Page 178 - September 2018

RAINEY BROOKFIELD BLACKMON
by John Moorehouse
Life stays mighty busy for Rainey Brookfield Blackmon—and
it’s about to get even
busier. As the assistant
secretary of racing at Lone
Star Park, Blackmon
works plenty of long
hours during both the
Thoroughbred and
Quarter Horse meets at
the Texas track. The 2018
Thoroughbred schedule is
in the books, but Blackmon
still hasn’t had much time to catch a breath. Not with the Quarter Horse meet scheduled to begin Sept. 21.
Given her professional position, and growing
up in a horse family where her father worked as
both a jockey and a trainer, Blackmon has her own specific insights on the sport and was kind enough to participate in this month’s Lighter Side.
Q: Where were you born?
A: Encino [near Los Angeles], California.
Q: What are your hobbies outside of horse racing?
A: Anything that allows me a chance to channel my inner Martha Stewart.
Q: What is your favorite movie and why?
A: “The Cowboys” with John Wayne. I love a good Western and my Uncle Fred was in it.
Q: What’s an interesting fact about your family (parents, grandparents, siblings, etc.)? A: On my dad’s side, I am first-generation American. With mom, we go back to the colonies.
Q: Do you have a nickname and, if so, what is it and how did it come about?
A: I’m sure I do, but not one that anybody has been willing to share.
Q: What is the strangest personality quirk you have ever seen in a horse?
A: Bear, my husband’s outriding horse, has gotten so used to me bringing him peppermints that he licks his lip when he sees or hears me.
Q: If you were not in the horse racing business, what job would you like to have? A: Either a history professor or a football coach.
Q: What is your favorite thing about living where you live?
A: That my daughter and grandson are just a few miles away.
Q: If you could vacation anywhere on the planet, where would it be and what would you do there?
A: The United Kingdom, to go on an ancestry scavenger hunt.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote? What is it?
A: “Nearly all men can handle adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln
Q: If you could sit down and visit with anyone, past or present, who would it be? A: Queen Elizabeth II.
Q: What drink would your friends describe you as and why?
A: Whiskey, neat. It’s simple, straightforward with a bit of a bite.
Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time, and why?
A: Brett Favre. He was so talented and it was so fun watching him have so much fun.
Q: If you were making a movie about yourself, who would you cast to play you, and why?
A: Michelle Pfeiffer, because . . . who wouldn’t want to be portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer?
Q: What’s one thing you don’t like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: That more emphasis isn’t put on the older horse.
Q: What’s one thing you like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: The speed. Standing on the rail as a full field comes charging down the lane is . . . there’s just nothing like it.
“Standing on the rail as a full field comes charging down the lane is . . . there’s just nothing like it.”
Rainey Brookfield Blackmon
John Moorehouse
176 SPEEDHORSE, September 2018
THE LIGHTER SIDE