainer, and just as are so many trainers. And uh, like I said, uh the sleepy's just one that I've I've gotten to be close with. And and so as far as people that are influential to in my life, yeah, I I would say that he he was very much so because he treated people real well. And I I try to mimic things that I see in people that that I think are very admirable. And so, you know, just like I said, not talking about people in a negative way, treating people with respect until they show they don't deserve it, you know, then then just choose to go the other way and and not have any dealings with them.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I I agree with you on that, especially like growing up in his barn, how organized he was and everything that he would do for the people that worked for him.
SPEAKER_10Yeah.
SPEAKER_08And I remember even nowadays, I mean, nowadays you go through people's barns sometimes and they're blasting music, like having parties, and I would get my butt whooped if I even walked down the the schedule on race day.
SPEAKER_10Oh yeah, weren't you weren't allowed to go down his schedule for their horses or anything. No, he they I'm telling you, those horses were sacred to the especially when it was time to run and and sleepy and Joni both they made sure that that they there was not any changes, nothing that got riled them up. So and another thing about him is he was real patient, you know. That that was something that was kind of unique and hard to learn, but uh he was extremely patient. If a horse wasn't ready, he whether the owner liked it or not, he told him he wasn't gonna run them till they were right and till they're ready, and sometimes that meant till they were three years older, older. And and that that's uh that was something to learn, you know. That was uh I learned from that, and also in the way I've tried to deal with people and horses and and in my practice.
SPEAKER_02And we'll be right back after these words.
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SPEAKER_05All right, back to the podcast.
SPEAKER_10You know, other people I I'll tell you, I mean, my partners in my business, I my two primary partners that we first got went into business together, they they're an influence to me. They're very Christian-based, uh strong foundation, honest integrity, all those things that helped me to be a better person. But yeah, so you know, I it's we have a very unique relationship in our partnership. And I'd have to describe it that I think we're we're very respectful of each other and even tolerant of each other where things that maybe not what we would do, but we it's it's like a family. Again, like brothers, the my partners are like my brothers. And we just have a very, very unique relationship. And it's centered around Christian faith and and also service to our clients. You know, we kind of have a motto that, you know, we don't work on Volkswagens, we're working on Ferraris, and people expect the very best. And and we we made it very important in our practice to to buy the very best equipment and to continue to bring on the very best veterinarians in our practice so that we could service them. And it it's it's not even just about equipment and and knowledge, it's also about dedication to work, to be available, to go where they need to go and you know, late nights, emergencies, colics, heat strokes after a race, EIPH, you know, critical situations. I mean, having fluid therapy ready, oxygen bottles ready to be able to quickly get on things. And again, that's that's that's all dedication from our team, our team of veterinarians.
SPEAKER_08I imagine veterinary medicine has changed a ton since you very first started. Looking back, what advancements have been made, the biggest difference for horse health?
SPEAKER_10You know, uh some of the biggest changes have been our ability to diagnose problems earlier and more accurately in these equine athletes. I still remember when, you know, we would have if something needed to be radiographed, uh, even if it was in a crisis, you know, in a catastrophic event, the best we could do is to get an old generator and and uh a cassette of, you know, and you had 20 of them or 50 of them or 100 of them that you were carrying around. But a cassette where you had to take an image, expose it, and go to the hospital local hospital or into your our office where we might have a dipping bat, and eventually we got an automatic processor. But you being in photography, although you wouldn't remember any of this, so this was all before your time. But you know, we used to uh after we exposed the images radiographically, we would have to go process them and and put them in dipping bats and it's so many seconds in each one, and and then if the technique wasn't right, then you couldn't really get a good image and you had to do it over again. And so just the advancement of uh digital radiography has been huge. So, you know, they don't take as much power, it's digital. We can out on the middle of the racetrack, we can take radiographs, we can email the image, a dichome image, or we can even take a picture with our phone. We can send I can have three boarded surgeons looking at these images all within about five minutes and and get responses.
SPEAKER_11That's amazing.
