O'Connell to Send out Four on Florida Cup Day

While there aren't many sale toppers under her shedrow, and the majority of the horses she has in training are owned by small owners or breeders from Florida, trainer Kathleen O'Connell loves working to develop the young horses who come her way.

Last season, "K.O.," as she is known to her friends, trained more Florida-bred winners than any other conditioner for the 10th time in her career. She also sent out the most Florida-bred stakes winners in 2017, the second time in her career she has accomplished this feat. 

O'Connell, back in Tampa Bay Downs March 23 after a trip to South Florida and back on March 22 to saddle horses in her southern division at Gulfstream Park, said developing and running young horses is what keeps her going after almost 40 years as a trainer.

"I'll tell you, the shake and claim part of the business just isn't for me," said the 65-year-old O'Connell. "To watch young horses develop and come into their own, that's the part of the business that I really enjoy. There's a lot that goes into having a stable our size (O'Connell has 65 horses in training between Tampa and Miami) and a lot of hard work is involved, but seeing one of your youngsters—I call them my kids—grow and mature and put everything together. That's a very special feeling."

On March 25 O'Connell will send out a total of four 3-year-olds in a pair of $100,000 stakes for Florida-breds on Florida Cup day, which will feature a total of six $100,000 stakes for state-breds at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ca Sal Stables' Shes One Mad Momma won at first asking going 5 1/2 furlongs with high-priced maiden-claiming company Jan. 24th. The daughter of Prospective  is a 15-1 longshot in the seven-furlong Stonehedge Farm Sophomore Filly Stakes.

In the seven-furlong Ocala Breeders' Sale Sophomore Stakes, O'Connell plans on starting Ninetyeighttwo, a Mirage Farm homebred gelding by Prospective—Anees, by Leap in the Sun; Sunshine Racing Stable's Real Fast Music, (Corfu—Ceely's Classic, by Always a Classic) and Lorda Barna (Passion for Gold—Too Funny, by Imperialism).

Ninetyeighttwo will try stakes company for the first time after two straight wins, at the maiden-claiming and claiming levels. Maiden winner Real Fast Music, who finished second in starter conditions last out, also enters his first stakes; as does Lord Barna, who picked up his second win last out in a starter.

O'Connell plans to run all three, noting she felt each had shown they deserve a chance to try stakes competition. 

"In the case of Ninetyeighttwo, he just wasn't ready to be a race horse last year and just went to the races a little too soon," the trainer said of the Mirage Ranch homebred. "Once he came south and had a little break, he started to come around. He's getting better and better and while this will be tougher company than he's been facing, he's won two in a row and deserves a chance."

As to Lord Barna his trainer said his development has accelerated greatly of late, "Oh he's gotten better by leaps and bounds in the last several months," O'Connell said. "I think both he and Real Fast Music are coming into this race the right way both physically and mentally."

Three of O'Connell's most successful runners, graded stakes winners Blazing Sword, Ivanavinalot, and Watch Me Go were all campaigned by owner-breeder Gilbert Campbell. O'Connell still has 10 horses for his powerful stable but she enjoys working with smaller operations and often partners on a number of those horses.

"I can't put up $25,000 or $30,000 to buy a young horse by myself but if we try to do our homework and due diligence before the sales, we often find horses that figure to sell at an acceptable price range," O'Connell said. "I've been racing in Florida a long time, so I often recognize the names of the mares and their history. Many times a horse may have shown a lot of potential but got hurt after a few starts. Their racing record might not be impressive, but the horse is better than it looks on paper. That's how you find the diamonds in the rough.

"I've got folks like Denny Holman who runs under Mr. Denny's Racing and several others who have small operations where they may breed or own just a few horses, but it's those folks I really get a sense of fulfillment from. I've been to the bright lights, had a horse run second in the Breeders' Cup; ran a horse in the Kentucky Derby. And while all those experiences were exciting, I can honestly say seeing horses owned and or bred by just good, down to earth folks do good gives me so much pleasure I can't begin to tell you. 

"Sipping the champagne's great, but I like to have a beer with my folks after we win. That makes the day complete for me."