Jerry Moss Hopes for Derby Encore with Gormley

A little after 8:00 a.m. May 2, Jerry Moss emerged from his car outside Barn 42 on the Churchill Downs backstretch, a baseball cap perched on his head and his Patagonia jacket zipped up over his neck against the chilly Kentucky morning. It was only fitting for the California-based Moss, who, looking well younger than his years, remains the coolest guy in the room—no matter the room.

Moss, whose silks were carried to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1) by 50-1 shot Giacomo six hours before the owner turned 70, has Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Sham Stakes (G3) winner Gormley in this year’s Run for the Roses. His Royal Mo, victor in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), sits just outside the field in position 21, ready for a run if one of the top 20 can’t go.

Moss’ baseball cap was indicative of his many successes in the Thoroughbred game. It showcases the letter “Z” on a black background, in honor of Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta, who was campaigned by Jerry and Ann Moss to become the only female to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)—and concluded her career a head away from having done it a second time, with a 19-1 record.

Moss has been winning since 1962 when he started A&M Records with his friend Herb Alpert on a loan and a prayer and turned it into a hit-making machine. He signed, produced, and helped make stars out of the likes of The Carpenters, The Police, Sting, Supertramp, Carole King, Soundgarden, Cat Stevens, Chet Baker, Joan Baez, Janet Jackson, Joe Cocker, Peter Frampton, and Bryan Adams. Giacomo was named after Sting’s son.

Although the music business had changed radically, Moss takes pride in the continuing success of artists such as Alpert, who still tours with his Tijuana Brass, having brought his horn-driven, Latin-influenced pop records to generations of listeners; Sergio Mendes; and Burt Bacharach, another horse owner and A&M artist for a time who moved Moss up in the Thoroughbred business by introducing him to trainer Bobby Frankel. Moss eventually had horses with Frankel and his fellow Hall of Famers Charlie Whittingham and Ron McAnally.

“It’s great to come here and see everybody,” Moss said, watching Gormley cool out after his morning gallop. “It’s great to be back around again. I haven’t been back to the Derby since (running Giacomo's half brother) Tiago (who finished seventh) 10 years ago.”

Churchill has been a lucky venue for Moss, who, in addition to winning the roses, also won the 1994 Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Sardula.  He has owned and bred a slew of stakes winners since Nat Duroff, who fronted Moss the money to press his first records with A&M, talked Moss into claiming a horse together in the 1960s.

“The game is still a thrill for me,” Moss said. “I still go to every race I can, and I’m thrilled when we win and understand when we don’t. I’ve been a racing fan for a long time, love the races, and the little betting I do is fun.

“This is my game now. I don’t have the music business anymore so the racing is it for me, and I’m loving it.”

He’s got to be loving Gormley, named after a European artist, who has banked $920,000 in six lifetime races, including a convincing victory at 2 in the FrontRunner Stakes (G1). As was the case with Giacomo and Zenyatta, John Shirreffs handles the training chores for Moss.

“John has worked hard on taking Gormley’s speed and trying to conserve it early on so that he saves something for late in his races,” Moss said, noting that Gormley came from off the pace to win the Santa Anita Derby. “That race was exciting because he caught a lot of sand and came through horses to win. He’s training great and John feels like he’s coming up to the Derby in good shape.”

Moss is planning to visit Zenyatta later in the week as she gets close to producing a foal by Medaglia d'Oro   at Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky. The superstar mare will likely get a year off before continuing her broodmare career. Zenyatta not only epitomizes the excellence that horsemen strive for, her handling by Moss is indicative of his commitment to helping others less fortunate. Zenyatta has, throughout her racing career and after, been made available by Moss to raise money for charities and also help the recovery of those suffering from illness. Like American Pharoah  , she is almost human-like in her understanding of how to interact with people.

Moss continues to help many in the Los Angeles area through his Moss Foundation, which funds arts programs, music education in schools, and health, environmental, and animal welfare concerns. He has run free medical clinics for low-income people.

The California connection has proven strong in recent editions of the first leg of the Triple Crown, given the victories of California Chrome  , American Pharoah, and Nyquist  , all Golden State-based, the past three years. Furthering Gormley’s chances is the presence of jockey Victor Espinoza, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer largely on his big-race success with California Chrome and American Pharoah.

So it would be less than shocking if Kentucky’s biggest race got yet another shot of California cool this time around.