The Ellet household — Tom, Cindy, and daughter Mary — are well-known within the horse racing business with many years of driving expertise between them. For this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup, they are going to be ponying most of the Thoroughbred superstars. To maintain order, horses often called “ponies” are escorts for the new and sometimes excitable Thoroughbreds.
Tom Ellet posted a photograph this week on Fb saying proudly, “Getting the band again collectively for the Breeders’ Cup.” Six Quarter Horses had been standing in a row: some with their lead strains on the bottom and others solely sporting a halter. Sitting proudly bareback along with her arm up within the sky in sheer pleasure is Mary. The horses? They’re the Ellet household rock stars often called Bertie, Churro, Sizzler, Rocco, Flash, Bugs and Roanie. They’re so well-known amongst trainers that the horses are individually title requested and a few are leased to the trainers for Breeders’ Cup week.
“Not each horse makes a pony horse. They must have the best persona and the best thoughts. The racetrack will not be for everyone. Whereas on the observe, they’ll have racehorses slamming into them, biting them, leaning into them. There are horses breezing previous you on the within. There are horses on the skin. You’re asking them to stick with you and belief you. Despite the fact that they’re being slammed into you. To not give up you. Not each horse has that prepared persona or mentality to say, ‘OK my human says to remain right here and do that.’ Not each horse has the psychological functionality to deal with that a lot stress.”
Bertie is the Ellet’s eldest pony. He was a ranch horse that Cindy bought from a sale in Colorado. She noticed him in a warmup enviornment however had already bought two different horses. “He was a giant pink horse.” She requested her son James to get on him and he mentioned, “He’s actually good.” Nevertheless, he spooked on his manner into the world. Nonetheless, Cindy noticed one thing particular in him and purchased him.
Mary mentioned he will be fairly spooky and “sees quite a lot of monsters. However watch his ears. His left ear hangs a bit decrease on his head. When he’s locked onto one thing, his ears tweak in. But, he’s so trusting in his people. When he sees one thing, you go, ‘Bert, it’s OK. Bert, it’s all proper.’ ”
Bertie has some “Peppy San Badger” (American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame, 2008) in his bloodline. Cindy loves that. “They’re good cow horses. They’re robust. They’re huge, thick-boned Quarter Horses. He has an old-style Quarter Horse head.”
Now that the “monsters” are extra acquainted, he’s protecting of his people. Cindy was on a path journey with Bert up entrance. Abruptly he was a statue and refused to maneuver ahead. There was a rattlesnake in the course of the path. “He’s a particularly observant horse, however he received’t go away you excessive and dry. He took proper to the job as a pony horse and loves it. He’s strong and is at all times there for you.”
The Ellets had their eye on Roanie for a while. Tom instructed Cindy to purchase him if he ever got here up on the market. Tom says fairly proudly, “He’s certainly one of my favorites.” He is a good pony. When he will get nervous, he has a behavior of flapping his lips collectively. They assume he’s 20 years outdated.
Mary endearingly says that his persona is “dopey.” She rode him not too long ago and mentioned he’s nice. He’s simple and has been with the 2-year-old Dakota Gold all week. Roanie has fairly a fan base. The Ellets had retired him, and he now works as a path horse at an area vineyard.
Coach Brian Meehan personally requested Roanie to lease this week. However Roanie was already settled in his new house on the vineyard. After a pleasant negotiation together with his new house owners, Roanie returned to the bottom the place one can see Brian Meehan driving him within the early morning hours. He has been greeted all week on the bottom with a joyful “Roanie’s again!” He was at all times a fan favourite within the tunnel at Santa Anita, the place followers and kids gathered to pet him whereas feeding him carrots and peppermints.
The Ellets know Roanie so nicely. They discovered a job for him the place he’s liked by folks on the vineyard. He seems nice and acts younger. Nobody would by no means guess that he’s 20.
Flash is Cindy’s outriding horse. He’s her famous person. He was a roping horse on a ranch in Idaho. He’s the form of horse that any talent degree might rope from him. “He’s flashy. I bought on him and it was love at first sight.” Flash got here proper into the racetrack. He had no downside changing from the roping enviornment to the racetrack. He ponied horses for six months after which she went to out journey on him. “After I made my first catch, I used to be like, ‘Oh my! This horse is so cool!’ ”
Flash has fairly a bromance with Bertie. When Flash returns to the barn within the morning, he goes instantly to Bertie. He’s about 18 years outdated. Cindy has quite a lot of confidence in Flash. “Flash’s job in life is to care for me. He’s my rock. You possibly can put your child or your grandma on him. However you place him in a rope field or when there’s a free horse. Be careful! There’s a monster inside him, and he can lay the burner down on it.” Flash is extraordinarily quick!
