Page 8 - April 2005 The Game

8 The Game, April 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Back to the future - Robbie King Jr. is back in the irons
By Elena Fenech
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” - Nelson Mandela.
You don’t know how much you miss something until it’s gone.
Robbie King Jr., Canada’s Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 1983 and 1984, enjoyed a prolific career at Woodbine. Among his many accomplishments he rode in Hong Kong for a year and was invited to ride in South Africa in the International Championship alongside the legendary Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery.
Life was good until the spring of 1995 when things took an unexpected turn.
Personal issues forced him to leave Woodbine and he told himself that he wasn’t going to stop riding, he just needed a change of scenery.
Robbie King packed his tack and resumed riding in British Columbia. Things went well at first however over the course of the season he realized that moving to another racetrack was not the solution to the turmoil he was facing. Robbie was not happy with the general state of his life and he made the decision to stop riding altogether and began taking life one day at a time.
Robbie knew that whatever
endeavor he would embark on he wanted to work with horses, with that in mind he took a job breaking a couple of two year-olds on Vancouver Island in 1997. While at the farm he met the owners Ralph and Linda Bodine. The couple were looking to set up Orange Blossom Racing Stable and encouraged Robbie to be their trainer. They began with a small operation however before long Robbie had 15 horses under his care at the racetrack.
As much as Robbie liked Vancouver Island, Woodbine Racetrack was where he called home and with the news of increased purses it made sense to move some of the Orange Blossom Stable to Ontario. In 1999 Robbie was back at Woodbine and although everything was familiar, the role he was now playing a very different. For the first time in his life he was the one giving the leg up to the jockey, he was the one giving the rider instructions and he was the one who watched his horses from the grandstand.
Robbie experienced many highs and lows as a trainer. The talented filly, Devastating, was his pride and joy, and in 2001 she provided him with his first stake win as a trainer.
He enjoyed training the horses in the morning and was dedicated
enough to be at the barn at 2 a.m. walking a horse who was struggling to overcome an episode of colic. Being a trainer was rewarding however the longer he trained the more he realized how much he missed riding.
At the end of the 2004 racing season Robbie pondered the idea of making a come back as a jockey. He wanted to give himself a second chance.
He feels that the time he spent training horses will give him an advantage because he knows now that winning a race is something that should not be taken for granted.
Robbie now knows that harsh realities of training and he has a new found appreciation of the hard work and dedication that trainers, owners, hot walkers and grooms must endure and the importance of being able to stand proud in the winner’s circle.
Last fall Robbie decided that if he could bring his weight down he would make a come back.
He has surpassed that challenge and is now ready to ride once again.
“I am in better shape now than when I was 32 years old. Both physically and mentally I know that I still have a bunch of good rides left in me.” said Robbie, who regardless of a positive response from several
trainers, realizes that making a successful come back will be a long slow process.
With only a couple of weeks left before opening day he says he is ready to resume where he left off.
Robbie King Jr. will be returning to the jocks room at Woodbine in 2005. Don Parente, who also represents jockey Chantal Sutherland, will be looking after his book.
- Photo Elena Fenech
Experience the Party of the Year!
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Contact LongRun 416-675-3993, ext 3440 for more information
Friday, September 23, 2005
at the Woodbine Trackside Tent
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THE CANADIAN THOROUGHBRED HORSE SOCIETY (ONTARIO DIVISION)
PART-TIME
MARKETING & PROMOTION CO-ORDINATOR
The CTHS (Ontario Division) is a non-profit membership based organization that represents breeders of Thoroughbreds horses in Ontario. The Society provides a wide range of membership services, holds auctions, promotes the Canadian-Bred Thoroughbred around the world and represents the interests of breeders on all issues that affect the sales, racing and breeding of Ontario Thoroughbreds.
The CTHS is seeking a self-motivated individual to fill the part-time position in Marketing & Promotion reporting directly to the General Manager. Approximately 24 hours per week, flex hours could be a consideration.
The incumbent provides marketing support for the General Manager and will act as the first-level contact on matters pertaining to marketing & promotion. Responsibilities to include customer service, the collection and analysis of pertinent statistical data, creation and distribution of press releases, web site maintenance, mailing list maintenance, special events co-ordination, liaison with Marketing & Advertising company and the preparation of newsletters. The ideal candidate would have experience in marketing, advertising, public relations preferably in the horse breeding and racing industry. Candidates should be experienced in the use of office equipment, including photocopier, facsimile machine and printers. Applicants should have excellent communication and organizational skills along with a good understanding of personal computers and software, particularly MS Word and Excel.
Interested applicants are invited to send resumes with a cover letter by April 29, 2005 to:
Julie Coulter, General Manager Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division)
P.O. Box 172, Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 5L1 Phone (416) 675-3602
Fax (416) 675-9405
Email: cthsont@idirect.com
Did You Know...
That Hall of Fame Jockey Pat Day underwent hip surgery on March 30 and is likely to miss the Kentucky Derby for the
first time in more than two decades. The 51 year-old jockey says he is not ruling out trying to come back to ride for
May 7 however he acknowledges that recovering that quickly will be
“a long shot at best.”
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GALA
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