SPEAKER_10Which which all that helps to be able to care for these these individuals in a critical environment. But and then further, you know, advancements from that is you know, CT and MRIs, uh really good quality ultrasound equipment that is portable. You know, used to be all ultrasound equipment was you know a big machine, huge machine, a tower, and cost about fifty thousand dollars. And now uh actually Apple developed an ultrasound for humans, but as veterinarians we're using them, but for about five thousand dollars, you can get a really neat ultrasound that plugs into your phone or an iPad and get really pretty good images. You know, it's not not the best, but but still in the field, it's a great deal. Um, with CTs and PET scans, you know, we're able to see bone structure and blood flow or or stressed, stressed bone and even soft tissue phases of it. We can predict and find injuries or or subtle things that are happening before it becomes a catastrophic event.
SPEAKER_08That was my next question is has it changed the way you diagnose problems? So you're catching issues before they even become serious?
SPEAKER_10Yeah, and that and that's the key. And again, that's where you know, a team atmosphere, a team effort of trainers and veterinarians in correlation with speaking with the owners of the horses, but that's a that's a team, it's a dynamic triangle between the trainer, the owner, and the veterinarian to uh communicate. And and it's not just the trainer, too, it's assistant trainer, it's the grooms. You know, when I walk through a barn area, I mean I'm when I'm examining horses, I look at the groom and I ask him, What do you see? What's been going on with this horse? Is he eating good? Is he is he traveling good? Does he have anything unusual about him? And so it's it's a communication, but definitely the advancements of imaging is have helped us tremendously to hopefully catch anything before it happens, before it comes really severe. And then kind of even going outside of our racetrack realm to the clinic, you know, surgically, it helps a tremendous amount to get them repaired and back back to a racing condition.
SPEAKER_08Well, you you've seen some incredible horses over the years. Were there ever any horses that made you nervous or a situation maybe where you felt the stakes were pretty high?
SPEAKER_10Yeah, and so I mean nervous because I'm I'm worried about messing up, or nervous because this is such a valuable individual.
SPEAKER_08I would say nervous because this is such a valuable individual.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, I've been nervous. Uh over the years, you actually become a where it's part of your job, but you become nervous to make sure you're doing absolutely everything you can do in the proper way so that this individual, that this horse and the the trainer and the owner who have invested also so much time into it, that that we do absolutely everything we can to get this horse uh stable and under control where we're able to get them to recover and come back to to at least have a career, whether it's in racing or as a breeding animal or even uh after an opportunity to be a nice performance horse for somebody and down the road and have a career, you know, have a life, a second, second career. So so yes, I I I tell you there there was a situation I I vividly, I'm telling you this was probably 25, maybe 30 years ago. I vividly remember uh Hot Cash 123, Jack Brooks was a trainer, and and Carolyn Bay and Walt were the owners of of this this Philly, and she went down. Well, I don't know if she actually went down, but she did slab fracture her knee. It was it was a really tragic event. And and she was brought back with ambulance, and I was called over there, and and we we were able to take some radiographs, and this was actually before some really highly developed uh digital radiography, but we we were able to get images and stabilize this mare and get her support to that limb where it it healed up in a way that she was still able to be a brood mare and went on to produce, you know, cold cash one, two, three and flying cowboy one, two, three, and quite a few good good offspring. You know, that that was a neat story. And and also just there's been lots of horses that especially even stallions, but that I've had the privilege to work on, uh, like flying cowboy that went on to be, you know, everybody knew was gonna be a a pretty good sire and and maybe we knew it's gonna be as good as he is, but it's such a strong family, but but Had the opportunity to deal with a lot of uh really good high dollar expensive uh horses. So yeah, everything we do is is there's a risk. I mean, same way with human beings, when they go to the hospital, there's risks and everything. And so it's really important to be on your game, to make good decisions, to make sure your team of of of veterinarians and technicians all are in the same mindset that we're gonna, you know, we're not gonna make any mistakes, we're gonna do everything to the best of our abilities to uh make sure no mistakes are made and and the horse has a successful outcome, even in the my most minor treatments.
SPEAKER_08Well, since we're right in the middle of the Albuquerque season, this feels like a good time to talk about what it actually takes to keep these horses performing at such a high level. When people see a horse running in a major futurity, they only see a couple minutes on the track. What goes into getting these two-year-olds healthy in the first place?