Rocco is an 11-year-old pink roan gelding. A pink roan is a horse with a base coloration of chestnut that’s affected by the roan gene which creates a mix of white hair mingled with pink hair. Cindy noticed him on an internet site and seen he was with Mariah Jerviss at Legacy Horse Firm in Ojai, Calif. “It was the identical factor as Flash. I threw my leg over him and bought on him and mentioned, ‘Wow! That is only a nice!’ I walked, jogged, and loped him across the pen. Then I took him for a path journey and wrote the verify.”
“He’s bought a giant motor. Rocco has an enormous persona and can climb into your lap particularly if in case you have a deal with anyplace in your physique. He’ll discover it! Rocco will nudge your pocket.”
Tom chimes in, “He’s between a pest and the best factor you’ve gotten ever seen.” Rocco has been with the Japanese horses Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine all week. One of many Japanese has been driving him. Mary mentioned that they’d by no means ridden western earlier than and didn’t know the way to neck rein. “We confirmed him how simple Rocco is. He’s very broke. He’s cow horse bred.” (Like Bert and Sizzler, Rocco additionally has some Peppy San Badger in his bloodline.) Tom has competed with each Sizzler and Rocco in Cowboy Mounted Capturing.
Sizzler got here after Rocco. Cindy’s daughter-in-law Victoria despatched her a textual content that mentioned, “You should purchase this horse!” Mary regarded and mentioned, “Oh my! He’s essentially the most beautiful excellent animal. You simply wish to cease and stare.” He’s additionally a pink roan and he or she purchased him from Carli Kilos in Stephenville, Texas.
Sizzler grew up cowboying. He runs barrels, ropes each ends of the cows and does cowboy mounted taking pictures. Their son James Ellet received an “Eliminator” driving Sizzler the primary time they took him taking pictures. (An eliminator occasion entails driving a sample whereas the rider shoots 5 balloons, adjustments weapons, and shoots one other 5 balloons in a timed occasion.)
Sizzler is kind of placing and TVG has leased him through the Breeders’ Cup for Christina Blacker to journey throughout their protection. He didn’t have “a lot of a persona when he first arrived however he settled in fairly properly with the Ellets. “Now he’ll nudge you for treats. His persona is regular. He’s there for you. Not in your face as Rocco. He’ll nuzzle with you – nearly cat like. He’s a gentleman. He likes folks. He’s the best to be round and by no means annoying (like Rocco!). However similar to a cat; pet him after which he steps away.”
The 2 latest additions to the Ellet household are Bugsy and Churro. They had been bought from an outrider at Remington Park. The horses arrived two weeks aside in August and September and settled in rapidly.
Tom has been driving Bugs all week with the Todd Pletcher famous person 3-year-old filly Malathaat. “He’s inquisitive. He desires to know what you’re doing. He desires to be subsequent to you. He’s cute. Every thing about him is cute. You may journey him and not using a bridle. He’s so nicely skilled that he strikes off of your physique. It’s form of like Rocco the place you assume the place you wish to go and he goes there.”
Churro and Bugs are true barn buddies. They play collectively and tie subsequent to one another. Churro is a love bug. Between races, he lifts his head and locations it on Tom’s shoulder together with his eyes closed. “He’s so glad. Churro has been going out within the morning with the French horses. Anybody can journey him. He simply does the job. He has that pleasant persona.”
It may be nerve racking when an excited Thoroughbred heads to the beginning gate whereas 1000’s of followers are cheering. It should be a consolation to have a rock-solid and regular Quarter Horse by their facet with an skilled rider. The Ellet household not solely offers a security internet for Thoroughbreds, however in addition they have the expertise to go looking the countryside for useful cow ponies who excel on the racetrack. Be sure you look ahead to Bertie, Churro, Sizzler, Rocco, Flash, Bugsy, and Roanie through the Breeders’ Cup. Cow ponies rock!
