Could Day Prepared Punches BC Ticket for Coach Lee

Joseph Lee is not any stranger to top-class horses. He labored for David Whiteley and two-time Kentucky Derby-winning coach LeRoy Jolley within the Eighties. Lee went again to school in 1987 and graduated in 1989 from the College of Kentucky. He then went to work for Corridor of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in New York, beneath the tutelage of Kiaran McLaughlin, who was Lukas’ assistant on the time.

In 1993, Lee went to Dubai as McLaughlin’s assistant, and the next yr he took a horse to Japan for Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley operation. The transformation of the Godolphin outfit was underway, and from 1995 onward Lee would journey with the Sheikh’s greatest athletes all around the world.

After a stint in Japan to help his father-in-law, now-retired coach Takemi Kaga, a former champion jockey in Japan, Lee returned stateside to launch his personal feed firm. Though the enterprise was profitable, Lee could not ignore the insatiable lure of the racetrack and have become McLaughlin’s right-hand man as soon as once more in 2015. Lee informed him he would fill in till he discovered a alternative, however ended up remaining with McLaughlin till the coach’s retirement in 2020. From there, Lee blended his wealth of data and expertise into launching a coaching secure of his personal, Joseph Lee Racing.

The KatieRich-owned Could Day Prepared , a 2-year-old filly by Tapit  , gave Lee his first graded stakes win Oct. 4 within the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, incomes an automated berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1T) via the Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence.

BloodHorse: Did you assume Could Day Prepared had come out on high Friday within the three-way photograph end?

Joseph Lee: No, I assumed we have been third. I assumed the surface horse had gained. I imply, good on her, you realize, having misplaced a shoe within the race. She misplaced the proper entrance shoe, and the beginning that she had, I do not know if she misplaced it there, she sort of acquired bumped and twisted just a little bit. 

Identical factor in Kentucky Downs (navigating via tight spots), I’ve to present it to her. She needs to run, which is nice. It is exhausting to show, proper? Exhausting to show, for positive.

BH: How did she come out of the race?

JL: Nice. We really simply put the shoe on right now. I simply wished to ensure the foot was OK. It got here off cleanly, did not seize 1 / 4, and did not seize any a part of the hoof, in order that was good. I simply waited a few days simply to ensure. The following morning, the foot was nice; the identical temperature because the others, and it was simply precaution ready to place the shoe on. 

BH: Is it on to the Breeders’ Cup from right here?

Lee: Knock on wooden. We’ll jog her up tomorrow morning and see how she is. I do know it is a few days from the races, however she’s at all times jogged up effectively prior to now. I might ship the house owners, only for enjoyable, a video of her jogging up and it will virtually be such as you despatched them the identical video (as earlier than the race), she simply prances down there like a present horse. 

I have been fortunate, fortunate. Everybody’s achieved an important job, my sons (Anthony and Joseph), and Yosuke Ito (train rider) who got here to work for me once I went to Japan in 2001. After which once I had the coaching middle in Japan serving to my father-in-law, he got here to work for me then. Then I acquired him a job with Chiefswood Stables, he labored with them for 12 years, beneath Eric Coatrieux. I then acquired him a job with Kiaran McLaughlin, after which he got here to work for me. 

He does an important job galloping the horses, and in order that’s most likely one of many causes we will return to New York. I am conversant in the coaching observe, and he or she stays sound. I am just about going to organize her like I might for every other race. 

She travels effectively. It took us 20 hours to get to Kentucky Downs, she traveled very well. She traveled again right here to Keeneland after the race (Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes) after which went again to New York. 

BH: As somebody who’s been surrounded by top-level horses your complete life as an assistant, what did successful your first graded stakes win as a coach imply to you?

Lee: I have been lucky, actually lucky.

I’ve skilled so much. We gained the Arc, we gained (an enormous) quantity of grade 1’s, in 1995, and over time with Godolphin, and so forth. 

However, to see different folks win, I believe that could be (KatieRich Farm proprietor) Larry’s (Doyle) first graded stakes win. It is nice to see him and his brother, Jimmy, and his pals. 

Jimmy referred to as yesterday and his two pals that have been with him stated, ‘That is the best factor.’ It is good to see folks expertise that and have time. And that for me is the perfect factor now. 

For me, I do not need to say it is previous hat, as a result of it is nice. You strive exhausting, you need to see them run effectively, win or lose. 

At Kentucky Downs, everyone’s saying, ‘It is your identify now.’ However, I inform you, once I was with Sheikh Mohammed and Simon Crisford, they stated, ‘No matter you do, we are going to stand behind you 100%. No matter choice you make, don’t fret about it. We’re behind you.’ So when you will have it like that, it is virtually such as you’re a part of the group, proper? However in fact, I communicated with the coach and what they wished to do, too. I at all times felt like a part of the group, and (Godolphin) at all times made you’re feeling like a part of the group, which was nice. 

So now to win and it is in your identify, it is nice. The race at Kentucky Downs, a million-dollar race, and also you’re getting 60 to 70 textual content messages. It is good that it is in your identify, but it surely’s actually even higher to see different folks get pleasure from what I’ve loved. 

I give credit score to everybody, to my sons, Yosuke, the recent walker. I am not straightforward; I would like issues achieved a sure approach. I’ve seen issues go improper after they weren’t achieved a sure approach.

I am 62 years previous. It is good that I might help any individual and be lucky sufficient to (share the win). I acquired fortunate that (Could Day Prepared) is as gifted as she is, and I am not doing something completely different than once I labored for different trainers, or Kiaran or Wayne. You sort of mix what’s in and also you be taught issues right here and there, what to do, what to not do.

BH: What number of horses do you will have in your secure?

Lee: We solely have 5, primarily based in New York. That is the nicest filly (Could Day Prepared), in fact, that I’ve. I do have one other horse, identical proprietor; they despatched it to me final yr. He (Works for Me) is a New York-bred, he broke his maiden there. We ran in an open stakes and he was positioned, and we gained the Pocket book (Stakes) with him final November. He is most likely the second-best horse I’ve. 

After which I’ve a horse that Kiaran (McLaughlin) was coaching for Mr. and Mrs. (Chester) Broman, a filly referred to as Masterof the Tunes, they’d left with me once I first began and Kiaran retired. Round Covid, the Bromans have been sort of reducing again a number of horses and wished to promote, so we really purchased her, and we nonetheless have her. She’s 7, she’s made practically $300,000. She’s on this Friday (Oct. 11 allowance at Belmont on the Huge A), she’s an aged one, however she’s doing effectively, and he or she seems nice. Knock on wooden, she runs effectively.

BH: How did you join with KatieRich Farm to start coaching their horses?

Lee: Once I was working for Kiaran, Larry’s (Doyle) brother Jimmy had owned some horses, and is pals with Neal McLaughlin (Kiaran’s brother), who’s out at WinStar now. After they have been working a horse, they’d ship it to Belmont. I sort of taken care of the horses, and we ran the horses for them. So, sort of that relationship turned out that approach.

BH: What did you are taking away out of your years of working beneath Lukas and McLaughlin?

Lee: So, the perfect factor about Wayne (Lukas) that I took, is every thing’s in place. Once I went to work there, I imply the child oil was lined up, the polos are lined up, every thing was as a substitute. And, it is nice, as a result of you realize the place issues are. It is so organized, so clear, which I like issues clear. That is most likely one of many greatest issues I took from him. 

And Kiaran labored for Wayne, so issues have been just about achieved the identical. Cleanliness and group is certainly necessary. In all probability the best factor was the group.