Page 167 - SPEEDHORSE April 2018

Richard McArthur
Much of his success the last two years is traceable to the palomino filly Pockatu. With her, he came close to accomplishing his fondest dream – winning the All American Futurity. She failed to qualify for the big race in 1972, but was victorious in the first consolation. She also garnered the Kindergarten at Los Alamitos that year and
after racing well against the best stakes horses in California in 1973, was voted the top three year old at the Los Alamitos summer meeting.
This year, James has another promising youngster in Tripoli Jet. “I feel he’s as fast as any three-year-old horse around. He was the fastest qualifier for the Bay Meadows Futurity, but he shin-bucked in that race. Then he qualified for the Kindergarten, but in that race swallowed his tongue. He also won his trial for the All American, but he ducked in at the gap and his time wasn’t good enough for the big race.”
James keeps about 15 horses in training and employs four people to help with their care
and upkeep. Providing him with most of his stock are Mr. and Mrs. Walter Merrick, Don and Lawrence Daley, Oliver Aspegren Jr. and Constance Ehmke. The success he’s having for these and other owners has promoted additional investments by his patrons, and he’s excited about some of the prospects he’ll have to work with this year. He relates that Rancho Jamul (Don and Lawrence Daley) bought a yearling Jet Deck filly by the name of Magic Garden out of the All American Sale for $90,000 and, “I also
Bill McArthur
have a Jet Deck and several other yearlings by Easy Jet and Truly Truckle that should be ready to run this year.”
James’ success has not been gained solely through the achievements of his well-bred stock. He is credited with the claim of Baffert’s Queen for $10,000 when she was two. She went on
to win numerous allowance events over a long period, reflecting James’ skill in keeping horses fit.
James admits to no real secret to his training method, but it is very much in evidence that he is a perfectionist in the treatment of his horses. In all likelihood, his “do-it-yourself ” policy stems from his association with Walter Merrick.
“Probably it does,” James says. “Mr. Merrick is very thorough – he’s an amazing horseman. The way he can keep a horse in top form through the whole year, like with Easy Jet, is just unbelievable.
“Yes, if I copy the methods of any trainer, it would have to be him,” James says. “I can’t think of anyone I respect more.”
Richard, a soft spoken, rugged looking man of 28, with long sideburns and square jaw, would be perfectly cast for a Gunsmoke episode. His broad shoulders attached to a medium frame bespeak of his talents in handling horses.
Unlike his brothers, Richard got his early training with Thoroughbreds at San Luis Ray Downs, near the Del Mar Race Track. When he was ready to take out his trainer’s license, however, he applied with the Quarter
Horse people where more contacts and greater opportunities existed.
Although Richard hasn’t had a ‘big horse’ in his barn, last year he acquired a promising filly named Phoebe’s Moon Bug for owner Eloise Salyer. A virtual unknown prior to the summer Los Alamitos meeting, ‘Phoebe’ developed into one of the better juveniles in California. In fact, she was undefeated going into the Kindergarten trials and included among her wins a conquest of the exceptional Lanty’s Jet. Unfortunately, she was sidelined by injury and forfeited a chance to compete with the top juveniles in later events.
In spite of this misfortune, 1973 was a banner year for Richard. The 20 winners he saddled exactly doubled his output of 1972
and the $41,189 earned by his starters was very respectable in view of the fact that most of them were claimers.
Not content to work with horses only during his training hours, Richard and his wife Lynn bought a small ranch in Chino, where they stable show horses. He advises, “We’re building up the ranch a little bit at a time, making everything as comfortable as possible for the care of horses.”
Richard doesn’t have time to run the ranch, but it turns out that, “Lynn is one of the
finest trainers of show horses in California,” a statement volunteered by Oscar.
There’s the training. Then there’s the ranch. Now for some diversion. Would you believe,
SPEEDHORSE, April 2018 165
LOOKING BACK - AN EXCERPT FROM JULY 1974 ISSUE
E