Take the wheel, kid.
That’s basically what Tom Amoss said to Kinnon LaRose this winter. The 40-year veteran trainer decided to retire and hand his 60-horse stable to his 29-year-old assistant. The former basketball player grabbed the keys and revved the engine.
“I was pretty surprised. I worked for Tom for six years and had told him, ‘Tom, I want to train. I want to learn how to be a trainer.’ Credit to him, he took me under his wing and gave me a lot of opportunities and I made plenty of mistakes along the way,” LaRose said Tuesday morning. “We had talked about it briefly but never in depth before that, he came to me this winter and said, ‘Listen, I’m going to turn everything over to you and transition my way out but at the same time still be around and advise you and help you with anything you need.’ ”
LaRose unveiled his first runner at Oaklawn Park April 2 as Amoss closed shop with his final runner at Oaklawn April 24. With 16 winners from 87 starts for over $1 million, LaRose has handled the succession with aplomb. He’s got plenty of help from the old guard.
“It’s been good. It’s certainly a lot to take on but at the same time, I’m super grateful for Tom to trust me and give me the opportunity and for the owners to stick with me and have faith in Tom and I to do this transition together,” LaRose said. “I talk to Tom daily, about everything, how the horses are doing, spots where they can run, it’s a luxury to have him in my corner. A lot of people go out on their own and are thrown to the wolves. To be able to have his trust and confidence, it’s great.”
Upbeat and affable, LaRose became a fan with family day trips to Saratoga and harness tracks in Canada from his home in Ogdensburg, N.Y. After a year at Siena College near Albany, he transferred to Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. He played basketball at both schools and got a degree in sport management and a master’s in strategic communications and public relations from Sacred Heart.
LaRose was living in Connecticut, just graduated college and debating on whether to keep playing basketball or try something else. A spot as a guard in a European league somewhere, small. Or a new court altogether, possibly huge.
He emailed Amoss, via the trainer’s website. Amoss called the next day.
Life changed.
Now, here LaRose is with 23 horses, including a dozen 2-year-olds, in Amoss’ (and Pat Kelly’s) old barn, nestled in the trees, in the back corner of the main track and the woods near Yaddo. LaRose has another 36 at Churchill Downs.
“It’s been good, it’s been a big learning curve, certainly you’ll make mistakes but at the same time such is life. You just keep showing up, positive attitude every day, keep putting one foot in front of the other,” LaRose said. “I think it’s pretty much the same, everybody has their own little spin. I’ve only worked for Tom, this is obviously his way and I don’t try to change anything too much. Tom has had a lot of success, and I try to emulate that. Maybe a little spin here or there but that’s just trying to learn from your horses and doing what’s best for them.”
LaRose walked his shedrow with The Special’s Sean Clancy Tuesday morning.
Stress Relief: Joel Politi’s homebred daughter of Not This Time starts the tour with a discerning white-rimmed look from her right eye. She drew off to win her 2-year-old debut by 5 lengths at Churchill Downs June 20.
“We’re going to run her here in the Adirondack (Aug. 2). She’s out of Littlestitious, a mare Tom used to train. Fingers crossed. Nice filly. I wouldn’t say not surprised, we liked her. She got to Keeneland and was working OK, then we started working her out of the gate and I guess that’s when the lightbulb turned on, she started to figure out exactly what she was doing. From there on, we really liked her.”
Oscar’s Hope: Owned by Michael McLoughlin, the 3-year-old son of Twirling Candy has notched four wins (two stakes) from 10 starts for $418,684.
“Broke his maiden here last year. We ran him in the Maxfield at Churchill in his last start, a salty group, he just didn’t match up. We might run him on the grass up here. We’ll work him on the grass this week and see. Just try to change things up. He’s doing well.”
Got Tough: Highlander Training Center purchased the bay colt for $165,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Sale. The son of City Of Light finished third in his debut at Saratoga July 18.
“He’s a big old boy. He came back good. As big as he is, we’ll be excited to give him some more ground. He’s going to run before the end of the meet for sure. Maybe seven eighths. He ran three quarters, he ran well, he was last turning for home and came flying up the rail to grab third late. That’s been him. The longer the better. He’s got a great mind to him. Doesn’t act coltish, doesn’t act studdish. He doesn’t look like he’s 2.”
Midnight Still: Double Down Racing’s Curlin colt finished third in his debut at Churchill Downs June 12 and came back here to give LaRose his first win at Saratoga July 11.
