11/10/06

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
CONTACT: TAMARA CRONIN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
304-387-8335 (OFFICE) 304-479-8097 (CELL)

CHESTER, WV — TRAINER BACON HOPES FOR A SIZZLING PACE by Bill Mooney

The more early speed there is in a race, the better it sets up for a horse who is a strong closer. Trainer Paula Bacon is well aware of this. It’s the scenario she’s hoping for when she sends Guardianofthenorth postward in Saturday’s 34th running of the $125,000 Mountaineer Mile Handicap at The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort.

Guardianofthenorth, although lightly raced for his age, has a true closer’s credentials, particularly at the one-mile distance. The 5-year-old gelded son of Northern Afleet has made 12 career starts, from which he has gained four victories, all which have been achieved at Mountaineer, and all of which have come at one mile.

His three most recent wins have come in turf allowance events. But Guardianofthenorth broke his maiden at eight furlongs on the dirt, so he’s not unaccustomed to Mountaineer’s main oval. In Guardianofthenorth’s most recent start, a one-mile allowance at Mountaineer on October 24, he finished second to the Maryland shipper, Hi Time Scott, who is the Mountaineer Mile’s 8-5 morning line favorite, and will likely remain the wagering choice at post time.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of pace in that October 24 race, but I think it could be different this time,” Paula said. Indeed, besides Hi Time Scott, the Mountaineer Mile field contains speedsters such as Confucius Say, Bound for Fame, Forest Park and Sinister G, all of whom may be vying for the early lead.

This could set things up well for Guardianofthenorth, who will have veteran Mountaineer jockey David McFadden in the saddle. Back on July 8, McFadden moved Guardianofthenorth from eighth position, 8 ½ lengths behind during the early portion of the race, to a 3 ¾-length victory. And on August 20, Guardianofthenorth was in fourth position, seven lengths behind through the opening half-mile, but McFadden closed with him late to win by 1 ½ lengths.

McFadden has twice won the Mountaineer Mile before, with Crimson Classic in 1998-’99. Both times, Crimson Classic, was the favorite. And both times he was in the middle of the field through the early splits, and then put in a powerful closing kick. Bacon concedes that, unlike Crimson Classic, Guardianofthenorth will be something of a longshot – he’s 15-1 in the morning line. But he’ll be gobbling up ground late in the race, especially if the pace is as fast as expected.

Paula is 34 years old and lives in Newell. She is originally from Collinsville, Illinois, which is just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, and is also the locale of Fairmount Park. Thoroughbred racehorses frequent her earliest memories.

“I pretty much grew up a race track kid,” Paula said. She was licensed as a hot walker and groom at age 14. Her stepfather, Johnny Bacon (from whom Paula gained her surname), was a jockey. Paula subsequently spent a full decade riding races herself, from 1993-2002.

At one time, Johnny Bacon was married to Mary Bacon. The latter rode with a fair degree of success at numerous pari-mutuel thoroughbred tracks ranging from Kentucky to New York during the early 1970’s, a time when female jockeys were novelties. Mary was young and pretty, and often outspoken. She generated a lot of print on sports pages.

But a good deal of tragedy is woven into the fabric of the Bacon family’s storyline. Johnny died in an automobile accident of his own causation at the age of 26. Mary developed cancer in her later years and, overwhelmed by despondency, took her own life. Paula talks about these circumstances matter-of-factly. They are isolated portions of her heritage, neither dwelt on, nor denied.

Paula’s resume speaks well for her abilities. Much of her tenure as an apprentice jockey occurred in Kentucky, at Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Ellis Park and Turfway Park. She also rode during the summer at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, and during the winter at Tampa Bay Downs.

During her decade of riding, Paula registered 514 wins. Eighty-seven of those victories came as an apprentice, and 427 were accomplished as a journeyman. Thirteen of them came in stakes events, including a quartet with a filly named Samdanya at Canterbury. Overall, Paula’s mounts earned nearly $4.2 million.

A back injury forced Paula to culminate her riding career. She then became a jockey’s agent at Mountaineer, handling the books for Bobby Walker Jr. and McFadden. But Paula’s goal was to become a trainer, and she set up shop as such
in 2004.

She currently has a 22-horse string, a handful of whom is stabled at Mountaineer, with the rest at Meadowview Training Center, which is near Route 30, about 12 miles from the track, just across the Pennsylvania state line. Bacon’s clients include Richard Englander, who has twice received Eclipse Awards as North America’s leading thoroughbred owner, and Brett and Lori Rice, who bred and own Guardianofthenorth.

The story surrounding Guardianofthenorth is pretty interesting. The Rices live in Gainesville, Florida. Back in the 1990’s, the University of Florida’s veterinary program had in its possession a thoroughbred mare named Guarded Optimist, who was scheduled to be euthanized.

Brett Rice, an equine scientist at the university, took her home instead. Guarded Optimist has now produced nine foals. The youngest is a yearling, who has yet to race. All eight of the others have been winners. Guardianofthenorth is one of them. Another is Guardianofthegate, who Paula rode to victory in the 2001 Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay.

Paula still gallops some of her horses. “My back doesn’t hold up very well, but I’m out there on Guardianofthenorth during the mornings,” she said. “He’s strong and can be tough to handle. But David loves to ride him. David’s been on Guardianofthenorth every time he’s won.”

As a trainer, Paula has yet to win a stakes. But her career win ratio as a thoroughbred conditioner is 19.7%. And, for 2006 alone, it’s 28.9%. Figures such as these suggest Paula’s going places.

Brett and Lori Rice are on hand whenever Guardianofthenorth competes. They are flying in from Florida for the Mountaineer Mile, which has a post time of 10:20 p.m. The winner’s share of the race will be $75,000 – a prize well within reach for Guardianofthenorth, and the young woman who trains him.