07/24/09

TRAINER BAKER SET FOR WEST VIRGINIA DERBY BID

By Bill Mooney

The education of the Canadian trainer Reade Baker has taken him to racetracks on numerous continents – Europe, Asia and Australia among them. His travels within the shores of his native North America have been widespread as well.
“But I really don’t recall if I’ve ever been to Mountaineer Racetrack before,” Baker said. “Maybe when it was Waterford Park, which was quite a while ago. I’ll be there (on August 1), for sure.”

Baker plans to saddle Monty’s Best, for the 40th running of the Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby. Monty’s Best has been lightly raced, making only five career starts to date, but he has won three of them and placed in the other two. He is a son of the leading Florida sire, Montbrook, and could be an emerging star.

Based at the Woodbine racetrack near Toronto, Monty’s Best broke his maiden at second asking on October 3 of last year. The following month, he shipped down to Churchill Downs and finished a strong second in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes.
This year, Monty’s Best has twice won in allowance company at Woodbine. His most recent score was achieved by a half-length at the 1 1/16-mile distance on July 5. Monty’s Best will have to go a half-furlong further in the West Virginia Derby. His running style is that of a closer, and the 1 1/8-mile Derby distance should be to his liking.

Monty’s Best campaigns for Jim and Susan Hill. Baker purchased him for the Hills for $100,000 at an auction for 2-year-olds in Ocala, Florida, in 2008. “He’s a big, good looking colt, and I liked the way he was training,” said Baker. “And he’s looking very strong right now.”

Baker’s resume exhibits some pretty fair credentials, too. He’s 62 years old, has operated a public stable since 1990, and in 2005 received the Sovereign Award as Canada’s outstanding thoroughbred trainer.

Through July 22 of this year, Baker’s 690 career wins included 71 stakes triumphs. Most of them have been achieved at Canadian tracks, primarily Woodbine and Fort Erie. But in recent years Baker’s horses have also recorded black-type scores at some prominent U.S. tracks, Belmont Park and Keeneland among them.

Originally from Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Baker grew up on a small dairy farm. When he was 14, an uncle took him for a day at the races at Fort Erie. From that point onward, Baker wanted to have a career in racing.

He would play hooky to go to the racetrack, and when his parents found out they sent Baker to a private school in Kitchener. Ironically, the first friend he gained there was John Chris, the son of a trainer. At age 18, Baker took his first job at a racetrack, as a groom. Chris eventually went to veterinary school, and is now the veterinarian for Baker’s stable.

In 1985, Baker became the stable manager for thoroughbred owner Rick Kennedy – who is best known as the owner of Afleet, a Grade 1 winner and Horse of the Year in Canada in 1987. Kennedy sent Baker to Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, England, Ireland and elsewhere, to learn methods and practices of handling racehorses. It was an extraordinary way of learning the craft.
Baker’s most prominent victory to date came in 2007, when he sent out the 3-year-old filly Bear Now to win the Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Handicap at Philadelphia Park. All told, Bear Now won seven stakes for Baker.

In 2008, Baker won a quartet of stakes – one of which was the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park – with Fatal Bullet, who was named Canadian Horse of the Year. Baker also trained Judiths Wild Rush, who was honored as Canada’s champion sprinter in both 2005 and 2006.

Monty’s Best will be ridden in the West Virginia Derby by Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who in June piloted Eye of the Leopard to victory in Canada’s most prestigious race, The Queen’s Plate. An improving colt, an accomplished trainer and a talented jockey make a formidable combination.