Q&A With Up-and-Coming Trainer Michael Wilson

Michael Wilson (right) ponying one of his racehorses. (Photos courtesy of Michael Wilson)
He was born and raised in Davis, Calif., but Michael Wilson (you can call him Mike) has made Saratoga, N.Y. his home for the past couple of summers. The 30-year-old trainer experienced early success at Saratoga and wouldn't trade the experience of racing horses at The Spa for anything. 
Wilson graduated with a B.S. in Equine Animal Science from the University of California, Davis and worked as an assistant for Richard Mandella, Doug O’Neill and Bob Baffert.
Wilson graduated from the prestigious Darley Flying Start program in 2011. He has trained horses for Zayat Stables, owner of American Pharoah, and continues to grow his training operation. He's a strong believer in the power of attracting new fans to racing. Wilson will be assisting America's Best Racing brand ambassadors this Saratoga by giving ABR and its guests behind-the-scenes access to life on the backside at Saratoga.
Periodically, Wilson will also be writing personal blogs about life as a trainer at Saratoga for America’s Best Racing.
Name: Michael Wilson
How and when I was introduced to Thoroughbred racing? My father is an equine veterinarian and a longtime follower of the Thoroughbred industry. I always remember stacks of the Blood-Horse in his office. However, I had no interest in the business until I turned 18, when he dragged me to go watch “Seabiscuit.” Soon after, I volunteered to work at a small, backyard Thoroughbred farm in Davis, Calif. called Pfanner Farm, where I learned the basics and I became hooked.
My favorite racetrack: Santa Anita
My favorite Thoroughbred racing event: The Melbourne Cup
Other sports/teams I follow: Chicago Bulls, boxing, swimming, etc. I have been an athlete my entire life, so I really love watching athletes compete no matter what the sport is. I just don't always have the time to follow everything that I would like.
What I would like to see more of in the Thoroughbred racing: Fan participation and tighter regulations to ensure equine safety. It seems like there is such a disconnect between the participants of the sport and the fans. It is a steep learning curve, and there are too many barriers in order to gain basic knowledge.
Though I know the governing bodies are doing everything they can to help ensure a level playing field and the safety of our athletes, I strongly feel that more can be done. 
What I would like to see less of in Thoroughbred racing: Less focus on the gambling aspect of the business when it comes to daily television coverage. The sport has so many great aspects to it that are rarely discussed, except on major racing days. It's the participants of this sport that truly make it great and colorful. There are so many great participants, and I think if we opened up the sport more so fans could get to know more about them rather then a stats sheet they would be hooked. 
Three words that define what Thoroughbred racing means to me: Passionate, colorful, emotional
Favorite all-time Thoroughbred: Northern Dancer
My personal best moment in the sport of Thoroughbred racing: Winning my first race. The reason being was many believed that it would be difficult to get this filly to the races, let alone win. I spent a lot of time with her daily; stretching her, purchasing special equipment for her, etc. It was extremely fulfilling. I tend to get a lot of project horses because of it, I think, but I always had the belief that there are many horses that fall through the cracks and that if they are provided with an environment/care that is customized for them, they will truly thrive. It is so gratifying to win races with horses that haven't been competing up to standard or that people have lost confidence in. If you dig deep enough, each horse will communicate with you their issues and likes/dislikes. You just have to be attentive enough to hear what they’re saying. 
WILSON WITH ONE OF HIS RACEHORSES

Best racetrack food can be found at: It used to be the buffet in the Aqueduct Casino, but they shut it down because it was too good of a deal. To be honest, I think most of the food at the racetrack could be brought up to a higher standard. Many professional athletic franchises have put an emphasis on bringing new and exciting food into their facilities to improve the overall experience. I think racing really needs to follow suit. 
My favorite jockey: Laffit Pincay Jr.
My favorite trainer: Richard Mandella
My heroes: Michael Jordan, Will Smith, Chris Gardner, Nelson Mandella and Mohammed Ali
Person in Thoroughbred racing I’d like to have dinner with: Bart Cummings, one of the greatest trainers in Australian racing. He’s the winner of 12 Melbourne Cups.
Philosophy on life: Anything in life is possible if you work hard enough.
The answers to our questions are all around us. In order to see them, we have to be brave enough to open our minds, curious enough to search for them, and humble enough to accept them.
Fear holds most individuals back from successful change. Many would rather choose what is comfortable and blame their situation versus stepping out of their comfort zone to expand their horizons.
Don't be afraid of the obstacles you can't change. Instead, figure out what you can change about yourself in order to remove them from your path.
(All quotes were written by myself and have guided me at different points in my life.)
WILSON SETTING UP FEED

Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended: NCAA Men's Water Polo Finals
Best book I recently read: “The Talent Code,” by Daniel Coyle
Favorite quote or motto: “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men.” —  Thomas Carlyle
Favorite animal other than a horse: Gorilla
Favorite food: Chipotle burritos
Favorite vacation spot: Lake Tahoe
Favorite city: London 
Favorite musician/band: Kapslap (electronic DJ)
Favorite TV show: “Game of Thrones”
Favorite hotel: The cheapest one that doesn't have roaches 
Websites I visit daily: Equibase, Superhuman Entrepreneur (Podcast), Octane Fitness (Podcast)
Favorite movie about horse racing: “Seabiscuit”

Alma Mater: University of California, Davis
Favorite memento: Photo of my maternal grandparents
Favorite dessert: My future mother-in-law’s mixed-berry pie.
Favorite drink: Arnold Palmer
Favorite scent: Fresh air right after a good rain storm 
Favorite tech gadget: My iPhone 
Twitter Handle: @michaelsrwilson
People I follow on Twitter: @ABRLive, @TeamABRLive, @90NorthRacing 
No. 1 bucket-list item: Win a Breeders’ Cup race