SPEAKER_10I feel like having, you know, obviously trainers that are knowledgeable and consistent with their training program, that have a good work and relationship with their team, you know, veterinarian, horseshoe, jockey, uh, their grooms, all those are just kind of the staple. But on top of that is, you know, a good trainer to me is somebody that one, I can identify talent in an individual. They know how to get that talent out of that individual. You know, I think even humans, but human athletes do the same. But you know, there's there's highs and lows, there's peaks and valleys, and I've seen over the years, I mean, I I can't even name the trainers because I'd be leaving somebody out, but I mean, there's there's so many from from sleepy to Jack Brooks to Russell Hurst to John Bassett. And I've also had the privilege of working with the late John Buchanan and and Bubba Cassio, who were, you know, legendaries in the business for sure. There's just so many that they were they're really good at. And I I really don't even want to name names because I leave somebody out. And I mean, I I can't even just all the people.
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SPEAKER_01All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_10To follow up with that is successful trainers are those individuals that I seek to me that are able to identify talent in an individual and be able to get that talent out of that individual at the right time. I think they all have peaks and valleys, and good trainers know how to let a horse down and then get them back up at the right time. They know how to condition them properly so that they are fit but sound. Those trainers are are very conscientious about um how sound they are or if there's any issues that are concerning to them. They work well with a team of veterinarians, uh their rider, grooms, farriers. And so what does it take for a two-year-old to make it through successfully through a maturity season is good management, a lot of luck. Just in the fact that things line up, you know. Uh even the most successful, even the very best athletes, human athletes, become injured because of just an event. I mean, bull riders to professional football players, basketball players, on and on and on. You know, all it takes is an event that creates an injury that could delay andor sideline their career. And and horses are no exception. Like track surface is really important.
SPEAKER_08How much of racing success is things you can control versus plain look?
SPEAKER_10I think where good management comes in place is that a trainer, if he feels like the track surface may not be ideal, he doesn't train the horse. Or if track conditions are really risky, he may not run the horse. But still, I mean they could the track surface may be ideal and everything's going great. A bad step and things happen. A horse clips heels and bad things happen. Uh breaks sharp out of the gates, and just it's unfortunate, but sometimes they they injure themselves, uh bad back issues or you know, patellar fixation where they're lock stifle locks and creates them to drag their their hind end and unfortunately hurt the front end. Uh so that's that's sort of bad luck in the way that or or good luck in the sense that it doesn't happen. But truly, you can't control any of that stuff. What you can control is is what I said before, which is managing that horse in such a way that you give that individual the most opportunity to have a successful career.
SPEAKER_11Yeah.
SPEAKER_10Uh and advancing them when they're ready and holding back when they're not. And and it's communication. That's probably one of the most difficult things I think in this industry is I think once most successful trainers are are fairly good at communicating to all the different team members, including the owner. And I have seen where some are not so willing to communicate with the owners, and and and therefore the owner doesn't quite understand exactly what the horse is going to go through.
SPEAKER_07Creates confusion.
SPEAKER_10Yeah. And so again, you know, successful trainers, really good quality trainers, like the ones that we know that we're fortunate to have in our industry.
SPEAKER_08That's something people outside of the industry don't always appreciate. They see the winner circle picture, but not all the work and the stress and the everything that goes into getting the horse onto the racetrack.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, it's it's a daily event. That's one thing that some a lot of people don't understand that is that here on the backside, again, I said we're like we're we're tight-knit family, honestly, because I mean we know each other because we see each other daily, like every day. Every day we see each other in the barn area and uh in the shed rows, and we go through and check on all of our clients and every horse for the most part, and communicate. And it's it's interesting that we all really have the same goal, which is the success of these individual equine athletes. We want to see them do well, we want to see them go out and win, we want to see them stay sound, we want to see them be champions, and we want to see them have a career afterwards. And I mean, in all honesty, that's what all of us want.
SPEAKER_08Well, obviously, I've gotten to see this industry through my eyes my entire life because of you and Pappa, but looking back on your career, what is something that you're most proud of?
SPEAKER_10You know, I'm I'm really proud that I was fortunate enough to be in this position. I think to be one of the very best equine veterinary practices in the country. I'm proud that it we did it with with the frame of mind of servicing our clients and our patients and still focused on being family members. I think we did it by trying to bring in the best. We weren't focused on me being the person or Steve being the person or any of our individuals, Dr. Ray being the person. It was ESMS, and it's it's it's a network of veterinary care. And I'm proud of that. I'm I'm proud of our team, I'm proud of our staff, I'm proud of every aspect in our in our company. I'm also very proud of my opportunity to to meet so many quality people in this industry. I mean, over the years, I look back 36 years ago, I first started off and and all the people, uh, many that are not with us anymore.
