Jerry and Jan Hawthorne have attended the Breeders' Cup World Championships many times, but this year's renewal at Keeneland marks their debut as participants.
No Silent, a 6-year-old gelding who races under the Hawthornes' Double JH Stable banner, stamped his ticket to the TwinSpires Turf Sprint (gr. IT) when he kicked clear while racing four-wide in the stretch to win the six-furlong Eddie D Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 3 over the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park.
BALAN: No Silent Rolls to Eddie D Score
"(Breeders' Cup) hadn't been a thought of ours until he ran that kind of race in a graded stake," said Gary Mandella, who trains No Silent. "After that, we had to go."
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who was aboard in the Eddie D, returns with the mount on No Silent, a 15-1 shot on the morning line.
No Silent is a son of Silent Name , a Sunday Silence stallion bred in Japan who was trained by Mandella on behalf of Wertheimer et Frere, which also bred No Silent. He began his career for his breeders, but was purchased privately by the Hawthornes after his first three starts, all runner-up finishes in maiden special weight company. Going into the Breeders' Cup, No Silent has a record of seven wins, eight seconds, and a third, with earnings of $389,877.
"He's earned his way in," Mandella said of No Silent, who has two wins in four starts at the Turf Sprint distance. "He's a very consistent horse. He's had some minor injuries so we stopped on him from time to time. He has never had surgery other than being gelded."
No Silent's previous start at Keeneland came in the 2014 Shakertown Stakes (gr. IIIT), and despite getting off slow and being bumped, he finished eighth, but only 4 1/2 lengths behind winner Marchman.
The Hawthornes, who have a farm in Murrieta, Calif., where they keep layups and horses needing a break, have three horses in training with Mandella and several broodmares and foals.
The couple bought their first horse in partnership with a business associate in 2000, but that venture ended after the filly developed a bowed tendon.
"I always loved the horse races," said Jan Hawthorne the morning of Oct. 28 at Keeneland. "I used to say when my ship comes in I'm going to own a racehorse."
The couple's "ship came in" in 2007 when PayChex purchased Hawthorne Benefit Technologies, Inc. and BeneTrac, an online employee benefits management system owned by the Hawthornes.
They patiently sought a trainer and landed upon Mandella through the recommendation of Russell Drake, the then-manager of River Edge Farm who told them they needed to look around for an honest trainer.
Now, Mandella handles most of the Hawthornes' interests. "He's our go-to guy," Jan Hawthorne said.
As the rain that inundated Lexington this week pelted down outside the Keeneland racing office where the Hawthornes were obtaining their Kentucky racing licenses, Mandella said he was undeterred by the possibility of a soft turf course for the Turf Sprint.
"We knew there were going to be some new things for him, such as a 14-horse field, so whatever the course is that is going to be another one," Mandella said.
As California undergoes a serious drought, Jan Hawthorne said the rain has been a welcome sight, even though it has limited some morning training.
"We love Lexington," she said. "We have broodmares here and love to visit. I said 'if we win this race, I'm going across the street (from Keeneland) and buy a farm."