Jonathan Sheppard
 

Horse racing fans should read this article today on the DRF home page.

This man has it!

Training the way nature intended
By Marcus Hersh

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110095.html

WEST GROVE, Pa. - It was cold on an early January day in rural southeastern Pennsylvania. But not that cold. Time-and-temp signs along US Highway 1 heading west from Philadelphia read 37 degrees. Jonathan Sheppard, guiding two visitors around the property where he trains, foals, raises, and breaks racehorses, steered a comfortably worn farm truck off a paved lane and set out across wintry turf. Not many yards into a field, a snow and ice covered creek blocked his path.

"I wonder if we can make it," Sheppard mused. "Let's give it a try." And with that, he threw the truck into gear and made for the creek's far bank. The ice broke into five-inch-thick chunks as soon as it bore the truck's load, and now the wheels were churning in winter mud. Unable to gain traction, Sheppard backed up onto the creek bank, made another run, and this time, with minor whining protest, the truck scrambled up into another field.

Great article.

From a betting standpoint ... Sheppard has always been a trainer I've liked a lot because he's one of those guys that has a pattern so simple and consistant .. and a whole lot of bettors never seem to catch on to it.

He was absolutely beyond brutal in Florida in the 90's .. and it carried on through this past decade.

Since 2000, he's 20-for-348 at Gulfstream Park (5.7% with a stunningly low $0.71 ROI)

Since 2000, he's 4-for-45 at Tampa Bay Downs (8.9% with a $0.58 ROI)

Since 2000, he's 1-for-32 at Calder Race Course (3.1% with a $0.41 ROI)


In the 90's ... you could basically just pencil him in for like his typical 1-for-30 GP meet. Yet, his horses would still get play down there.

You could often expect a lot of those horses to appear to come on strong when they'd leave Florida .. just by rounding back to their prior non-winter form.

Jonathan is one of the nicest people I have met in racing. He's truly a gentleman, so he is easy to cheer for.

As for playing his horses, he does often offer value because he's still seen by most players as a jumper trainer. Also since most of the horses work at home, their worktab on track looks spotty to most players and thus returnees especially usually have hidden fitness.
(I like the same angle with many Fir Hill based trainers. The give the horses alot of hill work and few times breezes but they are ready to roll when the time come.)

Great article.

I would be curious to know what his jump race to flat race win percentage and ROI are at Saratoga. Know there was at least one good one last summer.

Even though Sheppard is not nominated for the Eclipse, I think they should give him honorable mention. Asmussen will probably win it this year based on his volume of wins.

Thanks for the help Steve.

If you look at DrugS post above apparently the only value on betting on Sheppard is NOT Betting him at all.. I do agree he is easy to root for and certainly seems like a great turf trainer.. Dirt doesnt seem to be as interesting to him. I assume he is more then capable of developing and campaigning a dirt horse it just doesnt seem to be a significant part of his current program.

Actually no ... you certainly want to avoid him in the winter time if you can. No one is even close to being as brutal as he is in Florida in terms of horses underperforming.

Once the winter is over .. his horses often seem to regain their better form and sometimes peak form. He typically does better than takeout over that part of the calender.

Brilliant trainer/horseman, pure and simple.

Such an envigorating, satisfying article . How can Cloudy's Knight not be a fan favorite in 2010 ?

Drugs, gotta thank you for tidbits like this. Bushwhacked was a perfect example of just not using him and getting paid off. Keep them up!

If they ran UP the hill at Santa Anita any Sheppard would be a lock.

I think it just shows that he is out of his element down there. It is kinda like Chuck having to eat at a really nice French restaurant where they give you a 2x2 piece of meat on a white plate with some crazy colored sauce around it and say 'Bon appetit'

Didn't he have a decent turf horse last year seems like it was a winner at Saratoga and then Keeneland? I am almost certain he had a turf winner at Keeneland when I was there on a Thursday or Friday in the fall.

He has plenty of winners elsewhere, the stats are for his Florida runners, although I give Long Approach a big shot today.

How would Sheppard ever be out of his element if we're talking about training horses at the racetrack? Isn't it more likely that he's bringing a certain percentage of his horses back from turnouts at this time of year and is racing them into shape for the serious turf season ahead?

He's now lost with all of his last 51 starters at Gulfstream. record of 51-0-4-6 over that stretch after Bushwacked was a soundly beaten 2nd at 6/5.

His last winner at Gulfstream came on March 24th 2008 when 3/5 favorite Rath of Thunder beat a field of just two other horses.

http://www.drf.com/drfNCWeeklyHorseD...80324&raceNo=9