Page 113 - Speedhorse December 2019

Q: Do you have a favorite quote and, if so, what is it?
A: “Do not try to fix something that is not broken.” I just feel like that is a great mantra to live by in life.
Q: If you could sit down and visit with anyone, past or present, who would it be?
A: From horse racing it would probably be D. Wayne Lukas. I have just always thought he would be a great guy to learn from. He has seen it all in horse racing and achieved a lot in the industry.
Q: What drink would your friends describe you as, and why?
A: Mountain Dew. I always have one in my hand, can’t think of me and not Mountain Dew.
Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time, and why?
A: That is a tough one, I have a couple favorites: Jerry Rice and Tiger Woods. If I have to pick just one, I have to pick Jerry Rice. I remember watching him when I was growing up and watching how great of a team the 49ers had back then. I’m a lifelong 49ers fan.
Q: What’s one thing you don’t like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: As a racing commissioner, we deal with the task of trying to clean up the use of illegal drugs for horses. It is difficult to stay ahead of the game. I would love to see an even playing field for everybody and clean up the “behind the scenes” of racing before it gets out of hand and ruins the sport we all love.
Q: What’s one thing you like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: I love watching the athleticism of the horses. I also enjoy seeing the hard work the trainer’s team puts into a horse—seeing the results of that hard work when a horse wins big races. I also really enjoy chariot racing around here in the winter and watching
two horses working together to make a great team.
“It has been a great learning experience for me to be on the commission and to see what it takes to enact new laws and the difficulties that go along with this task.”
SPEEDHORSE, December 2019 109
THE LIGHTER SIDE