SPEAKER_08But golly, what a well that's that's a really good answer, Dad. But I was kind of hoping you'd say raising me, but that's fine. We can we can edit that part in later.
SPEAKER_10Well, I wasn't finished yet, uh but I will tell you that my next part was I'm also very proud that I'm able to be interviewed by my daughter who is working for a quarter horse racing podcast and a very successful business and stallion e-search, and and I'm very proud of the work they do. And and like I said, it it's quite an honor to be interviewed by your daughter.
SPEAKER_08Good answer. Okay, we can continue now. Well, I was going to do some fun rapid fire questions, so I'm just gonna ask you a question and see if you can answer it.
SPEAKER_10Okay.
SPEAKER_08Okay, you go best horse you've ever worked on.
SPEAKER_10You know, I can't hardly even say that because I know this isn't rapid, but man, I tell you that I've worked on lots of great ones. I mean from I've had the opportunity to be a big part of Ochoa's career, and I I'm very proud of that. I work with Jack Brooks. I worked on lots of champions, I mean John Bassett too, but but Ochoa was really, I felt like we we did some things together that I I think I I just feel a part of it. So so yeah, uh Ochoa and many of the champions, and there's many that I've been fortunate to work on.
SPEAKER_07Didn't you worked on like PYC Paint Your Wagon, all of those, right?
SPEAKER_10Yeah, yeah. It's going back way back in the years. I mean, uh Taylor Fitt, who's world champion several times, um Cold Cash, Strawberry Soap, Eyes of Special, PYC, Valiant Hero, uh, Mighty Invictus, uh, Hot Stepper, Hot Simp worked on Remember Me Rose when Ben Torres had her Casey Cardin and Cool Key Baby, and and you know, James and Donna MacArthur had some really nice horses. I remember Donna had Dash and Folly at Maynard Downs when she won the maiden uh Derby Till there, and she went on to be a really great brood mare. But geez, just just lots of them from okay.
SPEAKER_08Most talented horse you've seen.
SPEAKER_10You know, it I I can't even say who's the most talented because they're they're all in different time frames, you know. Uh there was some I go back and look at individuals and personalities and determination and repeatability. I mean, danger was golly man, what a cool guilding he was for lots of years. And you know, he made lots of money as an older horse. Not many horses have done that. You know, uh Whistle Stop Cafe was really a really gutty Philly that you know was just a joy to be able to work on, you know, through through my partners as well. But I mean KJ Desperado and and Cresham and Odaceus Eagle.
SPEAKER_07I mean, we just you've worked on the best of the best.
SPEAKER_10I was one Dashing Eagle and he was running at Red Dosil for Delatories, and it we've been extremely fortunate to to work on so many great horses. And I mean that that doesn't even get them all. Just naming those, but those are just some really good ones. Uh I will tell you, Dash and Perfection Jack Brooks trained back when I was young and Lone Star first started, but he was really special to me because he he was so gutty. I mean, he was so tough as an older horse, and he had run the and the AQHA challenge classics, and and uh and that was back. I mean, it was like champion to champion style. There'd be 10 really rock solid horses, and and he'd beat them by four or five lengths at times, and that was cool. Um, but he was he I I just because he wasn't he didn't always come back from a race the best. Jack would take care of him, and and boy, after a few weeks, he just was clearing the shed rows. I mean he was clearing everybody out because he was ready to roll, and he'd go uh beat him again, and just he had a ton of heart, so that was really cool. And he had a he had a very successful career, you know. We probably no, I don't even know how much money he'd earned, but but I I just I just remember the horse. And you know, and I I like I said I could go on and on significant speed was sort of that kind of way, and and you know, refrigerator was right at about the time I started in 1990, and that's when he won the All-American. And I got to see him and work on him a little bit afterwards. I I wasn't really he went to California after that a lot. And I remember seeing him come off the track and and just so exhausted that I mean he he was just took a long time to get the test borne because he tried so hard. He worked and and he'd win. I mean, he tried so hard to win, and he win, would win, and uh he he just he made obviously made a lot of money doing it because he he was a champion, and that's what's interesting is the difference between a really good horse and a champion, and those champions they try hard every time. And they bird dog it at the gates and they they know how to get away because they love what they do.
