Saviors Under Saddle

by Lauren Cavallito

The countdown to post time begins and he calmly heads towards the starting gate. His coat, the color of dark chocolate, soaks up the heat of the late-afternoon California sun. Impatiently he stomps his back left foot, the one with the distinguishing white markings, as he waits for the steel doors to spring open. And they’re off! Only he isn’t at the head of the pack, but rather loping quietly a few hundred yards behind the streamlined mob.

No, “Brownie” isn’t a hopeless racehorse - he is the outrider’s mount, one of the most important horses on the racetrack, but he will never smell the roses or step foot into the winner’s circle. It is his job to ensure the safety of all the riders and their horses anytime either sets foot or hoof onto the track. These horses go all week monitoring both morning workouts and afternoon races with less than stardom appreciation.

Al Halvorson who rides, “MD’s Prospector,” a horse affectionately known around barn 71 as “Roanie” said, “It’s our job to keep something from happening.” Al who wears the traditional red jacket assigned to all the outriders at Hollywood Park, leans against a post almost as weathered as he is, “We ride in rain or shine, as long as the track is open, we’re open.” It is evident from the smile on his sunburned face that he loves his job.

Most of these horses come from humble backgrounds. Brownie found his way to the tracks of Los Angeles after being a cow pony on a feedlot in New Mexico. He doesn’t receive the top grain or vitamins given to all the super athletes that surround him in the barns, but that seems to be just fine with him. They clock in long days as they are often under saddle for five hours or more. Their vacation? That’s when their riders are off their backs.

Compared to the immaculate and dappled machines that parade onto the track, these resilient animals show signs of their hard work. Splashes of mud cover up to their hocks and sweat from chasing a loose horse cakes the hair along their flanks. Their riders hesitantly tell amazing stories of rescues and daring saves, yet to them they are just doing their jobs.

On the backside of the barn Al shares the story of a ride at Del Mar where the bridle broke off a galloping horse during a morning workout. “All he had left was the nose band. I rode up beside him, grabbed ahold of it and was able to slow up and stop the horse. The jockey jumped off wanting to hug, kiss and take me out to dinner!”

Luckily this doesn’t seem to happen every day, but when it does everyone trusts that the job of rescuer rides in the best hands. Jockey David Flores said, “They are always there; we get a lot of help from those guys.” The calmness seen in Roanie’s and Brownie’s eyes seems to reassure that they are the most qualified horses for the job, as it takes a special mount not to instinctively take off after the herd. Not every horse is fit for the job.

Although these heroes of the track might not be as glamorous or receive as much recognition as those running, they get sole permission to run clockwise on the track any time they like, and that has got to count for something.