South Carolina Offers Variety of Opportunities T
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from page <None> ALABAMA FLORIDA GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA Southeast Spotlight TENNESSEE Photo by Z Photo courtesy of Fenwick Farm Catherine French photo Catherine French South Carolina offers variety of opportunities Aiken, Camden areas feature plenty of training centers, options for breaking and layup facilities by Ben Baugh HE Palmetto State has Aiken and Elloree conduct trial seen its share of suc- races each spring, and the Kings Tree Early lessons cessful racehorses, and trials in Kingstree are run in the fall Shadwell Stable’s Jazil, who the Thoroughbred train- to showcase the talents of racehorses received early training in South Ting centers and operations based in that have trained in the state. Carolina, outruns Bluegrass Cat to South Carolina continue to produce South Carolina is not solely a prov- capture the 2006 Belmont Stakes graded stakes winners and talented ing ground and starting point for runners. many top racehorses, as many of the Horsemen based in South Carolina South Carolina has a richly en- country’s leading jockeys develop ed provide plenty of reasons when asked dowed place in the industry, and the skills in the state. what is appealing about the state, list of stakes winners and champions The Elloree Training Center is from the climate, to the soil, to the who have been conditioned in the where jockeys Chris Antley, Ryan amount of overall space. state reads like a virtual who’s who Fogelsonger, Mark Rosenthal, and “It’s always been said the winter cli- in racing. The names include Secre- current leading apprentice rider Mal- mate in South Carolina has been con- tariat, Ruffian, Kelso, Forego, Gamely, colm Franklin developed skills. The ducive to horses; they put on a good Seeking the Gold, Damascus, Forty Elloree Training Center also stands winter coat,” said Franklin Smith, pres- Niner, Summer Squall, Pleasant four stallions—Ride the Storm, Cat ident of the Elloree Training Center. Photo by Z Colony, Relaxing, Hoist the Flag, Halo, in Town, Stormville, and Just a Miner. “The soil is a sandy loam. It’s a good Mr. Leader, Fit to Fight, Stage Door soil for horses that are maturing. “I came to Camden in the late 1960s over different surfaces. Johnny, Devil Diver, Lamb Chop, Con- and just love the place; it’s a great “It’s a great place for babies, and Aiken launches website It’s good, rich land.” quistador Cielo, Christmas Past, Kip Elser operates the suc- place to train,” Elser said. “One of the tremendous for freshening older Candy Eclair, Java Gold, Shuvee, The Aiken Training Track recently launched cessful Kirkwood Stables opera- advantages to training in Camden is horses that have a lot of miles un- a website, www.theaikentrainingtrack.com. *Hawaii, Storm Song, Sea Hero, Tom The site contains news and information tion that prepares horses for the the Camden Training Center. There’s derneath them. There are so many Fool, Tom Rolfe, Langfuhr, Wando, about Aiken’s Thoroughbred racing commu- sales ring and for the racetrack, so much land around the facility, and places to train them where they’ll Chilukki, Congaree, War Emblem, nity, the Aiken Trials, and the history of the and he agrees with Smith’s as- there are so many places to train a track itself. and, most recently, Jazil. sessment. horse, you also have the option to train continued on page 36 34 THOROUGHBRED TIMES/November 18, 2006 from page 34 England and New Orleans. They win- is W. C. “Mike” and Iris Freeman’s tered in Columbia because of the cli- Chime Bell Farm, which offers train- never see a rail. We’re also able to ap- mate and the conditions. ing and layup services. proximate the conditions for horses “The climate is very conducive to “This is a great climate for horses that will be sent to Europe. I don’t those horses that have run in the to winter in,” said Jill Thomas, Chime know of many training areas that have Northeast and the Midwest. Horses Bell’s layup manager. “The horses as many choices as Camden. Jeff Teter acclimate very well to the climate of feel the tension of the racetrack and is one of the best training center man- the Midlands of South Carolina. The will get stressed. This is a great place agers imaginable.” horses winter in a relatively cool cli- for the horses to freshen themselves Elser sold a colt by Fusaichi Pega- mate and adapt well to the north when both mentally and physically.” they return in March and April.” The McCutchen Training Center Jane Dunn also has had a lot of suc- in Kingstree is owned by R. B. and cess breaking and training horses at Deborah McCutchen, and they rec- the