Simon enjoys racing full time in Florida
By Marty McGee
http://www.drf.com/news/premium/simo...l-time-florida
Chuck Simon liked his year-round arrangement at Gulfstream Park – and that was even before he won back-to-back stakes last weekend at the south Florida track.
“It’s getting better all the time,” Simon said with a laugh.
Yes, winning makes it all more fun. As trainer and co-owner, Simon won the $75,000 Miesque’s Approval last Saturday with Aire Bueno, then came right back Sunday to upset the $75,000 Barely Even with 19-1 shot Killer Bird. Both horses were ridden by Matthew Rispoli.
With an 18-horse stable at the Palm Meadows training center, Simon is among the horsemen who have settled into a year-round gig in south Florida after years of moving from track to track. Simon, who grew up in upstate New York and worked five years as an assistant to the legendary Allen Jerkens, typically would migrate to the Miami area for only a few months in the winter. The effort and expenses of traveling had grown tiresome.
“I’ll still go home this summer for a few days at the track and probably the sales,” said Simon, a 49-year-old native of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “But I’m not taking any horses up this time. Last year, I took three up there and didn’t hit the board.”
Two years ago this month, Simon bought Killer Bird as a 2-year-old for a mere $10,000 at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky. It took the filly eight races to get through her maiden condition, but now she has won three of her last five starts and remains eligible for a second allowance condition.
“I’d run her quite a bit on the turf before coming to the realization she’s better on dirt,” said Simon. “I’ll run her back in another overnight stakes or a two-other-than, depending on the timing.”
Aire Bueno, a 7-year-old Chilean-bred gelding, also is likely to run back in an overnight stakes at Gulfstream. He has achieved far greater consistency since Rispoli began riding him in February.
“He’s one of those horses that would train great, but in the last sixteenth of a mile in his races, he wouldn’t put out,” said Simon. “This jock finally figured him out. He takes a nice hold of him and makes him run through the bit and moves at the right time.”