Page 29 - New Mexico Summer 2022

up with Dr. H.D. Hall, a dentist in Oklahoma. That’s when a brown, 1982 colt named Eastex (Texas Dancer TB-Tall Cotton, Easy Jet) entered the picture. It was also when a huge whirlwind of notoriety picked up McArthur Racing.
“Dr. Hall was an incredible blessing for us,” James said. “Each year, he had us come to Oklahoma and look at his horses. He always wanted us to take ten.
“He told us he had to geld Eastex because he was just too rank otherwise. That was too bad in some ways, but there are also times when there is no other option.”
There’s an interesting sidebar at this part of the story. Dr. Hall sold Tall Cotton when she was in foal with Eastex. James saw Eastex when he was a few weeks old. He stood there, looking at the colt, and felt his gut turn over a few times. He contacted Dr. Hall and convinced him to buy back the mare and colt.
“We started Eastex at Manor, where he won a race at the end of March,” James remembered.” Tami Purcell (Burklund) helped us at Manor. She was just a kid, but she was so good. She had no fear, and she could sit so still on those horses. We asked her to come to Bay Meadows with
us. She said she had to check with her parents, and she didn’t know if they would let her. Bruce Pilkenton ended up with the ride on Eastex in the Bay Meadows Futurity and won. Bruce also rode him in the 1984 All American Futurity.” Which was when James stamped his second All American into the record books.
Eastex went on to win the Dash For Cash Futurity, the Bay Meadows Futurity while setting an New Track Record, and 10 other races. He was the AQHA high money- earner that year and was named the 1982 Champion Two Year Old and Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding. He was a one-of-a- kind phenom, earning $1,573,622 at two and retiring with $1,869,406. He started an amazing 31-times and held the distinction of being the all-time leading money-earning two-year-old for 27 years.
It seemed the gelding’s career would never end until he suffered a debilitating injury. He was retired and lived in peace and tall-grass pastures until March 25, 2013. He was 32. He was a legend.
Oh! By the way, Tami Purcell’s parents gave their permission for her to go to Bay Meadows with James. He still laughs about it.
“When the other trainers saw her, they started nudging one another and asking, ‘Who’s this kid girl McArthur brought to ride for him?’ Well, they sure as heck knew who she was when we left!”
James retired from training six years ago, but Donna is still going strong.
Donna launched the fulltime portion of her career in the 1980s, and it didn’t take long for
James and Eastex.
her to hit full stride. She won leading trainer honors at the track in 1986.
Both McArthurs believed their horses were only as good as their legs. They spent hours filling a turbulator with water, Epsom Salt, and vinegar. Their horses stood in the solution, then were backed out and allowed to air dry. The next step was where the real work began, putting a curve in the McArthurs’ backs and oftentimes a crick in their necks.
“We’d sit on a stool under those horses and begin working medicine into their legs,” Donna recalled. “Hours and hours. I still do it, and the rewards and benefits are still the same.”
Some couples find it impossible to work together in horse training or anything else.
Donna and James have spent nearly 50-years doing just the opposite.
“James has done nothing but encourage me
the entire time. He worked hard to fill me with confidence, and there was never any jealousy or rivalry between us – even when we each had a horse in the same race. He retired from training, but I know he’s always available to help me in any way.”
The two dominant cornerstones of their relationship are respect and trust.
Doors flew open for Donna. She trained Corona Cash (First Down Dash-Corona Chick, Chicks Beduino). She was a brilliant, tough-running brown filly bred by Robert “Strawberry Bob” Etchandy of California. Henry Brown was the owner.
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