Q&A: Racing secretary's job 'a challenge at every level'
After pitching the idea to interview Keeneland Racing Secretary Ben Huffman, HRN's editors agreed, and described him as an accessible and nice guy. Luckily, their initial description turned out to be true. He picked up the phone and made himself available one day later to answer questions.
In his office at Keeneland, Huffman offering thoughts on working at both racetracks and other related topics, including the current Keeneland meet, moving the Blue Grass date, the Polytrack era, favorite Churchill memories and more.
On switching from the barn to the racing office…
B. Huffman: Well, I thought I was going to be a trainer. I wanted to be a trainer because my late father was a horse trainer. My uncle was a horse trainer. My two brothers were horse trainers. My dad — I was his assistant — suggested, “You should try the racing office just to see another side of racing and get to know more people. The horses on the backside will always be here. While you’re still young, try that out.” It just kind of clicked really quickly when I got in the racing office. A couple of things happened. One, as a racing official, I had a day off. Working for my father, I never had a day off, which wasn’t a big deal. Two, the racing official job paid more.
When I came into the racing office, my first job was at Ellis Park as a racing official. Then I got hired at Turfway Park next, then Keeneland, then Churchill. Took me two years to get all four tracks in the state because these are all seasonal jobs. And each track is independent.
I know trainers that are as talented as anybody, but perhaps they’re not as lucky as others. They don't get the good horses. If you don’t get good horses and good owners, it’s very difficult.
On
the Keeneland meet so far…
B. Huffman: Knock on wood, this
spring, we’re off to a tremendous start. Blue Grass Day was probably the
strongest Blue Grass Day we’ve had in a long time. The races were tremendous.
The Madison Stakes could turn out to be the race of the year when it’s all said
and done.
On
moving the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) back one week in 2015…
B. Huffman: We’re satisfied with
it right there. We listen to our trainers a lot. As you know, horses are making
fewer and fewer starts. A lot of trainers want five or six weeks between races,
especially for the good horses.
So, I’m torn on it. I always personally liked it when it was three weeks before the Derby. However, the last couple of years our Blue Grass has been phenomenal. I think it’s in the right spot for now.
On
the challenges of the Polytrack era…
B. Huffman: It was a bit of a
challenge. Polytrack tended to get synthetic and turf type horses. Yes, there
were some dirt horses who ran in those races and went on to be successful later
on afterwards. But the last few years, it was a challenge getting dirt horses
to ship in for the Grade 1s and 2s on Polytrack.
On
creating competitive fields…
B. Huffman: That’s a challenge
at every level, especially at this time when there’s so much competition. Florida
races year-round now. New York is racing year-round with huge purses. Indiana
took their first day of entries yesterday. Arlington starts on Oaks day. Pennsylvania
tracks are getting ready to open. It’s always difficult.
On
the different challenges of the job at Keeneland vs. Churchill…
B. Huffman: To me, it’s no
different. I write the book at both places, and the races here are spaced to
where it makes sense to where they fall back over there in three or four weeks.
The challenges are the same. A lot of times, the Churchill guys who are stabled
at Churchill may be reluctant to run over here during the last week, so they
can make sure they can get three or four starts at the spring meet there. But, by
and large, it’s not that big of a deal.
The toughest part of both tracks is when it comes to stall allocation, just because we always have more applicants than the number of stalls we have. You can’t take care of everyone. It’s a problem at both Keeneland and Churchill. If a guy wants 30 stalls for his horses, it’s my job to decide if those horses can compete on the Kentucky circuit. It’s tough racing. I consider it very tough racing. You’ve got some horses that can run.
On
his favorite Churchill Downs memory…
B. Huffman: I was a huge Wise Dan fan. He was an absolute win machine. I’m
picturing the Firecracker Stakes. It was raining. The track was really soft. It
was borderline whether we were going to take that race off the turf or not. It
really rained. I wasn’t sure Wise Dan was going to make a start. The
connections were concerned. I think he had 127 or 128 pounds. So, there was
tension. At the time, he was the Horse of the Year and the best horse in the
world.
He was pinned down on the hedge that night, and I didn’t think he was going get through. And at one time, I actually thought he was going to go down. The quarters got so tight. He kind of burst through late. He was just all class. So much class. He got the job done. Once he got clear, he sailed through easily. Because of the condition of the course and it was still pouring rain, it was just kind of nerve-wracking.
On
other favorite Churchill memories…
B. Huffman: My father was a trainer
based at Churchill Downs when I was in high school. So, I kind of grew up
there. He won a lot of races there. My father and uncle, they grew up a couple
of blocks from Churchill Downs. When he was stabled there, I worked for him
there as a hot walker, groom and assistant trainer. I have good memories like
that also, just working with the horses.
When my father won the Stephen Foster Handicap (Air Worthy, 1989), I was the groom of the horse and my brother was the exercise rider. Of course, my dad was the trainer.
On
his favorite Kentucky Derby memory…
B. Huffman: There’s so many. I think
one would be the Street Sense Derby because that was my first
Kentucky Derby as racing secretary at Churchill Downs. And he was such a good
horse. He was the first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner to win the Derby. I was
always impressed with Street Sense.
Another one is when Orb won the Kentucky Derby for Shug McGaughey, the Phipps and the Janneys. They had been trying to win the Derby for so many years. That was their first one. He was friends with my father years ago.
It just shows how difficult the Kentucky Derby is to win. Those are the ones I think of the most. But they’re all cool. They’re all special. They’re all Derby winners.
On
his 2018 Kentucky Derby pick…
B. Huffman: It’s too early to pick. I
got to watch them all before I pick (interview was conducted before the
Lexington Stakes and Arkansas Derby).
Naturally I’m rooting for a horse from the Blue Grass. I’m a Kentucky guy. I’m a homer.