Old stager Sly Stalloon rewards conditioner
WHILE trainer Ralph Porter is happy to have reached 100 career wins, the veteran conditioner believes that his 37 years in racing could have been better, given different circumstances.
Porter achieved his landmark on Sunday, February 13, 2022 when his charge, Sly Stalloon, won the first race on the day. Ridden by Oneil Mullings, Sly Stalloon won by a short head from Mr Lyndhusrt (Dane Dawkins) in a three-year-old and upwards Optional Claiming ($250,000-$200,000) spread over 5 ½ furlongs.
“I am feeling good. I am feeling great to reach this milestone in my career. I did expect to achieve this milestone today [Sunday] as I knew that the horse [Sly Stalloon] had a very good chance of winning the race. The horse wasn’t that difficult to train and so I took my time while preparing him for this race. Everything went as planned and I am happy about this landmark.
“My career could have been better as I was out of the sport for about 12 years. Right now, I am pleased where it [career] is but I have to just take it one step at a time, and I have to give God thanks for where I am now and hope for the best,” Porter said after saddling Sly Stalloon.
He continued: “I got my training licence in 1985 and began training horses in 1986. What led me into the game was my love for horses. From a tender age I was always around animals. I was a groom at first here at the track looking after horses; the care and tenderness about horses and the experience gained over the years put me to where I am right now,” he said.
He then recalled some of the memorable moments during his career at the Park.
“I have won so many races over the years and so I can’t say that win [by Sly Stalloon] was the most outstanding one as there was so much competition back then. One day I won with a horse by the name of Brave Dancer when the saddle slipped with the rider. I think it was the Clifford Stewart Cup when the saddled slipped on Brave Dancer.
“In those days, when a saddle slipped or a jockey lost his irons the horse would not win. But, Brave Dancer won – and that was outstanding. My first win was in 1986 with a horse by the name of Young and Restless, and that was a special moment as well,” Porter recalled.
“I use to train Sparkle Diamond, which was one of the best horses that I had under my care, and up to this day he is one of the best horses in training in the country. Somehow, he has not been peaking up to expectation but I know that he is a very good racehorse.”
