Richard Dutrow, Jr. and Women Trainers' Opinion
Pletcher and Zito Have More Liberal Views on Female Ideas
Nov 11, 2008
Interviews broadcast from the 2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park revealed that Thoroughbred trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. completely rejects the idea of seeking any opinion of women trainers. He also said he seldom asks for opinions of male trainers, but has closely followed the career of Robert "Bobby" J. Frankel.
While some male counterparts, including Todd Pletcher and Nick Zito, disagreed with the assessment that women trainers had little, or nothing to offer in experienced opinion, women trainers had little, or no response to Dutrow's comments.
Women Don't Womanize the Issue
Women trainers generally had little to say when confronted with Dutrow's remarks that he had "no interest in what a woman trainer says", but several male trainers defended the right of women to be involved and opinionated in training methods.
Carla Gaines, who scratched six-year-old Doppio from the BC Turf Sprint and entered Tiz Elemental in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint, said women trainers sacrifice traditional female roles to be "on the backside" in Thoroughbred racing.
It's the love of the game that causes women to give up other choices to be involved with horse training, noted Helen Pitts, who initially trained Curlin. The reigning Horse of the Year wasn't ready for the rigors of racing at the age of two, Pitts said. She held the chestnut out of juvenile racing, then he was turned over to trainer Steve Asmussen, much to Pitts' disappoointment.
Pitts never argued the decision made by Curlin's owners. Disappointment, sure, Pitts said, but that's the nature of the game. She didn't view the decision as a man-or-a-woman-trainer choice.
No Male Trainers Shared Dutrow's Opinion
D. Wayne Lukas had 146 Breeders' Cup starters prior to 2008's competitions. Robert J. Frankel had 72 starters, Todd Pletcher had 51, and Nick Zito had 32. Dutrow had eight.
Dutrow said it was Frankel whom he tried to emulate in his training philosophy as he built his own stable.
Pletcher pointed out that men and woman trainers start off "as equals". Neither man, nor woman has any winners before that first approach to the starting gate. Everyone starts "with no record", Pletcher said, so discarding a trainer's opinion based on that trainer's gender doesn't sway him. Any experience is a valuable one, he indicated.
Zito's theory on the man-woman trainer issue is that each individual regardless of gender must prove himself/herself worthy as a Thoroughbred expert. "If they're (women) are winning, they'll get (more) horses," he said.
2008 Breeders' Cup Entries By Male Trainers
Frankel ----- Ventura, (age) 4, Filly & Mare Sprint Winner; Precious Kitten, 5, Mile, 4th; Ginger Punch, 5, Ladies Classic defending champion, 6th; Mast Track, 4, Dirt Mile, 5th; First Defense, 4, Sprint, last; Out of Control, 5, Turf, 5th; Champs Elysees, 5, Classic, 8th.
Pletcher ----- Wait a While, 5, Filly & Mare Turf, 3rd; Munnings, Juvenile, 10th; Silent Valor, Juvenile, 8th; Bittel Road, Juvenile Turf, 8th; Fairbanks, 5, Classic, 10th.
Lukas ----- Ninth Client, Juvenile Turf, 9th; Be Smart, Juvenile Fillies, 12th.
Dutrow, Jr. ----- Salute the Count, 8, Turf Sprint, 6th; Kip Deville, 5, Mile, 2nd.
Ironic Trainer Notes
Dutrow, Jr. had no BC filly starters. In the Mile, his defending champion Kip Deville was beaten by the Irish filly entrant, Goldikova.
Zito has a strong opinion on artificial surfaces. He had no entrants in this year's Breeders' Cup races held on Santa Anita's new Pro-Ride surface. He rejects synthetic tracks when possible.