“Broke his maiden here last week and is still learning. He was green coming down the lane. We’ve liked him from day one. They liked him at the training center. He came to us at Keeneland, he was touting his hand so to speak. He ran well at Churchill first time out, just five eighths of a mile, by Curlin, he certainly wants more distance, and he acted like it last Saturday. To get off the duck in your first try…credit to Tom, he picked him out of the sale. The owners wanted a Curlin and he just fell into our hands. Probably see him at the end of the meet. I know they have that stake coming up quick, but we are going to wait a little bit and he’ll be running in the Hopeful. That’s the plan. He’ll be a contender. Give him seven eighths, he’ll like that extra ground.”
Vukota: Owned and bred by Roys Mansur, the unraced son of Vekoma breezed four times at Keeneland before a sharp gate drill here July 16.
“He came in a little later than the rest of our 2-year-olds so he might be just a step behind but he’s going to run here in probably mid-August or so. Just worked out of the gate, worked well, :59 and change. Still got some learning to do but it seems like his talent level fits up here. Big old hind end on him. We have a lot of 2-year-olds here. A lot of 2-year-olds.”
It’s Our Time: Remember him? The talking horse last summer won his debut by about 50 green benches over Hero Declared and Renegade. The Double Down runner finished fourth in the Champagne and fifth in an allowance race to complete his juvenile season. The Virginia-bred colt came back to finish sixth in his 3-year-old debut at Churchill Downs June 25.
“Still doing well. Ran at Churchill off the layoff, we had to give him some time off. He ran OK, middle of the pack, probably needed the race. He’ll benefit from that race, and we’ll look at an allowance level condition for him up here. Sometime in early to mid-August. He’s doing well for us. It’s horse racing. Obviously when you break your maiden by 17 3/4s, it’s hard to do that again. But, no, he’s coming back well off the layoff for us and I’m excited for start number two. Hopefully we can bring some of that Saratoga magic back. He trains well, just like he always has, he’s just got to put it back together.”
Virabhadrasana: Owned by Politi, the daughter of Jackie’s Warrior posted 10 breezes at Keeneland before coming to Saratoga. A $140,000 yearling purchase, she registered a bullet work from the gate here July 16 and could earn Name of the Day when she hits the entry box. Virabhadrasana translates to warrior pose. Try the yoga move and wheel her in the double.
“Vira for short. She’s going to run here early August. We like her quite a bit. She worked with that Vukota and worked well out of the gate. She’s got a good mind to her, she’s a big, good-looking filly. She’s a big old girl. Tom and his team – Chris Richard, Brett Sumja and Ron Faucheux – are looking at the yearlings. Boots on the ground so to speak, looking at a ton of horses. I was with them at the sale last year.”
Intraosseous: The 2-year-old daughter of Girvin makes her second career start in Saturday’s first race. And if you’re wondering about the name, we’ll save you the trouble, it’s a medical procedure. Dr. Politi, surely, selected that one.
“She ran third first time at Churchill. Hopefully take the next step forward off her debut performance. Her debut was good. She was in the 11 hole, she broke bad, spotted the field 10, 12 lengths and was wide turning for home and came flying to grab third. Hopefully with race experience under her belt, break a little better, put herself into a better spot and improve from that first race. She’s bred to go long and acts like she wants to go long. She was the workmate for Stress Relief for a long time and worked well together. She earned her spot up here at Saratoga when she came flying to be third.”
Energy Flows: Another Politi yearling purchase, the daughter of Constitution has a second and third in two starts.
“Just finished third on Saturday. She ran second first time out at Churchill. As you can see, big, good-looking filly. She’s bred to go long. She ran well, from the two hole, she broke well and got shuffled back to last on that sloppy track. She made a move for home and came flying late but just a little too late. I’m excited to get her some more ground in her future. It’s just the development of them all. Of course, objective A is to win, but at the same time with a lot of these 2-year-olds it’s about developing them and having them learn the right way. Put a good foundation in them and keep building them. We’ve got some good owners who trust us and that’s all you can ask for.”
Doctorate: Purchased for $350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale by MyRacehorse and Highlander Training Center, the 2-year-old son of Uncle Mo posted two breezes at Keeneland and four at Churchill Downs. A cone in front of his stall warns a visitor.
“Sleeping. That’s good. We’re hoping for a mid-to-late-August debut for him. He’ll have his first gate work this week and we’ll keep trying to build up a foundation on him. I like him. He’s a 2-year-old boy but he’s being good right now. He acts like he can run.”
Modo. Amoss’ final winner of 4,278, when she won the Yellow Rose Stakes at Sam Houston in March and LaRose’s first stakes winner when she won the Bluebonnet Stakes at Lone Star Park in April. With six wins and $352,323, Politi’s 4-year-old filly anchors the Churchill Downs squad.
“Texas-bred filly just won a stake down in Texas. Liam’s Map filly, she’s a multiple stakes winner for Texas breds.”
Keep reading…
Click the cover to access the online edition of the full paper, presented by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
