Page 108 - Speedhorse June 2020

THE LIGHTER SIDE
The way Mimi Wells sees it, a happy horse is a successful horse. It’s a philosophy she maintains when running her horse racing operation in Orange County, California.
“I pride myself with being able to read my horses,” she told Speedhorse, adding, “I can read their eyes. I can remember once I went down to see one of my horses—I won’t mention his name—and the person says to me, ‘How’s he look?’ I said, ‘I don’t think he’s going to run tonight,’ because he had this look of worry in his eyes. I pride myself to be able to read them.”
Many in the horse racing business step into their chosen roles through family, following past generations. Wells married into the industry. She met her husband, the late trainer Dwayne Wells, while attending classes at the University of Arizona.
“We just kind of became partners in this whole thing,” she said.
When her husband died in 1996 after a heart attack, Wells pondered getting out of the business altogether.
“I tried dabbling in training myself, but I live too far away from the racetrack to really give it the all-time attention that it should
be given,” she recalled. “My vet bills were humongous and, really, I had too many horses. It just wasn’t fun for me anymore.”
She worked with a couple of different trainers before eventually teaming up with the Fales Ranch in Arizona. Matt Fales now trains all of Wells’ starters.
“I’m not real close to a whole bunch of people, but the Fales, they’re like family,” Wells said. “They just bend over backwards to treat my horses like their own.”
We asked Wells whether or not she was treated differently in the business, because of her gender. Her response?
“I expect to be treated like I do know something about horses and the way that they act. I’ve fox hunted, I’ve done steeplechase, I haven’t been in a race, but I have raced, and
I know that when you’re on top of there, you can feel if the horse is putting out 100 percent or not.
“I think a lot of people would describe me as, how do I put this politely, hard-headed? Obstinate? I have my opinion, but I’m always open to my discussion with people—trainers, vets, anyone else.”
Q: Where were you born?
A: I was born in Bryn Mar, Pennsylvania.
Q: What are your hobbies outside of horse racing?
A: Now? Now that I’m old? I can’t do half of what I used to. I still ride—not like I used to; I used to ride hard and go out and ride for 3-4 hours a day. I used to ski. Not very well, but
I still did. I train my German Shepherd dogs in the sport of schutzhund—protection and obedience and tracking. And that takes a lot of time, but it’s something that an old person can do.
Q: You mentioned not being able to do the things you used to. What do you miss doing?
A: Sit down cross-legged. Kneel down on my knees. I have two knee replacements, two hip replacements, and a shoulder replacement. I’m looking forward to when I go up to heaven and
nothing hurts anymore. I really do have a good Christian relationship with Jesus Christ and I’m not embarrassed to say it.
Q: What is your favorite movie,
and why?
A: I’m watching “Outlander” right now on TV. It’s really good. I really like it. Other favorites in the past: “Dances with Wolves” and then as a kid I loved the original “Ben Hur.” I watched that again, and it’s really a good movie. Good filming, good acting, good story, fun to watch.
Q: Do you have a nickname and, if so, what is it and how did it come about? A: Just Mimi. Because that’s what I go as. A
lot of the times people at the track will call me Martha when I know them and I have to remind them, “Call me Mimi.” I didn’t want to be called Grandma, so I have my grandkids call me Mimi. I’m sure people have had other names for me, but I don’t know what they are. Mimi was my mother’s younger sister’s nickname.
Q: If you were not in the horse racing business, what job would you like
to have?
A: I graduated with a sociology degree and a minor in psych. Which, of course, I never used except for just dealing with people. It would have to be something with animals. If it wasn’t with horses, it could be some of the exotic animals.
Q: What is your favorite thing about living where you live?
A: My grandson asked me that the other day. He said, “Would you rather live in L.A.
MIMI WELLS
by John Moorehouse
“I love it when my horses do well and they win, regardless of if it’s a big huge race.”
106 SPEEDHORSE June 2020