Trojan Racing Stable
"Racing enthusiasts enjoying the sport of Kings."
10810 Barnett Valley Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
ph: 707-889-2434
fax: 707-829-9465
tom
About Us
Our Horsemen
MIKE MACHOWSKY
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Birthdate: Sept. 19, 1965
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio
Wife: Dana
Children: Eden, Cameron and Alyssa
Residence: Monrovia, CA.
Career Record: 1989-2008376 wins and career earnings: $14,675,270
In 2008, Mike trained at a 20% win percentage and 49% "in the money percentage".
Year Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings2006 134 25 26 12 $ 1,007,965
2005 147 25 26 14 $1,133,430
2004 154 23 25 22 $2,529,347
2003 185 27 33 23 $1,269,838
2002 171 35 29 24 $1,390,150
2001 178 32 24 25 $1,050,271
2000 127 21 26 16 $819,345
1999 119 18 20 19 $596,155
1998 129 18 24 19 $533,671
1997 108 20 13 12 $554,643
1996 137 17 16 25 $577,950
1995 132 29 18 22 $706,985
1994 74 8 7 15 $137,327
1993 81 3 11 13 $169,348
1992 95 11 17 8 $313,975
1991 109 14 8 15 $355,505
1990 59 10 9 8 $196,055
1989 3 0 2 1 $12,350
2006 Hollywoodpark Stakes Win
Tuzia S. — Sandra’s Rose
Other 2006 Stakes Win
Pomona Derby (Fpx) — Sensational Score
Mike's Million - Dollar Wins
Santa Anita Handicap (GI-SA) — Southern Image (2004)
Sunshine Millions Classic (GI-SA)- Southern Image (2004-SA)
Major Stakes Wins (Career)
Audrey Skirball-Kenis S. (Hol) — Fencelineneighbor (2003)
Baldwin S. (GIII-SA) Shuffling Kid (2002)
Barona Cup H. (Dmr) — Fencelineneighbor (2003)
Green Flash H. (Dmr) — Geronimo (2004)
JRA S. (Lrl) — Go (1997)
Malibu (GI-SA) — Southern Image (2003)
Pimlico Special H. (GI-Pim) Southern Image (2004)
Pomona Derby (Fpx) — Sensational Score (2006)
Railbird S. (GII-Hol) September Secret (2002)
San Gorgonio H. (GIII-SA) — Fencelineneighbor (2005)
Santa Anita Handicap (GI-SA) — Southern Image (2004)
Santa Lucia H. (SA) — Cahill Connection (2000)
Senorita S. (GIII-Hol) — Dancing Rhythm (1998)
Solana Beach H. (Dmr) — Candy Factory (2005)
Sunshine Millions Classic — Southern Image (2004-SA)
Tuzia S. (Hol) Sandra’s Rose (2006)Highlights
*Gained national exposure in 2004 as he saddled Southern Image to win back-to-back Million-dollar races — the Santa Anita Handicap and Sunshine Millions Classic—as well as the Pimlico Special.
SOUTHERN IMAGE
*Southern Image also won the Grade I Malibu Stakes on opening day of the 2003-04 Santa Anita winter/spring meet.
*Moved stable to Hollywood Park due to installation of Cushion Track prior to the 2006 Autumn Meet and won six races with 19 starters. Sent out Sandra’s Rose to win the Tuzla Stakes at the 2006 Spring/Summer Meet.
*Entered Fencelinoneighbor in the 2005 San Gorgonio Handicap at the last minute when expecting the race to be taken off the turf and was rewarded as the 5-year-old mare registered her first graded stakes win.
* First graded win came with Dancing Rhythm in the 1998 Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park.
*First victory came on New Year’s Day in 1990 with Bidadip at Santa Anita Park.
Background
*Interest in horses spawned from father’s quarter horses. Vigors kindled interest in Thoroughbreds.
*Went to work for Clay Brinson at age 14, spent two years as a groom for Henry Moreno and then served as stable foreman and assistant trainer during a 5 1/2-year apprenticeship with Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
*Father was a doctor in the military; currently practices in Orange County, CA.
Current Statistics
Upon conclusion of the Hollywood Park meeting 2007, Mike finished the meet with a 24% WIN PERCENTAGE with 7 winners out of 29 starts and placed 15 starters in the money (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), with a money percentage of 51%.
At Del Mar, Mike trained with a 19% WIN PERCENTAGE and a money percentage of 75% with 3 winners, 8 seconds, and 1 third out of 16 starts. Mike placed second in the $85,000 Wickerr Handicap with the racehorse ZANN and placed second in the $85,000 Harry Brubaker Handicap with WARRIOR SONG.
On Friday November 23, 2007 ZANN placed second in the GRADE I CITATION HANDICAP purse $400,000.
