Hard Work and Dedication Define Reyes' King's Equine

Raised not far from the backstretch of Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana, Mexico, a love for the Thoroughbred has been beating steadily in Raul Reyes for decades.

Beginning his career as a jockey, Reyes grew too tall to ride and found a new focus working as an exercise rider for trainers Charlie Whittingham and D. Wayne Lukas. He eventually relocated to Florida, where he began training, but later received an opportunity to work for Taylor Made at the yearling sales in Kentucky—which he credits for much of his success.

Based in Ocala, Fla., the 59-year-old Reyes, along with his wife, Martha, have been selling horses since 2001. The center of the operation is their King's Equine, an 84-acre training facility with 110 stalls and 30 paddocks, along with a three-quarter-mile dirt track that's 50 feet wide.

"When I was visiting my brother in Gainesville, Fla., I saw Ocala, and I thought this was the place to have success, so I moved my wife and three kids here," Reyes said. "At first, I leased a farm, then later purchased a place."

Hard work and dedication are the two words Reyes mentions when asked what has made King's Equine the trusted source for juveniles—along with his wife, who is known for her attention to detail and the fantastic spread she turns out daily during the sales.

Since they began selling, their consignment has grown steadily into one of the larger outfits, with 50 to 70 horses each year at the predominant sales.

"Each year, we worked harder and gained a few more clients and trust," Reyes said. "When you treat people right, they keep returning, which is important. You have to be fair."

At this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, Reyes will offer nine juveniles on behalf of various clients March 12-14.

"There is a lot of profit to be made with 2-year-olds in a small amount of time, and being a former jockey, I had a good background with breezing horses and how to get the most out of them, which you have to have to get the ability and speed out of them early," Reyes said. "We have been very fortunate, and it worked from the beginning."

Often the scent of carne asada can be detected drifting from Barn 1 in the early afternoon. What started as a meal for staff and a few friends quickly became a fixture for the Reyes consignment. 

"Buyers started stopping in, and it turned into something everyone was waiting for around lunchtime," Reyes said, chuckling. "It's great for business and attracts buyers. If you have a horse and it's good, but maybe the buyer missed it at the under tack show, it gives them a chance to see it when they stop by for lunch. You feed them, they're happy, and they look at you a little differently. People appreciate it."

Not only is King's Equine known for Martha's mouth-watering guacamole, but their tried-and-true methods for horses and prepping for their next career on the racetrack.

"It's challenging to get a horse to go fast and stay healthy," Reyes said. "You have to concentrate and dedicate yourself because things go wrong quickly. If you go too far in the wrong direction, you must make a longer detour to get back on track.

"I was lucky to learn from some of the best guys in the game for the last 100 years. That helps. If you pay attention, you will learn something every day; I still do. The main thing is taking care of the horse. I don't do anything different besides getting up at 4 a.m. and being there."

Notable King's Equine training or sales graduates include three-time Breeders' Cup champion Beholder , three-time grade 1 winner Miss Temple City , multiple graded stakes winner Stanford  , dual grade 1 winner Silver Train, grade 1-winning sire Jimmy Creed  , and grade 2 winners My Pal Charlie  and D'Wildcat Speed.

Barn 1 is also where you can find two of Reyes' stalwart employees, Jesus Martinez and Julian Ramirez.

"They are my eyes, and they have been doing this a long time and are excellent," Reyes said. "I'm tough to work for and don't tolerate mistakes. There isn't much room for error, but I don't say much if everyone is doing the right thing."