SPEAKER_08I agree with you. Is is there one piece of advice for young people wanting a career in racing, whether it's becoming a young veterinarian or I I'm gonna speak to my my industry and my profession, and I think it's an awesome career.
SPEAKER_10Uh it's a great profession that male or female, it takes a lot of dedication and a and a lot of devotion towards school learning. Unfortunate, it it's expensive uh over a long period of time, but it's extremely rewarding in the fact that you have an opportunity to one, as I've done, decide what pathway I wanted and and and be able to work on some really elite uh equine athletes, but also it could be in a country practice in Colorado or Wyoming and working on cattle and sheep and goats or or arrow horses or dogs and cats and companion animals in a small animal clinic anywhere in the United States. I mean you can go wherever you want to go. And so again, it's it's it's an opportunity to if you have the passion for for caring for animals, it's it's very diverse and you can you know find a niche and be successful.
SPEAKER_08Yes. Well, I think we could probably sit here and tell racetrack stories for another couple of hours, but we'll save those for another episode. So Okay.
SPEAKER_10Well, I've enjoyed this, Bailey.
SPEAKER_08Me too, Dad. Thanks for joining me today. It's been fun getting to talk to you about your career and the horses you've worked with and all all of the things that most people never get to see behind the scenes of racing.
SPEAKER_10Yeah, it's it's been again quite a ride. I I'll tell you, it was uh I've been extremely fortunate to uh have met and got to work with the horsemen in this industry that I have. And uh the good lord's been very good to me. So I've been blessed. And and I've also I'm thankful for the fact that I've been able to with my through my partners and and our business that I've also been able to, although I missed a lot of you growing up and your sisters, it has been allowed us to be a family, and and and family is extremely important to me and now with the four grandsons and and uh it it allows me to get to be a family member as well.
SPEAKER_08So yes. And on a personal note, thanks for sharing all of this with me growing up. A lot of what I know about these horses, the hard work and this industry came from watching you.
SPEAKER_10Well, thanks. Thanks. It's uh it's been great to have you and your sisters along and your mother. She's she's been the backbone behind it all for sure.
SPEAKER_08Well, to everyone listening, thanks for spending some time with us today, and we hope you enjoyed hearing a little bit about the veterinary side of racing and what it takes to keep these incredible athletes healthy and competing at the highest level.
SPEAKER_02And we'll be right back after these words.
SPEAKER_12Another successful year at Stud is coming to an end of 2026 breeding season for Eagles Fly Higher, standing at Lacer in Opaloosis, Louisiana. That's the Louisiana Center for Equine Reproduction. Check out his stallion page on stallionesearch.com. All right, the standout sire spotlight for Dunn Ranch this week goes to In Hot Pursuit, the multiple Grade 1 place brother to two-time champion hot stepper. As In Hot Pursuit was the runner-up finisher in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity, as well as a third place finisher in the Golden State Million Faturity, another grade one event. He ended his career with $358,000 earned on the racetrack and is standing at Dun Ranch in Winniewood, Oklahoma.
SPEAKER_03Also standing is champion and grade one producer A Revenant, the brother to a two-time champion of champions winner, a political victory, the multiple Grade 1 producing sire, Chilitos, and the graded stakes winning Juices Loose, and the Grade 1 producer, PYC Fun and Fancy, all standing at Dunn Ranch in Winniewood, Oklahoma.
SPEAKER_08And we're back on Quarter Horse Racing Talk for the Racing Recap section. This week there was a full stakes card at Sam Houston Race Park, and we're gonna start with the 870 going around the hook, the Jesse Yokum Memorial, $55,000 purse for three year olds and up, going 870 yards. And here's the call from the track announcer.
SPEAKER_04Around the turn they go riding that rail, I will decide has a clear lead of a length and a half. Fireball B trying to hone in from there. The widest is no foe, but I will decide. Continues to ride the inside as in front by four with 220 yards to go. A late bid coming from Master Reigns up the inside, but I will decide. Grab command shortly after the start and never looked back, and I will decide. And Noe Viatoro in front by six, and they win the Jesse Yoga Memorial.
SPEAKER_08I will decide is an eight-year-old gilding by Majestic Cartel out of the Valiant Hero Mare, Valiant Little Lady, read and owned by Brian Gardner, trained by Adon Guzman, and ridden by Noe Viatoro. And moving on to the next stakes race is the Willie Hickman Memorial Stakes, a $53,000 purse for three-year-olds and up going 400 yards. And here's the call from Nick Tamaro.
