From the time I was a kid, I was drawn to racehorses, especially to the beauty and elegance of the thoroughbred.
During the late 60’s, Tom Calello (one of my dearest and lifelong friends) and I would often go to Monmouth Park to watch the thoroughbred races.
Our routine was to go for dinner after the races at a local restaurant by the ocean, often frequented by trainers and jockeys.
On one of these occasions, we struck up a conversation with a trainer at the track and together bought my first horse… thus began my experience with owning and racing these magnificent creatures.
Oct 27, 1967 – I won my first race with “Court Agent” at Laurel, MD, with Joe Culmone aboard. Nothing was more exciting for me than to watch one of my horses come from behind to win the race.
On one occasion, “Big Rock Candy” – as a 30-1 long shot – was entered into a 100K-stake race at Aqueduct. As we were coming into the stretch, “The Rock” was 25 lengths back… and then he moved into 1st gear… we lost the race, coming in 2nd to Tom Rolfe by a nose; but to this day I can remember the thrill!
“Pappa’s Best” was my final winner, coming just three years later at Monmouth Park, with Joe Culmone once more aboard.
