Page 124 - August 2017

“No one in my family had horses, but I was born with that ‘horse crazy’ gene.”
John Moorehouse
by John Moorehouse
Sometimes, the best concepts come from combin- ing the right ingredients.In the case of David Smith, he fused together a lifetime of experience in the horse industry with his knowledge of the business world and the Internet to found Stallionesearch.com, which has become one of the most prominent web
sites in the world of Quarter Horse racing. For Smith, Stallionesearch represents just the latest step in a pro- gression through various roles in the horse world.
The native Oklahoman grew up showing horses, but racing captured his attention when he attended his first All American Futurity in 1973. “I returned home and sold all my show horses and purchased my first race horse when I was a senior in high school,” he said.
Smith went on to work for Speedhorse while he went to college. After graduation, he moved on to work for Don Tyner through the early 1980s, during which time he was involved in the purchase and syndi- cation of Triple Crown winner Special Effort in 1981.
Smith took a break from the horse business for about a decade, working for a Fortune 500 com- puter company. He combined the knowledge he gained there with his horse experience to form Stallionesearch. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Q : Where were you born?
A: Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Q: What are your hobbies outside of horse racing?
A: Real estate and flipping houses.
Q: What is your favorite movie, and why?
A: “50 To 1”, the story of Mine That Bird winning the Kentucky Derby. I knew several people that the movie was about.
Q: If you could vacation anywhere, where would it be & what would you do there?
A: I would go back to London. I love history!
Q: Do you have a favorite quote?
A: “Do the right thing.”
Q: If you could sit down and visit with anyone, past or present, who would it be? A: Jesus.
Q: What drink would your friends describe you as, and why?
Champagne, because that’s all I drink.
Q: Give an interesting fact about your family.
A: No one in my family had horses, but I was born with that ‘horse crazy’ gene. When I was in the fifth grade, I was making poor grades and my teacher told my parents I could do the work, but I wouldn’t apply myself. My father told me if I made a “B” average he would buy me a horse. Six weeks later, I got my first horse and have owned at least one or part of one for 50 years! We had six-week grading periods, and I had to keep my grades up or my father would not let me see the horses for six weeks at time if I went below a “B.” That only happened once!
Q: What is the strangest personality quirk you have ever seen in a horse?
A: Hands down it’s Horse of the Year Zenyatta. She would prance in the saddling paddock as if she were danc- ing before a race. She had a trademark move from “last to first” that won her 19 of 20 starts! She lost her final race against males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to Blame by a nose after coming from dead last off the final turn.
Q: If you were not in the horse racing business, what job would you like to have? A: Real estate development.
Q: What is your favorite thing about living where you live?
A: I live in downtown Dallas on the 19th floor of One Arts Plaza. People always ask me how I can stand to live in a big city, but I stay within a 5-mile radius of downtown. I never get on a freeway unless I’m going to the airport or driving to Oklahoma City for the Heritage Place Sale. Everyone knows me where I shop, the doctors, cleaners, etc. To me it’s like living in a small town... just a lot more traffic!
Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time, and why?
A: Probably Jacky Martin. I’ve never seen a rider who could move a horse up as much as him.
Q: What’s one thing you don’t like about Quarter Horse racing?
Drugs. Illegal drug use has almost ruined our business.
Q: What’s one thing you like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: There’s no feeling better than winning a race. Whether it’s with a claimer or a stakes horse, there is a thrill that I have never gotten from anything else that I do.
H. DAVID SMITH
122 SPEEDHORSE, August 2017
THE LIGHTER SIDE