Unusual Training Practices Produce a Highly Successful Horse

Call Ray Moorefield eccentric?

Shucks no, says Moorefield, a contractor from Bell. He refers to himself as business-like.

A relative newcomer to harness racing, Moorefield and partners Myrna and Milan Smith have different ideas about running a barn. But their efforts have resulted in the development of one of the top California-bred pacers at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Hi Ho Silverheels, ridden by jockey Rick Kuebler, is one of the favorites in Friday night’s final leg of the Arnold Pacing Series, which features a $100,000 purse on the final weekend of racing.

Moorefield and the Smiths’ unorthodox methods have included:

* Shipping Hi Ho Silverheels, their prized pacer, to stakes races across the country in a big air-freight company jet, sharing a hold with overnight packages.

* Taking the horse for therapeutic swims in a backyard pool when it was recovering from leg injuries.

* Giving the horse its unusual name. Hi Ho Silverheels is named for the late actor Jay Silverheels, who played Tonto in the television series “The Lone Ranger.”

“It’s a beautiful name,” Moorefield said. “Milan used to train horses for Jay Silverheels and he wanted to name a horse after him. We wanted to call him Jay Silverheels, but [the actor] had a son named Jay and the family said no. So, we came up with Hi Ho.”

The 8-year-old horse had humble beginnings, Moorefield said.

“I bought him for $1,865 at a Los Alamitos horse sale,” Moorefield said. “He didn’t race until he was 3 years old. His legs didn’t come together right. He was always hurt.”

But Silverheels was named pacer of the year at Los Alamitos in 1994 and ’96. To date, Silverheels has earned $967,000, Moorefield said, and there are plans to race him several more years. He recently went out to stud at Clear View Ranch in Apple Valley.

Moorefield, who lives in Downey, began dabbling in horse racing about 15 years ago. He started with a small stable of quarter horses, then switched to older thoroughbreds. But he really didn’t care too much for either.

About five years ago, he became enthralled with what he calls “buggy horses.”

“They run longer races, a mile rather than 300 or 400 yards,” Moorefield said. “You can see them go around the turn a couple of times and they [trade leads]. They’re more exciting. Quarter horse races are won at the start. You bat an eye and you miss a quarter horse race.”

Moorefield teamed with reclusive veteran Smith, and the two are slowly building their assets. They have three pacers that will run at Cal Expo in Sacramento this summer, and Silverheels is scheduled to run in the East this spring and summer. Among other things, Silverheels will be out to win an unprecedented third title at the $100,000 Joe McLoone Freehold Cup at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

Kuebler credits Moorefield and Smith for having patience early in Silverheels’ career, when the horse struggled with injuries. They put the horse through hydrotherapy in a swimming pool during a 14-month period.

“When a horse has leg problems some trainers are tempted to race them anyway,” Kuebler said. “And Silverheels would have raced very well for a while. But Milan decided not to race the horse unless he was 100%. Silverheels has had many comebacks and each time they have been very successful.”

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Not much will change at the 1998 quarter horse meet at Los Alamitos, based on the recent release of the track’s stakes schedule. A total of 49 major or stakes races are scheduled, one more than last year. Purse increases in several races are anticipated, including the Champion of Champions, which will be worth $350,000--a $50,000 increase over last year.

The meet runs April 17 through Dec. 20 and features the $20,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap on opening night. It winds up its final day with the running of the Champion of Champions and eight other feature races known as the Quarter Horse Breeders’ Cup Night. The Los Alamitos Million Futurity is estimated to be worth $1.25 million and is scheduled for Dec. 19.

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The husband and wife team of Tim and Denise Maier is having a strong showing at the harness meet.

Denise is the meet’s leading trainer with 47 victories.

Tim has driven to victory 16 times aboard two horses. He has directed Little Steven to eight wins, including the second leg of the Arnold Pacing Series. He’s also won eight times driving the claimer Aurora Star.

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Despite a nearly 13% drop in the number of live races, the American Quarter Horse Assn. reported that total purses in 1997 were up 7.6% over a year ago, making the $51,803,221 the best purse total in a decade.

Average daily handle increased 17.6% with $222,820,170 being bet nationwide.

Several track closings and reduced dates were blamed for the drop in overall races.

The harness meet at Los Alamitos is expected to set records for total handle and overnight purses when it closes next weekend.

So far the meet is averaging a nightly handle of $1,217,220, up 3.5% from 1997.

In keeping with the philosophy of sharing the wealth with the horsemen when the track is doing well, which Los Alamitos majority owner Edward C. Allred said he would do during last year’s quarter horse meet, harness racing purses were raised an average of 10% March 19.

Los Alamitos Notes

Rick Kuebler remains the meet’s leading driver with 81 victories. Jim Lackey is second with 63 and Bruce Clark and Tim Maier each have 54. . . . Trainer Rick Plano is shipping Gee Gee Digger to the Meadowlands in New Jersey after a poor showing at the current Los Alamitos meet. Plano believes Gee Gee Digger is “one of the top five pacers in the nation,” and will do better on a firmer surface such as that at the Meadowlands. Gee Gee Digger, a gelding, was expected to challenge for the Arnold Series title, but his best finish was fourth in the second leg of the event. . . . The New Mexico legislature has approved the long-sought installation of slot machines at Ruidoso Downs. Los Alamitos majority owner Edward C. Allred owns a 50% stake in Ruidoso. Allred also supports the installation of slot machines at California tracks. . . . The Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall, run by relatives of Los Alamitos founder Frank Vessels, has been honored with a Legacy Award from the American Quarter Horse Assn. The award recognizes 50 consecutive years of registering horses with the association.