Top jockey’s agent Ron Anderson, who celebrated 50 years in racing in January, answers the questions.
Ron And
erson is the most successful jockey’s agent in the US with a roster of clients that reads like a Who’s Who of the Hall of Fame, combining to deliver 38 Breeders’ Cup victories altogether.
Anderson’s first job was for Bobby Howard in 1973 but his big break came in 1980 when he went to work for Fernando Toro, whom he represented for ten years. He worked for Gary Stevens for another ten years, then Jerry Bailey until he retired, and had spells with Chris Antley and Garrett Gomez.
Anderson, 68, celebrated 50 years in the sport in January. He remains as sought after as ever, currently looking after the books of John Velazquez and Joel Rosario – plus, since December, Frankie Dettori. The Italian is spending the winter in California where he and Anderson first met when the jockey was a wide-eyed 15-year-old learning his craft at Santa Anita.
Which racing figure past or present do you most admire?
Bobby Frankel was my dear friend – I was around him for a long time and I believe he told me things that he wouldn’t tell anybody because he confided in me. Bobby got so big in our world that a lot of people told him he was right all the time. One of my big things as a friend was when I thought he was wrong or knew he was wrong, I could tell him. He was something.
He and another trainer Eddie Gregson, who passed away and was also a dear friend, are who I admire and miss the most. This industry needs someone like Bobby right now because there are so many things he would speak up for and about. The leadership is not quite the same as it was years past. He is totally missed.
Which is your favourite venue and race anywhere in the world?
Keeneland has its own magic, and then obviously Saratoga. A Breeders’ Cup day and Derby day are huge. I think I’ve won the Derby six times with one of my jockeys – it would be seven but they took one away. I’ve been involved in the race since I took on Gary and had some sort of involvement going into it. If you can win one you are doing good. Saratoga is all about racing for those six and a half weeks. You go to dinner and everyone is speaking racing. There is a uniqueness to it, as well as a lot of history. It’s the place that everybody watches.
Who is your favorite racehorse and why?
The best horse I ever saw in the flesh was Spectacular Bid. I was just a kid at the time. But my favourite may be Royal Heroine because she was my first Breeders’ Cup winner with Fernando [Toro]. John Gosden and I are still friendly. He is an icon in our business.
There have been so many nice horses I’ve been lucky to have been around. I have a few nightmare stories too. I turned down Singspiel before the Dubai World Cup. American Pharoah was another bad story. Bob Baffert texted me if Joel [Rosario] can come ride him; he was then a maiden. Instead of picking the phone up, I texted him back ‘No’. Not one of my brilliant moments. If I’d spoken to Bob I would’ve had him there in a second.
What is your fondest memory in racing?
That is not easy because I have been fortunate to have so many memories. I couldn’t put my finger on any one, five or even ten. As I’ve already said, Royal Heroine was huge for me. In fact a lot of those Breeders’ Cups and Dubai World Cups with Johnny, Jerry and Gary have to be right up there. Then there was Garrett Gomez winning the Classic on Blame when he had a broken shoulder and still beat Zenyatta. That was a huge highlight too.
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
We need some sort of a figurehead to regulate everything. They are trying to do this with HISA but I really think we need some sort of commissioner. All major sports here have a figurehead to get through the complications. Here we have a bunch of jurisdictions that have their own agendas state to state. It needs to be more regulated.
Ron Anderson was speaking to Jon Lees
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