SPEAKER_04And they're on their way in the Willie Hickman Memorial. Cas Priatito broke outward. It was a quicker start for I'm a chili, but Caspriatito gathering them in with each and every stride. Down towards the inside, DM chasing money fights on on the outside, slowdown as well. But Caspriatito is well in front and pandering clear. Caspriatito rolls home!
SPEAKER_08Cas Priatito is a four-year-old gilding by Cass Tempting out of the Zoom Mare Mary's Corazone, read by Rancho J.S. Owned by Fernando Soto and Rolando Soto, trained by Sergio Fuentes and ridden by Luis Maldonado. And the next stakes race is the Governor's Cup Marathon Stakes, a $50,000 purse for three-year-olds and up, going 870 yards. And here's the call from Nick Tamaro.
SPEAKER_04Just to his outside, Yippie Calle, Louisiana Mystery is gonna try and split rivals and does just that as they head for home. Hondo Hawks bracing for Louisiana Mystery, who got a beautiful trip off the inside and now grabs command with 200 yards to go. Louisiana Mystery, Yippie Calle and Hondo Hawks, they're doing battle in the final hundred yards. Shortly Louisiana Mystery, Hondo Hawks fighting tooth and nail. Louisiana Mystery holds on!
SPEAKER_08Louisiana Mystery is a four-year-old gelding by the Louisiana Cartel out of the Stolly Mare, Faith and Courage, read by J.E. Juminville Jr., owned by Louisiana Mystery Venture, trained by Mark Youngers and ridden by Luis Favanko. And the next stakes race is the Sam Houston 550, going 550 yards for $56,000. Three-year-olds and up. And here's the call from Nick Tamaro.
SPEAKER_04Gates fly and they're on their way in the Sam Houston 550. It was a good start on the outside for On the Rocks, who has early foot. Down to the inside, the Gray. I'm a sweet D.Va is in the mix. Perry Bogart angled back inside of that one. Center of the racetrack gaining ground comes Liberator and On the Rocks continues to plug away. The grandstand side, determined is fighting on. It's a mad scramble in the final 200 yards. In the middle of the racetrack comes the gray. I'm flying with a short lead on the outside. Here's determined lunging. Determined.
SPEAKER_08Determined is a five-year-old gilding by one famous diamond out of the Isa Special Mare, Special Cadena. Read by Kenneth Haymonds, owned by Elaine Hammonds, trained by Shay Cox, and ridden by Raul Hernandez Jr. And the Sam Houston Oaks, 400 yards, $176,000 purse. And here's the call from the track announcer.
SPEAKER_04NSHRP all set. And they're on their way in the Sam Houston Oaks. It was a very slow start for Bloods Valiant Policy, who was pinched back shortly after with a lot of work to do. BM Candy Royale was out quickly. On the wide outside, Karma Cha Ching is in the mix. Bloods Valiant Policy trying to gain ground and is surging at them, but Karma Cha Ching got the jump. Bloods Valiant Policy's second best to Karma Cha Ching.
SPEAKER_08Karma Cha Ching is a three-year-old Philly by Pa Cha Ching out of the Tiny's first Corona Mare, Martha's first Corona. Owned and bred by Sarah Husky, trained by Esteban Rubio, and ridden by Nestor Duran. The grade two Sam Houston Derby was also on Saturday night, going 400 yards for a $234,000 purse. Here's the call from Nick Tamaro.
SPEAKER_04Gates lie and they're on their way in the Sam Houston Derby. It was a clean start for Royalist. Eagle on a June bug got out very quickly. Dad's the inside lightning is in the mix. Those three are slugging it out with 200 yards to go. Middle of the racetrack, Royalist forges to a short lead, but Eagle on a June bug is gonna fight him tooth and nail. Eagle on a June bug lunges late to get it over Royalist. Then came Lightning and Ringling Ding.
SPEAKER_08Eagle on a June bug is a three-year-old killing by Eagles Fly Higher out of the blushing bug mare Sandy June Bug. Read by Robert Mrowdy III, owned by Sergio Jimenez, and Enrique Santoyo, trained by Victor Oviedo and ridden by Jockie Javier Hernandez. And for the big race of the night at Sam Houston, the grade two Sam Houston Futurity, $655,000 purse. And here's the call from Nick Tamaro.
