Page 9 - October 2008 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Making Of A Champion
Horseracing has been referred to as “The Sport
Of Kings” ever since nobility gathered to watch Chariot racing during the Roman Times. It has taken centuries for racing to evolve into what we view today.
By Jackie Humber
The Game, October 2008 9 lieve we broke 12 babies for Juan last winter and the
It wasn’t until 1889 that thoroughbred racing
Olmos believes that the breaking of his horses was very important this year. “I sent all of my horses to be broke and cared for by Kerry Lynn Raven and Phillip Hall and they came to Hastings like older horses, it made a big difference,” said Olmos.
began in Vancouver at what is now known as Hast-
ings Race Course. Since those rst equine athletes
began racing around the 5/8ths track, racing, breed-
El Sinaloense is by Mud Route out of the mare, Ayne Z. and was bred by B.C. Breeder, Mike Ander- son who commented,
ing and training has improved greatly. Today anyone
Kerry Lynn Raven and Phillip Hall have been
can purchase one of these racing machines but not everyone will race a champion.
together for just over a year and work together at the farm and with their small stable at Hastings. “I be-
Each year owners attend sales in hopes of purchasing what they believe will be the next “Great One;” a North- ern Dancer or a John Henry, but very few will ever get to sip from the cup of champions or feel the adrenaline rush through their
veins from training a true champion. This year, 2008 looks like the year that Trainer/ Owner, Juan Olmos will feel that adrenaline rush and indeed sip from the cup of cham- pions.
away and the fact that his sire was not local and he had very straight legs and a nice hind end, then he was going for a reasonable price, so I bought him,” Olmos said.
Mud Route (El Sinaloense) was very kind to break. He did everything right and he went through all the stages great. Phillip helps with all the ground work and I do the riding, but we are both on the same page and that’s why it works. We are really pleased that Juan gave us his babies to break and we hope to break his babies this winter also ,” said Raven.
13399_CanThoroughbred:Layout 1 9/8/08 1:29 PM Page 1
Continued Page 10 - see Juan Olmos
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2008
ENTRIES CLOSE: OCTOBER 1ST
WOODBINE SALES PAVILION WOODBINE RACETRACK TORONTO, ONTARIO
For a catalogue or further information contact the: Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) (416) 675-3602 or visit www.cthsont.com
DAVE LANDRY PHOTO
Olmos began train- ing thoroughbreds back in his native country
of Mexico in 2001. “I actually had my Train- ers license in 1999 but the racetrack didn’t open until 2000. Then
I worked with Miguel Silva, he is the best trainer in the world.
He wins hundreds and hundreds of races each year,” said Olmos.
In 2001 Olmos had his own stable of 35 horses and ended up second in the trainer standings. “In my rst week of training I had three wins and one was a Stakes race. I had a lot of wins that year,” recalled Olmos.
In 2002, the stories he had heard about the beautiful weather and scenery of Vancouver from his brother, en- ticed Olmos to move his family to B.C. Since that time Olmos has trained many racehors- es but never a Stakes horse. That all changed at the Sept. 2007 Yearling Sale when hip number 23 entered the sales ring.
“I liked him right
The Game OCTOBER 2008.indd 9
9/25/08 11:10:29 AM