As I drove through the gates at the McKathan Brothers Training Center in Citra, Florida (just outside Ocala, Florida) and along a winding road through the horse pastures, I couldn’t help but notice the signs of success. Jockey statues wearing the silks of Bob and Beverly Lewis, Lanes End, Mike Pegram, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss, Zayat Stables and others lined both sides of the road.
I was familiar with the McKathan Brothers operation but didn’t realize the role they played developing so many outstanding thoroughbreds. The McKathan Brothers are J.B. and Kevin McKathan and their operation breaks yearlings. Specifically, they teach young thoroughbreds to become racehorses. The six horses we (Woodford Racing) purchased at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale were sent to the McKathan Brothers shortly after the sale. Since that time they have been going through a very defined process to get to the races.
J.B. McKathan
Kevin McKathan
The success the McKathan Brothers have had is impressive. They started their operation in 1989 and have slowly built it to where today they are breaking 140 thoroughbreds a year. Their first success was purchasing Silver Charm for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Bob and Beverly Lewis. Silver Charm won the Kentucky Derby in 1997. Building on the success of Silver Charm they broke 1998 Kentucky Derby Winner Real Quiet for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Mike Pegram. In 2014 they broke American Pharoah, the first Triple Crown Winner (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes) in 45 years! Their most recent success has involved the breaking of Gormley, who is trained by John Shirreffs and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss. Gormley won the Sham Stakes in California earlier this year and is one of the early favorites for the 2017 Kentucky Derby.
I spent the morning with both Kevin and J.B watching our horses (Woodford Racing) train on their 5/8’s mile training track. As each of our horses breezed by us the McKathan Brothers would share something about their demeanor, progress, training habits or potential. Their comments were incredibly insightful and caused my mind to wander to the “what could be world” many times. In addition to hearing about our horses they shared insights about American Pharoah. We watched our horses work from the clockers stand adjacent to the training track. The inside of the clockers stand is adorned with winners circle photos of each of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown races. Next to the various Zayat Stable representatives in each photo is trainer Bob Baffert and the McKathan Brothers! As our horses left the training track I had a chance to watch Irish Pharoah train. He is a full brother (same father and mother) to a very famous recent Triple Crown Winner. Time will tell if he is as good!
At the conclusion of our horses’ workouts we toured the barn area where they are housed. Leading to the barn area is a network of bridle paths the horses navigate to and from the track and barn area. The McKathan Brothers process for breaking horses has a number of unique steps. One of them is a simulated starting gate the horses have to walk through as they return to their barn. The two stall metal starting gate looks exactly like the starting gate our horses will be loaded into on the racetrack when they begin their racing careers. Many horses act up when being loaded into the starting gate due to the fact it is confining. The thinking is our horses will feel more at ease entering the starting gate by virtue of having essentially been through a starting gate 50-60 times before their first race.
Simulated Starting Gate
At the conclusion of the breaking process, our horses will be transferred to their trainer Chad Brown. The current plan is to ship all six from the McKathan Brothers operation to Chad’s stable in Saratoga Springs, NY around May 1st. I’m impressed with the process the horses have gone through and the attention to detail.
As I shook Kevin and J.B.’s hands when leaving I told them I look forward to seeing a jockey statue with the Woodford Racing silks on it during my next visit!
