BH Interview: Ruben Sierra, Breeder of My Denysse

Ruben Sierra, is the trainer, owner, and breeder of My Denysse , the 35-1 upset winner of the My Dear Girl Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Nov. 30 at Gulfstream Park. 

The Venezuelan became interested in horses at a young age. He learned to read with the Venezuelan version of the Racing Form and watched televised races on Sundays with his father. 

Sierra, who has been a grain trader all his adult life, exporting corn, owns and operates Just For Fun Stables. He purchased his first farm near Ocala, Fla. and currently has 11 mares. 

BloodHorse: What led you to decide to train your own horses? 

Ruben Sierra: I wasn't pleased with what I was getting and my horses were not yielding good results. So last year, I had more time, and I have people that can run my other companies, and I decided to start training. I'm not going to say it's been easy. It's challenging, and it's easy to criticize the person you pay. When you do it yourself, you realize it's an art. 

I've got good people. I'm surrounded by a good team. They are the ones that make the difference—good exercise riders—that's the reason we're having way better success than we were before. 

BH: How did you develop your love of horses? 

RS: It's been a hobby since I was a little boy, looking into reading pedigrees and crosses and stuff like that. So, it's just for fun, that's why my stable name is that. This costs us money, I train my own horses, I pay for the personnel at the farms. I have to work, I have to work pretty hard, to be able to have this hobby.

Nevertheless, in the last few years, it's grown. It's something I've loved all my life. I've always been in love with Thoroughbreds. I used to watch with my Dad, the races on Sundays when they televised the races, and I got pretty excited. 

I actually wanted to be a trainer, but he didn't let me. He said, go to college and graduate and be an owner, so I did. I came to the United States when I was 17 years old. That was a long time ago, and I never went back. 

BH: When did you start buying your own horses?

RS: I started buying horses in the late 1990s, and then in 2005 I bought my first farm with money from a filly that I sold. She had my daughter's name— Brooke's Halo. She won on Thanksgiving day (2004). I sold her (privately) for half a million dollars, and I had bought her for $40,000. Michael House bought her from me. She ended up winning the Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (G2). Mr. House sold her in the fall in foal to Vindication for $575,000. He did well with her. 

BH: My Denysse was a maiden coming into the My Dear Girl Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Nov. 30 at Gulfstream Park. Were you surprised to see her win?

RS: Yes, I can't lie about that. I mean, I was hopeful, but I wasn't 100% sure. I was certain that we were going to run second. I knew she was better than the others, meaning going that distance (one mile). Obviously they have all beaten us, going six furlongs or less, but going two turns, I was confident that we were better than the others. 

She almost won her previous race on Oct. 20, but she had a little trouble. At the gate she stepped on her right front foot and took off a shoe, so she ran the race without a shoe. So we just waited for this race. 

She was training very forwardly and we were very excited and optimistic until Mr. (Brad) Cox decided to enter Stunner. I was so sad, I got depressed. I said well, "We've got to run it anyhow, and hope for the best." And, you know, second place isn't going to be bad, is what I was thinking. But, we got lucky, and R Morning Brew softened up Stunner, and we were able to catch her in the final strides. 

BH: Do you believe she will be better at longer distances?

RS: It was especially rewarding, because in the beginning, I thought she was going to be a sprinter, being a half to Warrior's Pride, but she showed us that although she had some speed, she wanted distance. She was an early 2-year-old but they didn't write races for more than five, 5 1/2, six furlongs. So, after trying three times, I decided to wait until I could get her going a mile. We were able to do that in her last race. We had to go into an open race, to be able to run a mile. 

BH: What is My Denysse like to train? Does she show similarities to the siblings you have trained?

RS: She's not easy to train; she's got a personality. She's very independent, and she wants to do what she wants to do. She's not crazy by any means, but things have to be done the way she likes. She likes to train, she loves to train, meaning that my guy develops chemistry with her, and it wasn't easy at the beginning. You couldn't put just anybody on her, because she would run off.

But, her family has been that way. (Older half sister) Sophia's Storm, who's won eight races, is still that way even though she's going to be 6. Warrior's Pride was the same way. So, that didn't surprise me, but she's better if you just leave her alone. She has mellowed out quite a bit; she's still in my opinion 80% of what she could be. 

BH: Is training for the public anything you'd consider in the future? 

RS: I prefer not to. I've got a good friend that twisted my arm, I've got one horse for him, and he's sending me another one. There have been others that have come to me and asked if I would train their horse, and I tell them straight-up, this is not my preference, this is not my career. I'm doing it for myself, and I like doing things my way. 

Some people have shown me horses that I do not like, if someone showed me a horse I liked, I would consider it, so it may be something I do in the future. 

BH: What is your favorite part of training? What keeps you getting up every morning?

RS: I love watching them train in the morning and develop. In my case, it's even more satisfying because I do the crossings myself. I see them when they're born, and they can hardly put four feet with rhythm, and they grow and develop into these majestic animals. 

When they run for the first time, I've been waiting almost three years to see it happen. When they win—of course a stakes race is more exciting—but even if they win a $12,500 maiden-claiming race, it's just an amazing feeling. 

BH: What are your goals for the future? 

RS: I would like to go back to the Kentucky Derby (G1). I was fortunate to run in it in 2011 with Decisive Moment, a homebred. It was a good experience, I'd like to go back and win it this time. I would like to win more stakes races and have a good product and just do good for the industry. Those are my goals.