John Shirreffs
| 2008 Stats: |
| Starts |
| 93 |
| 1st-2nd-3rd |
| 21-11-11 |
| Earnings (Rank) |
| $2,776,987 (37) |
| Win % (22%) In-The-Money % (46%) |
Born: June 1, 1945, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. Racing Background: Grew up around horses on his family farm near Neufields, N.H. Father bred horses with Peter Fuller of Dancer’s Image fame. Racing Career: Took out his trainer’s license in 1978 and operated a small stable in Northern California, then worked as assistant to the late Brian Mayberry and Bill Spawr in Southern California ... Accepted private training job for Ed Nahem and Marshall Naify’s 505 Farms on January 1, 1994 ... Following Naify’s death in 2000, stable became semi-public. Trained some horses for The Thoroughbred Corp., among others ... First stakes winner was Jade Ring, winner of the 1980 John Peri Stakes at Stockton. In 2005, Shirreffs saddled Giacomo to an upset victory in the Kentucky Derby at odds of 50.30-1 (paying $102.60 on a $2 bet). Giacomo (by Holy Bull) was the second-longest shot ever to win the Derby (1913 winner Donerail was the longest shot, paying $184.90) ... That same day, Shirreffs trainee Hollywood Story won the Hawthorne Handicap at Hollywood Park ... Giacomo returned in 2006 after surgery to remove bone chips, finishing third in the Strub Stakes in his first start back. The Moss color-bearer also won the San Diego Handicap and finished 4th in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic.
Giacomo crosses the finish line to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Giacomo, a 50-1 longshot, is the second-biggest upset winner ever in the Derby.
Hollywood Story is one of a handful of horses to make four Breeders’ Cup appearances, with a best finish of fourth in the 2003 Juvenile Fillies ... Other past stakes winners for Shirreffs include multiple grade 1 winners Manistique and Starrer and graded stakes winners Tarlow, Stanley Park, Bertrando, Borodislew and Radu Cool. In 2006, he ranked in the top 50 among U.S. trainers with stable earnings of $2,562,058 ... His top 2007 horses are After Market, winner of four straight stakes this year; Tiago, a half-brother to Giacomo, who won the Santa Anita Derby on his way to the spring classics, where his best finish was a third in the Belmont Stakes.
Other top 2007 runners include stakes-placed A.P. Xcellent, second to Lava Man in the Hollywood Gold Cup, and Neko Bay, second in the G3 Tokyo City Handicap ... Shirreffs' wife, Dottie, is racing manager for Jerry and Ann Moss and helped plan the mating of Pleasant Tap to Set Them Free (Stop the Music) which produced Tiago ...Through Dec. 31, 2007, his stable had won 27 of 115 races and had earned $3,007,147. We are extremely confident that John and Mike's horsemanship and excellent training abilities will bring out the best in any Trojan Racing Stable runner. |
Leland Decker
Co-owner/trainer/"conditioner" of Green Valley Training Center, located in Chowchilla, California. In summation, Leland is a horseman’s horseman. Leland has over 40 years of training and breaking experience. He began his career as a ranch manager with Bar J.L. ranch under the legendary world class jockey, Johnny Longden.
To this day, the late great Johnny Longden holds the record as being the only individual in Kentucky Derby history to have won the Derby, as both a jockey, and later in his career as a trainer.
In 1943, Mr. Longden rode to victory in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes, winning the triple crown with COUNT FLEET. Leland worked with one of the greatest in all of Thoroughbred racing history.
Green Valley Training Center is where young Thoroughbreds begin their racing careers. Leland does a fantastic job training and getting the young runner’s ready for their next step in life. I cannot emphasize enough, how important Leland’s foundation, and ground work is for young unseasoned runners. His philosophy is achieving a "positive experience" for young horses. Therefore, Leland breaks and trains the horses with patience, never rushing a developing runner.
At Leland’s, the horse’s are equivalent to young teenagers. Moreover, it is imperative that they learn everything correctly within a positive environment.
Leland will never let a racehorse leave his training farm until he believes it is ready for the next level. All of the racehorses are starting gate broke at Green Valley and learn proper race track etiquette on the 5/8 mile training track. His top exercise rider has worked with him for over 20 years. At this stage of the racehorse's career there is no substitute for experience. We are blessed to know and have Leland as a member of Trojan Racing Stable.
Who comprises Trojan Racing Stable?
Tom Specht: Director of West Coast Operations and Managing Member. Tom was raised as a horseman and has over 50 combined years of horse racing experience. He learned the business from the ground up, arriving at the track in the summer at 4:30 in the morning and working on his family's Thoroughbred farm. Since 1977 Trojan Racing Stable has bred and sold Thoroughbred yearlings and two-year-olds, both publicly and privately.
In 1989, Trojan Racing Stable relocated from Southern California to a farm north of San Francisco.
Tom graduated with a BA from Western Kentucky University. He has been an integral member within the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Together, with Trojan Racing Stable, Tom assists with pedigree selections for their broodmares and establishes a training foundation for their next crop of future racehorses.
10810 Barnett Valley Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
ph: 707-889-2434
fax: 707-829-9465
tom
