[OLD HEAD]

Bob Black Jack


Trainer: James Kasparoff

Kasparoff has been training on his own since 2000, following apprenticeships with trainers Frank Veiga, Mark Molina, Don Pierce and the legendary Willard Proctor. Kasparoff credits Veiga with giving him his start and Pierce with giving him his deepest understanding of the training regimen during a three-year tenure. Prior to taking out his trainer’s license, Kasparoff finished up his education as foreman for Proctor, and as a member of the gate crew as an assistant starter. He trains a small string of five horses, with Bob Black Jack being the star of the barn. The son of multiple stakes winner Stormy Jack brought the trainer his first stakes victory when he took down the California Breeders’ Championship as a 2-year-old at Santa Anita. The colt followed that up with a victory in the Sunshine Millions Sprint in January before tackling graded stakes, where he finished third in the Grade II San Felipe and second in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, beaten only a half-length by Colonel John.

Jockey: David Flores

A native of Tijuana, Mexico, Flores' first win came at Caliente, Mexico in 1984. He captured his first riding title at a major track in '99 at Santa Anita; he also earned his 2,000th career win that year. Was known as "the king of the bull ring" for years for the success he had at Fairplex Park, where he won six consecutive riding titles (from 1989-'94), as well as winning titles at Santa Anita, Del Mar, and Oak Tree. He joined the Southern California jockey colony in '89 and has ridden such top horses as Chilukki, Mash One, Tuzla, Keeper Hill, Free House, Siphon, and Singletary. He has ridden in nine Kentucky Derbies, most recently finishing sixth on Action This Day in 2004, 11th aboard Storm Treasure in 2006, and 14th aboard Liquidity last year.

Owner: Jeff Harmon & Tim Kasparoff

Tim Kasparoff is the brother of trainer James Kasparoff and has been interested in racing since his pre-teen years when his father took him and his younger brother James to the races at Santa Anita. He was born May 19, 1970 in Lynnwood, Calif., and lives with his wife Alie and two sons, Adam and Tommy, and daughter Ashley in Whittier, Calif. He is a professional poker player. He’s been involved in racehorse ownership since 1999 when he and his brother began claiming horses. Bob Black Jack was bought privately for $25,000. He and his co-owning partner, Jeff Harmon, met through a mutual friend. Jeff Harmon is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., who has lived in California for more than 30 years. His residence is Laguna Niguel, about 50 miles south of Los Angeles near several beach communities. He lives with his wife, Linda, and they have a son, Russ, who lives in Austin, Texas. The Harmons have a second home in Austin. The Brooklynite did not come to Southern California to follow the Dodgers. In fact, he says, his greatest disappointment in life was the departure of the Dodgers from Brooklyn. “I’m a Dodger hater,” he says. “I’ll never forgive or never forget.” Although he’s only been an owner since 2005, he got his love for the racetrack while a youngster watching the races at Aqueduct in New York. He’s been a player, he says, instead of an owner for all those years in between. He lists Buckpasser as his favorite horse. Harmon was introduced to the Kasparoff brothers through a mutual friend and he and Tim Kasparoff went together as partners on Bob Black Jack when James Kasparoff told them he had found what he thought would be a very good horse to buy. So Harmon and Tim Kasparoff put up the $25,000 to buy the horse that hadn’t started yet as a 2-year-old and turned him over to James Kasparoff. Harmon is semi-retired but has interests in a sports memorabilia business with his son and an RV park in Williams, Ariz. Asked if Bob Black Jack was his best horse so far, he quipped, “Well, last year at this time, we were getting excited about a horse that was getting ready to run in a $32,000 maiden claiming race.”

Breeder: Gary and Marlene Howard & Bruce Dunmore

Gary and Marlene Howard are both natives of Utah who met and married in Southern California. They were brought together when her mother, who was a partner with Gary Howard in a trucking firm, suggested that he go on a date with her daughter, Marlene. Gary didn’t think it was a good idea at first, but after further urging he did ask her out and they found right away that they had a common interest – horses – as well as common Utah roots. He had grown up on a cattle ranch in the small community of Nephi, Utah, and she had grown up in Logan, about 50 miles away. They married soon after and have three grown children, sons Brendan and Britt and daughter Tiffani. The Howards developed Hideaway Farms in the San Jacinto-Hemet area east of Los Angeles. Gary handled the training side of the farm’s business and Marlene was in charge of breeding. Along the way they brought in a partner, Bruce Dunmore, who is the third owner of Stormy Jack and co-breeder with the Howards of Bob Black Jack. Hideaway Farms was sold to ambitious breeder Benjamin Warren a couple of years ago, and Gary Howard remains closely associated with the training operation for Warren. Bruce Dunmore, an aerospace engineer from Albuquerque, N.M., met the Howards about 20 years ago, following his purchase of a yearling at a California sale. When he asked for a recommendation on where he might send the yearling for training, the Howards’ Hideaway Farm was suggested. And that began what was grown into a solid partnership and wonderful friendship. Dunmore is a cancer patient who is in remission. The native of Dallas, Texas, played football at Southern Methodist University during his college days. In spite of the health problems he has, Dunmore pledges to get to the Kentucky Derby if Bob Black Jack gets there, too.


Finish.... Date.... Race

2nd 04.5.2008 Santa Anita Derby (GI) - Santa Anita
Contested pace from start, caught on the wire

3rd 03.15.2008 San Felipe (GII) - Santa Anita
Led from start, held on gamely to be a close third

1st 01.26.2008 Sunshine Millions Dash (R) - Santa Anita
Led from start, set world record final time in victory

1st 12.26.2007 California Breeders' Champion Stakes (S) - Santa Anita
Led from start, drew away easily when asked

4th 11.22.2007 Hollywood Preview (GIII) - Hollywood Park
Showed brief speed, raced wide, outfinished

1st 08.29.2007 Maiden Special Weight (S) - Del Mar
Led throughout, drew away in stretch

2nd 07.29.2007 Maiden Special Weight (S) - Del Mar
Raced wide throughout, second best