Page 94 - December 2015

OSCAR ANDRADE JR.
A 14-year-old freshman at Cypress High School who lives in Compton, California
by Tracy Gantz
Oscar Andrade Jr. not only rode horses before he could walk, he owned them. Renes Dasher, a son of
First Down Dash, ran in his name when he was only 9 months old, not surprising, given his pedigree.
His father, Oscar, was a major jockey until a spill left him paralyzed from the chest down, and Oscar Sr. remains an integral part of the family’s training operation. Oscar Jr.’s mother, Elena, is a fourth-generation horsewoman and trains Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos. Her sister, Angela Aquino, trains Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses there and also trained Renes Dasher.
Every morning before school, Oscar works at the barn, and he returns when school is over. He helps with every facet of Andrade Racing, from feeding to checking legs, from tacking up to mucking out stalls. The horses adore him, especially a large 2 year old named Obi Juan Kanobi, who likes to nuzzle Oscar’s head.
“He knows each horse so well,” said Elena. “He’ll tell me if one is acting funny or if there is anything wrong.”
Oscar is already looking forward to the time when he can start galloping horses.
“You can gallop at age 16 with your parents’ permission,” he said.
Until then, Oscar spends time readying
his own horse for the races. This is the second year his parents have given him a yearling
to prepare. The current one, a 2014 colt by Favorite Cartel out of the Thoroughbred mare Tricky Speed, was due to be registered with the name Suavecito and arrive at Los Alamitos as soon as the new 2 year olds were allowed onto the track.
“We’ve already had offers to buy him, but I want to see what he does first,” said Oscar. “If I know he’s going to be a good one, I’d rather keep him than sell him. I want to pay him into the Kindergarten Futurity.”
Oscar eagerly watches horses compete. He and his father have even gone into fields with
mares and foals and wagered between them- selves on which foal can scamper to the other end of the field first.
Racing dominates Oscar’s life. Most of his friends are sons and daughters of other trainers at Los Alamitos. Fun away from the racetrack usually consists of something like going to Knott’s Berry Farm, a theme park close to the racetrack.
Multiple Champion trainer Paul Jones gave Oscar his first horse to ride, a miniature horse the family called Mini, before Oscar was a year old.
“He was riding that little horse before
he was walking,” said Elena. “He had little chaps and a little saddle. He took that little horse everywhere, and once he was walking, Mini would follow him all around.”
His aunt gave him a pony one Christmas. While Oscar competed in some barrel and pole racing at local play days, he hasn’t pursued the show ring because he prefers
the racetrack.
Oscar Sr. and Elena are teaching their son
everything about horsemanship and training. “I tell him that being a good trainer is being
able to read a horse,” said Elena. “Horses tell you everything.”
Oscar hasn’t yet decided on which college he wants to attend, though he is consider- ing one of the Cal Poly universities, either in Pomona, which is local, or San Luis Obispo, in central California. He wants to become a trainer or a veterinarian.
“So far I like the training better because you are around the horses all the time,”
said Oscar. “You can see their improve- ments. I like to get to know all of the horses’ personalities.”
Oscar Sr. and Elena are trying to build their training business so that Oscar Jr. can eventually take it over.
“We call it Andrade Racing because it’s all of us—it’s family,” said Elena.
Trainer Paul Jones gave Oscar his first horse before he was a year old, a miniature called Mini who Oscar could ride before he could walk
Oscar has a deep love for horses and wants to be around them all of the time
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SPEEDHORSE, December 2015
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