Page 40 - January 6 2012

RESUMING HER HORSE CAREER
Meanwhile, Kim had returned to California regularly while auto racing to help with
the family race operation at Los Alamitos.
Her mom had raised an orphan foal, Annie Annie (Rare Form-Rich And Foxy, by Time
To Thinkrich), and became so attached to her that when the filly fell short of racetrack expectations, Jolene brought her home and asked Kim to show her.
Although Kim hadn’t shown in years, she agreed, and the pair competed successfully in showmanship and other classes. She remained immersed in Quarter Horse racing, studying breedings and watching the races and sales.
Kim has high hopes for the 2009 filly out of Annie Annie, who died when the foal was just three weeks old. Due to her limited time, Kim turned the baby, Because Shes Worthit, over
to trainer Kristen Watanabe. “I think I named her right,” Kim says. “This filly has guts and
determination, but she was supposed to die. There will be stories about her later, trust me. And Kristen’s an awesome trainer; she deserves more good horses.”
THE FRUITS OF HER LABOR
Over the years, Kim and her family have switched from buying to breeding and selling their own racehorses. Among many notables, they raised 2002 All American Futurity-G1 fifth-place runner Flys R Streakin (Strawfly Special-Decked In Six, by Streakin Six), who also won the Governor’s Cup. “He’s probably my favorite racehorse,” Kim says.
Kim has also owned shares in a couple of syndicated stallions, including The Down Side (First Down Dash-RR Le Mistral, by Easy Jet), who ran in the All American the same year as Flys R Streakin. Devastated when The Down Side died in a fire, Kim says she’s still looking for good The Down Side mares for the family’s
modest breeding program.
Kim also owns a share in the Thoroughbred
stallion Snowbound (Meadowlake-Gray Tab, by Zulu Tom). “I really believe in him,” she says of the sire of Decked In Snow, who as of press time, has qualified for the Sunland Park Winter Futurity-G2 on Dec. 30, 2011.
SHADES OF SHOWMANSHIP DAYS
Kim’s baby-training methods trace back to her showmanship days. “I train them like that because it keeps their minds busy,” she says.
She’s also big on voice commands, and trains her babies to the bath, trailer and walker by the time they reach six months of age. “Sam Thompson always told me he loved getting our horses because he knew I worked with them from day one and that made a difference for them on the track,” Kim says.
LOST AND FOUND
Kim is a woman with a deep bank of skills, knowledge and involvement. She has experienced an exceptional amount of loss in her lifetime: childhood divorce; her Grandpa Maddon; her brother, sister-in-law and cousin and her friend Scoop Vessels, who all died in plane crashes; her jockey friend Sam Thompson; beloved horses; and just this past year, her younger sister.
But the loss seems to have generated within her a need to embrace and appreciate life, and built in her a resolve to pursue her goals and dreams.
“She taught me to always believe in yourself and your talents,” says longtime family friend Kim Saunders, owner of Sierra Blanca Equine near Ruidoso Downs. “She’s a passionate, dedicated animal lover who also loves to have fun.”
“Kim is a very strong individual,” adds Watanabe. “She knows what she wants and she’ll get it.”
And what she wants is what every Quarter Horse owner, breeder and trainer of racehorses wants: to win the All American Futurity.
Kim successfully showed horses , including Klasic Contradiction.
Kim bred multiple winner A Lot Like Love out of Annie Annie.
38 SPEEDHORSE, January 6, 2012