To say that the bloodstock partnership of John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto is off to a bang-up begin can be an understatement.
In April they purchased Chancer McPatrick on the Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching, paying $725,000 for the son of first-crop sire McKinzie (fifth by earnings on the first-crop stallion listing by Sept. 10) for proprietor Flanagan Racing. Three months later, the colt broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga Race Course, and Sept. 2, he received the Hopeful Stakes (G1).
However the finish of the Saratoga meet doesn’t suggest the tip of promising 2-year-old debuts, and on opening weekend of Belmont on the Large A, Kimmel will ship out three of his personal juveniles.
A daughter of Munnings , Grace and Grit runs within the second race Sept. 13. Out of the a number of stakes-winning mare Sheriffa (Posse), she is owned by Nedlaw Steady, Tom Purdy, IEE Racing, and Flying Zee Racing Stables. Nedlaw Steady purchased her for $350,000 on the similar April sale at which Kimmel purchased Chancer McPatrick.
Kimmel has wanted each grace and grit to get the filly to the races; her debut was rained off a number of occasions, and when the coach lastly obtained her right into a race, the gap was shorter than he wished and he or she obtained scratched within the paddock.
The filly is slightly on the high-strung aspect, in accordance with her coach, and he may really feel her tensing up when the girth went on. When the groom pulled on the lip shank, Grace and Grit reared up, hitting the partitions of the saddling stall.
Unharmed and again on the monitor the subsequent day, she has educated properly since, and with clear skies forecast, Kimmel will lastly get to see what she will be able to do in a race.
On Sept. 14, Vekoma Rides debuts within the first race. By the stallion ranked first amongst first-crop sires by winners with 18 by Sept. 10, he was bought in June by Kimmel and Sallusto for $150,000 on the OBS June 2-Yr-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale. He had bought for $155,000 ultimately yr’s The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky sale of chosen yearlings, and he caught Kimmel’s eye on the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Might 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching Sale, the place he was an RNA at $195,000.
“He is a very nice bodily, and he breezed very well,” mentioned Kimmel. “We preferred his vet work. They wished about $200,000 for him, which I can perceive, however we did not actually have that a lot.”
Kimmel and Sallusto provided $150,000, have been turned down, and obtained one other likelihood when the colt was entered within the Ocala sale.
Afterward the Saturday card, Kimmel will ship out Vino Rosso ‘s No Merlot, a full brother to the a number of graded stakes-placed Wine Me Up , the runner-up by a head within the San Felipe Stakes (G2) in March. Kimmel and Sallusto have been in a position to snap him up for $70,000 on the Ocala June sale.
“He was a middle-Might foal, and he simply had all of the components in the appropriate place,” mentioned Kimmel. “And he is been doing tremendous nice.”
Additionally a veterinarian, Kimmel says that his philosophy of coaching is predicated on how a lot a person juvenile is ready to deal with.
“The calls for on their our bodies can take a toll, and also you’re just about at all times preventing slightly fill within the ankle or slightly soreness behind,” he mentioned. “You have to take heed to horses telling you, ‘This can be a little heavy for me proper now,’ and it’s important to again up. I do not consider in beginning gate work till they have an excellent basis into them.”
Kimmel has been coaching since 1985; his horses have earned greater than $70 million and received greater than 70 graded stakes. Now 70 and managing a small secure within the period of the super-trainer, Kimmel has no want to surrender coaching however welcomes each the monetary worth of shopping for horses for purchasers and the chance to take issues slightly simpler, particularly within the winter.
“I like coaching horses,” he mentioned. “However I’ve grandkids that dwell out in California, and my spouse and I each prefer to spend time open air climbing and biking.”
He is additionally elected to not ship horses to Florida to run within the winter, and to maintain his coaching operation small.
“It is good having time to take pleasure in different issues in life,” he mentioned, “as a result of there are a number of different issues in life apart from horse racing.”
