Rushie Takes Daniells On a Wild Ride to Breeders' Cup

Rushie's rapid rise this year from allowance winner, to graded stakes winner, to Breeders' Cup World Championships contender mirrors the trajectory enjoyed by his owners Jim and Donna Daniell.

The 3-year-old son of second-crop sire Liam's Map , who the Daniells acquired through bloodstock agent Jacob West for $70,000 at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, became their first allowance winner in May at Oaklawn Park. Then, on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, he delivered their first stakes win in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG and E and KU (G2).

Now Rushie is taking them to their second Breeders' Cup World Championships in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland Nov. 7 where he'll face Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will  and Art Collector, who beat Rushie in the July 11 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at the Lexington, Ky., track. The Daniells made their first trip to a Breeders' Cup in 2018 with a filly they co-owned with Eclipse Thoroughbreds named Vibrance, who finished third in the Tito's Handmade Vodka Juvenile Fillies (G1).

"It has been quite a jump for us. We never thought Rushie would progress like this," said Jim Daniell. "If we can hit the board and run well, I'll be very happy. I know what we're up against. I thought he won comfortably in the Pat Day, but this is a big step up and there are some real racehorses in there."

In six years they've celebrated a graded stakes win, had two horses place in grade 1 stakes, and bred and raced a multiple winner out of a mare they raced.

"We've been fortunate. I know this doesn't really happen and we may fall off a cliff after this, but it's been a great ride to here," Daniell said.

A native of Arcadia, Calif., where he still lives, none of Jim Daniell's family members were involved in horse racing, but they lived so close to Santa Anita Park, they could hear Joe Hernandez' race calls from his house. Daniell's first introduction to horse racing came through a group of friends that put together a partnership called the Nickel and Dime Club Stables. He had so much fun that when Michael McCarthy, the son-in-law of longtime friend Bob McNamara, returned to California in 2014 to start his own training operation, he went from one toe in the water to jumping in with both feet.

"We really got our first horse with Michael and Aron (Wellman). I knew Michael because he grew up in Arcadia and his father-in-law and I were friends for 30 years. I also knew coming from Pletcher's barn, he knew his stuff," Daniell said. The Daniell's owned a quarter of their first horse, Betterlethergo, who never won a race in five starts but the Daniells kept her as a broodmare prospect. What the daughter of Hold Me Back lacked as racehorse, she's started to make up for as a broodmare. Her first foal, The Stiff, has now won three times, most recently winning an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita Oct. 24. The son of Danza  has earned more than $94,000 so far and is the Daniells' first homebred winner.

His tie to Aron Wellman led him in 2017 to buy half a Violence  filly that Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners bought for $155,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The filly was Vibrance, who followed a win in her second start with a second in the Chandelier Stakes (G1) and a third in the Juvenile Fillies. She ended 2019 with a 1-2-2 record out of 10 career starts and $308,088 in earnings.

Rushie is the first racehorse the Daniells have owned entirely and is named after their granddaughter Alexis Rushlow, who earned the nicknames "Turbo" and "Rushie" while playing club soccer. She went on to play for Texas Tech University and the University of Utah.

The Daniells' horse operation now includes four broodmares, three foals that will be yearlings next year, and a couple of yearlings they bought at auction.

"Being involved in horses is so much more than I could have imagined," said Daniell, who previously had a career in construction pouring concrete and is now semi-retired, running mobile home parks for families. "I like the chase, trying to find a good horse; and, I love to see what Michael does with the horses and watching them mature is great."

The Daniells also treasure the time they get to spend on the backside at the track. Donna Daniell worked at Santa Anita as an usher for 38 years but previously had not been that interested in horses. She never placed a bet either. Now, she loves being back in the barns.

"It's been hard with the restrictions because we love the backside, hanging around and talking with everybody and seeing the horses. The horses are amazing, and I just love the people and their dedication is great," said Daniell.

As for Rushie, the Daniells, their adult children, and their four grandchildren will have an exciting day Nov. 7 watching the Dirt Mile from their respective homes in California and Ohio regardless of the outcome.

"We're looking forward to the race. I think Rushie will run well, I don't know how well, but really next year is what we were thinking about when we got him," Daniell said. "Hopefully we come out of the race healthy and next year is another good year."