Despite the fact that he’s a thoroughbred racing veteran and the sight of horses being ready for competitors was nothing new, Joe Hampshire loved his first Breakfast on the Gallops on the Aiken Coaching Observe on Friday morning.
“I simply acquired right here, however I believe it’s superb. I like it already,” he mentioned. “I like all of the individuals popping out to see the gorgeous horses and all of the curiosity that horse racing has right here.”
Hampshire, a retired jockey, is a member of the New England Turf Corridor of Fame and the Parx Racing Corridor of Fame in Pennsylvania.
He rode in additional than 23,000 races throughout his profession. The horses he was aboard scored 3,801 victories and earned $44,567,367, in keeping with the statistics accessible at equibase.com.
Hampshire instructed the Aiken Customary that he was planning to return to the Aiken Coaching Observe on Saturday to expertise the Aiken Trials for the primary time.
“I’ve been listening to concerning the them since I used to be a child,” he mentioned.
Hampshire at present is a jockey agent, and when he can get away from the racetrack up north, he visits his spouse who lives in Aiken. He attended with a buddy, Amy Hebert, who owns Aiken Saddlery together with her husband, C.P. Doremus.
A portion of the proceeds from Breakfast on the Gallops can be used to assist the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Corridor of Fame and Museum in Hopelands Gardens.
Greater than 200 tickets had been offered to this yr’s occasion, mentioned the Corridor of Fame and Museum’s coordinator, Lisa Corridor.
Shealy’s Bar-B-Que of Batesburg-Leesville catered the buffet-style meal.
Amongst these standing in line to fill their plates had been Cathy Alvarez and her husband, Guido, who moved to Aiken from Hilton Head Island final summer season and had been newcomers to Breakfast on the Gallops.
Guido, a local of Cuba, used to personal thoroughbred racehorses, and he as soon as purchased a mare that was carrying a foal sired by Sham, who captured the 1973 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and later completed second to Triple Crown winner Secretariat within the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Because the runner-up within the Wooden Memorial Stakes (gr. I) Sham completed forward of Secretariat whereas being defeated by Angle Gentle.
“To see one thing like this in the course of the town is fairly extraordinary,” mentioned Cathy of the Coaching Observe. “It’s simply so stunning. It’s additionally enjoyable to see the form of horses you see on TV. We watch the races on a regular basis. Once I go upstairs to his (Guido’s) man cave, he’s acquired the races on.”
Standing on the Cot Campbell Clocker’s Stand whereas consuming breakfast was Joannah Glass, who owns Sporting Days Farm and is understood for enjoying an essential position in establishing the equestrian sport of eventing within the Aiken space.
She additionally has possession pursuits in some thoroughbred racehorses.
“I believe it’s fabulous to have the power to get so shut these younger horses and see them earlier than they turn into well-known or no matter,” Glass mentioned. “To see them practising and to get a pleasant breakfast to go along with it, how may you ask for something extra?”
Georgianna “Woman” Conger, an artist, equestrian and longtime Aiken resident, was at Breakfast on the Gallops with some buddies.
“I don’t suppose I’ve ever been earlier than, even with all of the horse connections I’ve,” mentioned Conger, who’s a former secretary of the Aiken Steeplechase Affiliation and whose father, Ford Conger, served because the Steeplechase Affiliation’s chairman previous to his dying in 1993.
“That is thrilling,” she added. “I like to see the horses coaching and possibly I’ll get some good concepts for photos to color.”
The visitor speaker for Breakfast on the Gallops was Acacia Courtney Clement, a thoroughbred racing tv host, analyst and reporter.
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