SPEAKER_04And they're on their way in the Sam Houston Futurity. Limit has seen B stumbled at the start on the inside. It was a good beginning for DK Bonita Jess out with speed on the wide outside. Bad boy 123 is pitching away. Corona's first cowboys in the mix as well. But DK Bonita Jess is the leader. A late lunch, Bad Boy 123 photo!
SPEAKER_08DK Bonita Jess is a two-year-old Philly by A Political Jess out of the Corona Cartel mare, Marnie Joe, read by Quadro La Presita, owned by CH Horse Racing, trained by Miguel Pisana, and ridden by jockey Nestor Duran. And for the final stakes race we're gonna cover was on Sunday, the mountaintop New Mexico bred quarter horse for charity, going 350 yards for $309,000. And here's the call from Robert Fox.
SPEAKER_06They're running in the mountaintop futurity and a bad break for Perry's alibi. And it's early speed, Sand and C Daddy's China inside Bridger, middle of the choruses. I'm a dandy extreme outside, baby daddy cartel, baby daddy cartel, I'm a dandy, then sand and see baby daddy cartel wins the mountaintop futurity from I'm a dandy, sand and sand bridger!
SPEAKER_08Baby Daddy Cartel is a two year old gilding by Big Daddy Cartel out of the first Moon Flash Mare, start with a whistle. Bred by Paul Cervantes, owned by Tungsten Racing Partnership, trained by Omar Vargas, and ridden by jockey Noe Garcia Jr. And we'll be right back after these words from our sponsor.
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SPEAKER_08And we're back on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly for this week's racing preview section. We're going to be discussing the Ed Burke Memorial Fraturity, a grade one event out in Los Alamitos, going 350 yards for two-year-olds $960,000 purse. And Yancy, who do you like in this race?
SPEAKER_09I mean, the standout in the field for sure is Calmie Candela. She wasn't the fastest qualifier, but this horse already won the kindergarten fraternity earlier this year. Um Jose Flores is winning everything this year out there and qualifying a whole bunch to a bunch of races. So I think this horse is by far the best horse in the race.
SPEAKER_08Yes, she has lots of experience and is one of the few Phillies in the field.
SPEAKER_09Um, another horse that I liked from her trials is nuclear arsenal. This horse finished really, really strong in the trials. Um, Paul Jones is having a good year out there this year. This horse's mom, thermal thermal nuclear energy. My dad rode when he was riding, and thermal nuclear energy was never broke good and always came flying on the end. It's one of the fastest horses I've ever seen, but she just never could get away from the gates. Kind of looks like Nuclear Arsenal is following in his mom's footsteps. He didn't break good in the trials and then he came flying at the end to win. And walkthrough fires, a super good sire out there as well. So I think this is a horse that can run good in the finals.
SPEAKER_08And I think, Yancy, we have to talk about the fastest qualifier, uh, Zionsville. He stopped the clock at 17.739 seconds, and owned by Ed allred, this is a horse we can't count out.
SPEAKER_09Or he's out of Remember Me Rose. I mean, Remember Me Rose is the the last four or five years. If it's got Remember Me Rose on it, it's probably a runner.
SPEAKER_08Yes, I agree with you. And the horse that Zionsville beat in his trial was Flying Dynasty 123 by just half a length, and Flying Cowboy is one of the hottest sires out there right now.
SPEAKER_09Yeah, I think top to bottom this race is pretty wide open. MP Jess Rockin' as well is another one that I think has a good chance. Um, this horse was like 20 to 1 on trial night and came up and won his trial like he was the two to one favorite. Um, Ron Hartley and Steve Burns own this horse. So that's another one that I think will be tough. But like I said, other than Colin Candela, it looks like this race is got a lot of babies with that don't have that much experience.
SPEAKER_08I agree with you, Yancy. I think that anyone could win this race, and I look forward to talking about it next week on the recap section. And that's all we have for this week on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. Greg will be back next week helping keep this podcast between the rails and headed in the right direction. We'll be back with another great episode bringing you the stories, personalities, and insights that make quarter horse racing special. And until then, thanks for listening to the nation's number one quarter horse racing podcast. We'll see you next week on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.