Kitchingman Still Riding High at Hollywood Park

On his website, the first line of Adam Kitchingman’s autobiography is as unassuming as the man himself.

“I grew up on a horse farm in the mountains of Mansfield, Australia, best known for the movie ‘The Man From Snowy River.’”

The 38-year-old has led a fascinating life which has taken him from Australia, to Japan, and finally the United States.

Kitchingman has enjoyed an outstanding first half of the Betfair Hollywood Park Spring/Summer meet, winning with nine of his first 20 starters. He’s won with virtually every kind of horse, from $8,000 claimers to the $71,860 Came Home Stakes with Let Em Shine. His 19 victories in 2013 put him on pace for a career-best year.

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Kitchingman. His first wife Vikki died of canver in 2003, just when his career was starting to take off. It’s also been hard for him to attract new clients despite his consistently high win percentage.

Kitchingman learned horsemanship around the family farm. A local trainer asked if was interested in riding race horses and soon he was working for top Australian trainer Allen Bailey. When he was 21, Kitchingman received a lucrative offer and left to manage Haisai Farm in Japan.

“I did everything over there,” said the trainer. “I was breaking babies, taking care of the broodmares, pretty much managing the whole place.

“I went over there for the money. The exchange rate to the Australian dollar back then was like 3-to-1. I was sending money back to Australia ever month and getting three times what I was making. So, I’m 21 and making something like $15,000 a month.”

Japanese immigration rules eventually played a hand in Kitchingman’s future.

“After a certain amount of time, you have to leave Japan to get your visa extended,’’ he explained. “It doesn’t matter where you go, you just have to be out of the country. You could go to any consulate to get the extension.

”The only reason I came to the United States was because I saw an ad in the paper offering a return trip ticket from Tokyo to Los Angeles for $250. I asked a couple of friends if they wanted to go and off we went. I fully intended to go back to Japan.”

“So I came over here, fell in love with a girl and I ended up staying. My wife passed away 10 years ago. That was the girl I stayed for.”

Kitchingman had always wanted to train. When he arrived in this country, one of the first people he worked for was Charlie Whittingham.

“Tim Yakteen was kind of in charge over there,” recalled Kitchingman. “I was right under Tim. When Tim went to work for (Bob) Baffert, I started galloping horses for him.”

When he decided to go out on his own, it was a rocky start. From the time he took out his trainer’s license in 2000 through the end of 2002, Kitchingman was shut out

“Those first couple of years, I couldn’t win a race,’’ he said. “I didn’t do badly, though, with some seconds and thirds. I got up to three horses, but then one of them got hurt and the other two were sent to Northern California, because that’s where they belonged.”

“It was heartbreaking to have worked so hard, and then all of a sudden I’m out of business again.”

Little did he know, a fortuitous trip to Kentucky was about to change his professional life.

“(In 2002) I took a horse (Ocean Sound) to the Kentucky Derby for (trainer) Jim Cassidy and met up with a fellow called Kelly Michaels,” continued Kitchingman. “He and a bunch of his friends gave me money to claim some horses. At the same time, John Brocklebank, who was training for Bill Peeples, gave me a couple of horses as well. I got on a real good roll right away.”

In 2003, Kitchingman won 12 races from just 42 starters. His stable hasn’t grown much over the years, but a high ratio of winners has been a constant. According to Daily Racing Form statistics, Kitchingman, through May 31, had 225 victories from 1,195 starters, giving him a win rate of 18 per cent. His in-the-money percentage is an impressive 46.

Just as his business was picking up in 2003, Vikki became ill and it was difficult for him to concentrate on his stable.

“It was the hardest time in my life,” said Kitchingman.

Through his time of mourning, Kitchingman continued to have success. Though his percentage dipped in 2004, the trainer won 21 races. He saddled 26 winners the next year and had a career-high 29 in 2007.

Kitchingman partially blames his personality for his inability to broaden his stable.

“The biggest thing I’ve lacked is people skills,’’ he said. “People usually come to me before I go to them. It’s probably the reason I don’t have a bigger stable.”

Kitchingman met his second wife, Christy, 2 ½ years and the two were married last year. She’s now in charge of client relations and is helping him with the social side of training.

“She’s just awesome,” said Kitchingman. She does her own thing and is very supportive. She’s shown me quite a few things as far as how to deal with people and the marketing side of the business.”

One thing he’s never had trouble with is the job itself. He calls stable star Let Em Shine the best horse he’s ever trained and is especially happy that Peeples owns the Songandaprayer colt. Let Em Shine won his last three starts by a combined 16 1-2 lengths.

“I couldn’t be happier for Bill,’’ said Kitchingman. “He’s been the one client who’s been with me through thick and thin. From my wife passing away to me getting remarried, he’s been my backbone. Through good times and bad, he’s stuck by me.”

Kitchingman has always had a reputation for picking out young, talented and, most importantly, inexpensive young horses. Some of his noteworthy bargains include Chips All In ($4,500), Carabella ($5,500) and Bodaway ($2,000).

“I can’t tell you how many horses I’ve bought for less than $10,000 that have gone on to become stakes horses,’’ he said. “Unfortunately no one’s really picked up on it, at least not too many owners. I’d love to have some serious money to buy horses.”

The few times he was given an opportunity to spend money, Kitchingman made the most of them. He paid $80,000 for Zada Belle, who went on to win multiple stakes and sold privately for $3.5 million. Vikki’s Honor, named for his late first wife, was purchased at a 2-year-old in training sale for $30,000 and earned $310,672. Some of his other stakes winners include Indian Breeze, Miss Dixie Dancer and Dixie High.