Page 71 - November 2015

“... Racing, it’s changed a lot like I said, but it’s been good to me.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about living where you live?
A: In California? The weather, for sure. You
can’t beat the weather. It’s pretty much the same all the time. It makes for a good training base, where it’s about the same every day. Other places, a lot of times you’d have to wait to do something.
Q: If you could vacation anywhere on the planet, where would it be and what would you do there?
A: I’ve been about everywhere. I’d like to go to some of the bigger tracks back east. I would like to see them.
Q: If you could sit down and visit with anyone, past or present, who would it be?
A: I’d like to sit down with Blane Schvanveldt and visit with him. He’s the one who got me
coming down here to train horses, but of course he’s gone. I used to have a lot of good talks with him. He helped me a lot. He was a good friend. He used to say, ‘Well, Coopy’s really done good. I taught him all he knows, but I never taught him all I know.’”
Q: What drink would your friends describe you as, and why?
A: I used to drink the old V.O. I don’t drink anymore, though. I liked Wild Turkey. You didn’t want to be around me when I drank Wild Turkey because all I wanted to do was fight, which I did a lot of that in my day.
Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time, and why?
A: Magic Johnson. He’s a competitive person. He made things happen. That’s all I can say. I like basketball, and I’d have to say he’s my favorite.
Q: What’s one thing you don’t like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: I can’t say there’s anything I don’t like. I’ve been doing it now for 40 years, down here at Los Alamitos. It’s changed a lot since I came here. There’s a lot more politics in horse racing than there used
to be. It used to be they judged you on your own merits, but now you’ve got to be a politician. We used to help one another do things, but it’s more dog-eat-dog anymore.
Q: What’s one thing you like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: I like going to the track and doing my job. I enjoy going. There’s nothing like having a good horse. It keeps you going. ... Racing, it’s changed a lot like I said, but it’s been good to me.
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