Page 54 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Spring 2018

“I’ve run horses since the 1980s,” began McQueen. The partnerships let us buy more horses of better quality.
“I met Dale (Taylor) when he was still in the cattle business and I was in real estate. That was about 12 years ago. He was all excited about getting into the horses and wanting to go out and claim one or two, but I kept saying no. We got lucky with a mare named Glory Be Mine (Dome-Princess Zahara). She was bred in New Mexico; a five-time stakes winner with more than $400,000 in earnings. We keep her at my place. Dale also runs several horses on his own. He currently has about 15 in training.”
Being long-term partners in the horse business isn’t easy. There’s a saying that the quickest way to lose a friend is to form a partnership with him. These guys have managed to weather the storms as they roll in, always clearing the air before moving on.
All the individuals in the partnership share some common denominators. They’re all highly competitive. They’re all after success and recognition. And they all want their racing endeavors to stand for quality and integrity.
“We bought On The Low Down at the Ruidoso Sale. The only way we could get
him was to step up to the plate and shell out $35,000. It was more than we intended to pay but we wanted the horse.” That’s where one of those partnership benefits comes into play.
The gelding was turned over to Fincher.
On The Low Down saw the inside of two official starting gates in 2017, one at Ruidoso and the other at Sunland. “We thought we had a shot with him but, honestly, I didn’t expect him to run as big as he did in those races. We had him checked out thoroughly towards the end of the season because he seemed to be tailing off. The vet found two chips. Nothing can be accomplished with these horses if they’re hurting. He had surgery and was turned out for nearly five months. That means he’ll be back for just the tail-end of Ruidoso this year. After that, he’ll move to La Mesa.”
On The Low Down turned out to be $35,000 well-spent.
“He’s one of those automatic horses,” said Fincher. “He’s a complete sweetheart and doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’s a big, consistent, easy-to-train individual. The only problem I had with him was in the beginning when he didn’t particularly like standing in the gate. He wants to be in front and I guess he thought he couldn’t get to the front if he just stood there. That’s under control now.”
Some of the partners tried a new route this year when they decided to breed two mares in Kentucky. According to McQueen, they wanted to “see what they could do.” The decision goes back to that competitive edge. The “big boys” play in Kentucky and this could be one way for McQueen and partners to find out just how well they stack up.
NM Champion TB Two-Year-Old Filly
FAST GATOR
(Diabolical-Gator Prowl, Roar Of The Tiger) Bred/Owned by: J. Kirk and Judy Robison Trained by: Henry Dominguez
2017: 4 4-0-0 $204,785
La Senora Stakes, Rio Grande Senorita Futurity, NM Classic Cup Lassie Championship
It’s difficult to understand why people don’t flock to the racing game in droves. After all, it’s simple. It’s easy. All you do is breed yourself a
nice horse (or buy one if you want), send it to the track four times, win four races and fill out a bank deposit slip for $204,785. No fuss, no muss.
Uh....well....that may not be exactly the way it happens.
Perhaps we should ask someone who figured out how to navigate the ropes successfully. Someone such as Kirk Robison.
Robison is a study in contrasts. He likes organization. He likes working according to a plan. He likes arming himself with facts and figures. And he insists on performing strict due diligence for each and every project he undertakes.
By contrast, once everything is on his desk and he decides the project is a “go,” he doesn’t waste time just dipping a couple toes in the water. Instead, it’s full-steam ahead. Maybe
it has something to do with his deep, deep involvement in the “fast foods” business. Maybe pushing all those hamburgers and hot dogs through the drive-up windows instilled in him
a pressing need for speed. Whatever the answer, Robison jumped into the deep end of the racing business with both feet.
Robison was born in Texas, moved to California as an infant with his parents, and grew up within a stone’s throw of Santa Anita. He was fascinated by the horses and, while still a kid, he made up his mind that, one day, he would have some of these sleek, muscled animals.
Robison grew up. He still wanted those horses but he also realized he needed a well- padded bank account to finance his dream. That meant concentrating first on his career.
Along came Wienershnitzel, Peter Piper Pizza and Burger King. It was a profitable fast foods menu and it provided Robison with the vehicle to reach his dreams.
Today, Robison handles his horse business with the same military precision that turned him into a fast food mogul. There is always activity, but it’s controlled and most of it happens behind the scenes.
“I use only home-breds in my New Mexico bred program,” he began. “I have seven or eight mares and they stay at Fred Alexander’s A&A Ranch. I buy my open horses in Kentucky
as yearlings, train them and then try them at different levels. I believe very strongly that a large factor in success is finding the best spot for each horse. A horse may begin his career at one level and end up at another. I have no problem dropping them down if that’s what it takes for them to succeed. It’s just good business.
“It didn’t take long for me to figure out that you won’t win many races if you over- estimate your horse. I’m certainly not afraid or embarrassed if one of my horses is better suited for a lower level of competition. Fine. Just do it. It’s not easy to make money in the racing industry and it’s even harder if you don’t use healthy business principles.
“I have 20 to 25 mares right now because I decided I could probably breed a better horse
here than I could buy at auction. I have 20 head in training in New Mexico and 11 or 12 in California and on the East Coast. One of the most important things is that I’m still having fun.”
Well, goodness. Having fun isn’t that difficult when you have a four-for-four horse in your barn.
“You don’t get those four-for-four horses very often,” laughed Robison. “She’s on stall rest right now after having a chip removed.”
Fast Gator is by Diabolical, who is currently the 2018 New Mexico leading sire. The filly’s dam, Gator Prowl, was a black type winner of $106,000. Gator Prowl’s first produce was Gator Heat, a gelding with more than $105,000. Total progeny earnings for the 2007 Gator Prowl is $373,368 from four starters.
Well, goodness. Having fun isn’t that difficult when you have a four-for-four horse in your barn. “You don’t get those four-for-four horses very often,” laughed Robison.
52 New Mexico Horse Breeder