Holly Hill Training Center. She ognize the variables that make South conditions horses for two of Thor- Photo courtesy of Fenwick Farm Carolina the ideal place to train oughbred racing’s most prominent Successful switch and rehabilitate horses. names, Claiborne Farm and Pin Oak Wilhelmina McEwan, who made the transfer from the show horse world “Thoroughbred racehorses Stable. to Thoroughbred racing, leads a string on the track at Fenwick Farm and have been trained in South Car- “I’ve been very fortunate to have Training Center olina for a long time,” Deborah good horses and good owners,” Dunn McCutchen said. “There’s still a said. “For me personally, we have a There’s steepelchase racing in the setting isn’t as busy as it is in Ocala,” vibrant Thoroughbred industry in good training surface. It was a good spring in Camden and Aiken, and to Christian said. “It’s a great place to South Carolina. We have a great cli- training surface when I first came to train in South Carolina for the winter train a horse.” mate. It’s not as hot as Florida, and Holly Hill. At my facility, I’m fortunate serves as a great starting point.” The training centers include the it’s a more relaxed environment for to be able to turn the horses out. All Dogwood Stable, which claims 1990 Camden Training Center, which is the horses. South Carolina is an ideal my young horses are able to go out Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Sum- owned by Stuart Grant and features distance from Kentucky, New York, for a couple of hours each day. mer Squall and champion Storm Song a one-mile dirt track, seven-furlong and New Jersey. Geography is defi- “The environment is very relaxed among its more than 70 stakes win- turf course, starting gate, five-furlong nitely a factor. Our operation is only Photo by Z as compared to life at the racetrack, ners, is based in Aiken, and Dogwood dirt track, woods track, and turnout about an hour from Myrtle Beach. It’s Strong seller where the horses spend most of their President Cot Campbell sees the ben- paddocks. a great location for someone who Kirkwood Stables owner Kip Elser life in a stall. The fact that the horses efits in both the area’s weather and Other training tracks in the state might be interested in playing a round says South Carolina’s moderate have the opportunity to be turned out location. include Springdale, which offers a of golf and wants to check on their makes a significant difference. Own- horses.” climate provides a setting that is “South Carolina has the perfect cli- one-mile dirt track, five-furlong dirt ers are inclined to find a place they’re Wilhelmina McEwan operates the a “great place for babies, and mate; you don’t miss many days on track, two-mile European-style turf comfortable with, especially if it works. Fenwick Farm Training Center in tremendous for freshening older the racetrack,” Campbell said. “We course, trails, steeplechase schooling There’s a change in seasons and cooler Rembert with her brother, Fred, and horses” have a change of seasons, the horses fences, seven-furlong turf course, and temperatures, so the horses have to turnout paddocks. The Aiken Train- she made the transition from the world benefit from it. Aiken and South Car- pick things up a little. The climate ing Track has a mile track with a clay of show jumpers to the Thorough- olina are conveniently located ship- sus for $4.5-million at the 2004 Fasig- seems to be beneficial, especially for base and a sandy-loam cushion and a bred industry. ping-wise, not too far from Miami, Tipton Calder selected two-year-olds horses coming in from Kentucky.” five-furlong sand track. A new 59-stall Fenwick Farm is also unique be- Lexington, New Orleans, and New in training sale and has watched other barn is currently being built. cause it is the only training facility graduates of his program go on to Mild climate York. Aiken has a personality, repu- Another operation based in Aiken in the area that is approved as a United successful careers, including Alpha- Teter manages Springdale Race tation, and tradition that has been States Department of Agriculture bet Soup, Smoke Glacken, Royal An- Course in Camden and is an accom- known through the years. Many great quarantine facility, Wilhelmina McE- them, Gal in a Ruckus, Keeper Hill, plished horseman in his own right. horses have come through here with wan said. Sharp Cat, Memories of Silver, Soar- A three-time leading National spring in mind.” The farm offers a six-furlong uphill 1 ing Softly, Wonder Again, and Cete- Steeplechase Association jockey, Teter turf gallop and a 1 ⁄2-mile turf gallop wayo. points squarely to the mild winter Regional pulse for horses going to race in Europe.