Gordon Isn’t Sulking These Days

Sometimes, the spoils go to the victor.

In Bob Gordon’s case, victories have gone to the survivor.

Gordon, a leading conditioner on the California harness racing circuit for nearly two decades, admits to being close to “folding the tent” with the continued downward trend in the sport on the West Coast during the 1980s.

But the ability to stay afloat during the leanest of times has been rewarded with a banner year midway through the current sulky season at Los Alamitos Race Course.

With 44 winners from the first 52 nights of action, Gordon had a 10-length advantage on his nearest competitor. His 27% win ratio borders on the incredible when considering how many horses he sends to the post.

“This has been a tremendous meet,” he said. “You always have high expectations coming into a meeting, but this is more than even I hoped for.”

That, in a nutshell, is what the entire California harness racing industry is saying these days. The sale of Los Alamitos last fall to a group headed by longtime harness promoter Lloyd Arnold has led to sizable increases in both attendance and handle (money wagered) from the corresponding meet a year ago.

“Our outlook is good, and the racing is tremendous,” Gordon says. “All in all, this is a healthy market and I think it only will get better.”

A collaboration with driver Peter Wrenn hasn’t exactly harmed Gordon’s cause this season. In his first experience driving in California, Wrenn has moved to second place in the local driver’s standings.

Wrenn, without horses of his own or a trainer along to give him “first call” is “catch driving” this season. “I think I was the first to use him consistently,” Gordon said.

“He’s an excellent driver and I like to have the same guy drive my horses each time if I can. There’s no conflict with him as there are with other drivers who are first call for another barn.”

Gordon, 48, first became involved in harness racing as an owner, going in on a horse with several buddies shortly after graduating from high school. The yearling purchase required patience, but when four years of age the horse “got good” in Gordon’s words.

And, he adds, “I was hooked.”

He learned at the feet of one of the harness masters, Bob Farrington. The stable Farrington campaigned was large, 40 to 45 horses at the track and another 40 at a training center, preparing to come to the track.

Farrington led the nation in driving three consecutive years during the 1960s. He and Gordon traveled throughout the young helper’s native Ohio, Michigan, Florida and, on occasion, California, until Gordon struck out on his own in the late 1960s.

If the new trainer needed a confidence booster, it was provided by Bold Ruler Pick, a pacer Gordon adored--and had a “for sale” sign of just $5,000.

A friend on the lookout for a “cheap” horse made the buy at Gordon’s urging. Bold Ruler Pick commenced to win six consecutive races, winding up in invitational class (the highest in standardbred racing).

The story ended in Chicago, with Bold Ruler Pick being sold for $35,000. “Yeah, I still consider him something special,” Gordon says today.

The trainer came to California in 1971, and ensuing years found Gordon developing such sulky favorites as Pack Leader, Vested Power, Theora Hanover, Petey, Native Hap and Stolen Moments.

Gordon will purchase horses from Australia or New Zealand, from yearling sales or via the claim box at the track. But venues always were available. The trainer’s problem in a depressed market the last few years was finding owners, period.

“It was very difficult to tell someone, ‘Hey, here’s how you can make money,’ when purses were down and we didn’t know where or when the next meeting was going to be,” he says.

Owners, of course, have other options. While the opportunity is there to make money, many are indulging in the pleasure of owning their own racehorses. Their living does not depend upon the well-being of the sport.

However, such a carefree attitude does not and cannot exist with trainers. Gordon, for example, has nine people on his payroll and must wrestle with payroll taxes and the like as any other small businessman.

With wife Kristan and their two preteen daughters, Gordon admits to enjoying the Southern California lifestyle and is grateful for the good fortune that has found his industry.

“You reach a certain standard of living and don’t want to go backward or give it up,” he says.