High-Tech Irons for California Chrome, Espinoza in Dubai World Cup

California Chrome trains at Meydan in Dubai. He'll be sporting new high-tech stirrups in tomorrow's Dubai World Cup. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
“Riders up!”
It’s a call heard countless times as jockeys approach their mounts at racetracks around the country. To the average observer, it is almost timeless. Like watching a historical painting in real life, everything looks about the same as it has for centuries. You would have to be extremely observant to notice something different in this daily ritual.
On a sunny California afternoon at Santa Anita, two men stood in the walking ring watching as jockey William Antongeorgi bent his knee and was hoisted on the back of his mount. Jockeys’ Guild Western Regional Manager Darrell Haire and his son Darrell Haire Jr. were focused intently on William Antongeorgi as he slid his black jockey boots into a pair of irons.
ANTONGEORGI AND THE NEW STIRRUPS

Photo courtesy Julie June Stewart
His boots were not slipping into a normal pair of jockey irons, and that is why the Haires were paying such close attention. This pair of stirrups is from Australia. They are STS (Space Technology Safety) Racing Irons and they were developed by retired jockey Adrian Morgante who rode for 20 years and has more than 600 wins. He was concerned about jockey safety and wanted to develop a safer stirrup for his fellow riders that gave them a better foot grip.
According to Intelligent Inventions director and inventor Morgante, traditional irons only have slight grooves on them. The jockeys often end up riding on the side of their irons with no grip and sometimes compensate by bending their toes down. It’s a matter of gravity and sometimes a jockey’s foot slips into the stirrup and the jockey is unbalanced.
In a partnership with his son, Darrell Haire was looking for a way to make riding safer for jockeys and also create a way to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). Their first project was introducing the Winning Tongue Plate (WTP) bit. It has proved to be a popular product that is designed to stop displacement of the soft palate and keeps horses from placing their tongue over the bit. Used by trainers worldwide, the bit has proved to be a winning accessory for horses such as Grade 1 winner Square Eddie. An added bonus is that photographers love the bit because it replaces the non photogenic white tongue tie.
Haire, Jr. is now the managing partner for Divine Products LLC which is also handling the STS irons. He says they are made of “carbon fiber, nylon and a secret additive.” The weight of the pair is only 3.5 ounces. They feature an extended platform that gives a jockey more foot support.
STS IRONS

Photo courtesy Darrell Haire, Jr.
“These revolutionary stirrups feature an elevated and extended platform designed to provide better balance, leverage, body positioning and most importantly, safety,” Haire, Jr. said.There are various styles of irons available for equestrians ranging from exercise riders to jumpers. A portion of sales for all models sold in North America will be going to the PDJF. Haire, Jr. is thrilled with the response to the irons so far.
“It’s awesome to have peace of mind knowing our jockeys are now safer and that they can ride with more support,” Haire, Jr. said. “I'm so happy for the jocks and riders throughout the world. My dad has been a big part in the development of the STS Irons and I thank him for the opportunity I've had to work with him to help our jockeys.”
Through Haire, Jr.’s efforts, various jockeys in Southern California have been testing the stirrups. He said they found immediate support from the Quarter Horse jockey colony at Los Alamitos. Recent testers also include Hall of Fame Jockey Mike Smith and California Chrome’s jockey Victor Espinoza. When Mike Smith tried them out, he rode them straight into the winner’s circle at Santa Anita. He greeted the Haires after the race exuberantly.
“They were great, man,” Smith said. “Good balance and great leverage.You really got to move around. I thought they were great; I felt more balanced, and they also have a lot of finesse. I was able to really pull when I had to. I was able to balance myself ten times more than in the regular ones.”
On the walk back to the jockeys’ room, the still exuberant Mike Smith extolled the virtues of the STS irons to Victor Espinoza. On March 21, Victor Espinoza used the irons at Santa Anita while riding Jerry and Ann Moss’s Rutile and won. He was also impressed with the irons. 
Today the STS irons are in Dubai where Victor Espinoza is planning to use them when he rides California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup on March 28. The Haires, along with their friends and colleagues will be watching California Chrome as he races and I am certain that more than once, they will be checking out Espinoza’s irons. 
HAIRE AND HAIRE JR.

Photo courtesy Julie June Stewart
Darrell Haire, Jr. is finding his way into the racing world with a very proud dad by his side. When he talks about his son, it is always with joy and a sparkle in his eye whether it is about Darrell Jr.’s college days studying dance at Juilliard or his decision to pursue jockey safety with Divine Products. Horse racing has been known to unite many families and generations throughout the years.
California Chrome has been an amazing story since he rocketed to fame at the Santa Anita Derby. It’s nice to know that a father and son will be watching his race Saturday morning united in their hope to make a difference from their part of the world for horse racing and jockey safety.

$10-million Dubai World Cup
Saturday, Meydan, post time 1 p.m. ET
1 1/4 miles on the dirt

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

M-L

1

Prince Bishop

William Buick

Saeed bin Suroor

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

14-1

2

Hokko Tarumae

Hideaki Miyuki

Katsuichi Nishiura

Michiaki Yabe

10-1

3

African Story

James Doyle

Saeed bin Suroor

Godolphin

7-1

4

Side Glance

Andrea Atzeni

Andrew Balding

Pearl Bloodstock Ltd.

25-1

5

Lea

Joel Rosario

Bill Mott

Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider

4-1

6

Candy Boy

Pat Dobbs

Doug Watson

Ramzan Kadyrov

12-1

7

Long River

Mickael Barzalona

S bin Ghadayer

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum

40-1

8

Epiphaneia

Christophe Soumillon

Katsuhiko Sumii

U. Carrot Farm

7-1

9

California Chrome

Victor Espinoza

Art Sherman

Perry Martin and Steve Coburn

6-5

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