Maggi Moss Leading Thoroughbred Owner
Thursday July 19, 2007 at 12 p.m. (ET)
Well on her way to a second consecutive leading North American owner title mid-way through the 2007 season, Thoroughbred owner Maggi Moss recently added a Churchill Downs meet win to her already impressive list of triumphs at Fair Grounds, Aqueduct, Belmont, and Prairie Meadows --as she continues to debunk the myth of male dominance that has traditionally surrounded the racing game.
A University of Kentucky graduate and lifelong horse enthusiast, the Iowa attorney describes the Churchill title as especially sweet, considering that the royalty of racing in Kentucky is so steeped in the "old boys club" tradition.
"Being a single woman," Moss recently observed. "nobody ever gave me anything," adding that winning a leading owner title at Churchill made her "feel like Cinderella."
Moss led all owners with 211 wins from 756 starts (for a 27% winning percentage and total earnings of $3,956,619) in '06.
Currently in 2007, she ranks second behind Frank Stronach in earnings ($2,582,244 to $2,346,596) but first in the win column with 110 winners from 373 starters and a 29.5% winning pace.
Join Moss here this Thursday at noon for a special edition of Talkin' Horses or use the form below to submit a question in advance.
Nashville, TN:
Congratulations on another great year. You are an inspiration to many. What I am wondering, do you have anyone that helps you keep track of all of your horses? It seems like this would have to be a full time job.
Moss:
Thank you, it has been a lot of hard work and exceeded my dreams. I find myself working on the horses 7 to 8 hours a day, and it is now a full time job; henceforth the continued leave of absence from the law practice. The passion I used to feel for the law has now transferred to the horses. I enjoy managing it myself and keep track of the horses by lists, by trainer, and/or track. The computer is a wonderful asset, and I review all horses every day and talk to trainers every day.
Lexington, KY:
How did you get started in horse racing?
Moss:
I started riding hunters and jumpers when I was 10. I immediately fell in love with horses at an early age and spent the next 20 years competing at horse shows. I started in pony club and learned the basics and went on to judge horse shows. I went to college at the University of Kentucky, and we spent a lot of time at Keeneland; but it seemed like a sport "out of reach" or beyond what I could ever imagine doing.
I came back to Iowa to law school and a girlfriend of mine owned part of a racehorse; and I went with her to the track at Prairie Meadows and just fell in love with the horses again. I approached a trainer by the name of Dick Clark in 1997 who seemed to have the best looking and healthiest horses and asked him what it would take to own a racehorse. I claimed my first horse with him -- APAK -- who went on to set a track record and I was hooked. I still own him and the stable has expanded each year.
To read the complete transcript of this chat, along with many others, check out Best of Talkin’ Horses.
Best of Talkin’ Horses features provocative “chats” with some of Thoroughbred racing’s most prominent names. Adapted from “Talkin’ Horses,” the popular weekly online chat series hosted by Bloodhorse.com, this edited collection provides additional insights by Ron Mitchell, editor and moderator of “Talkin’ Horses."
Editor's Note: BloodHorse.com moderators retain editorial control over Talkin' Horses discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests; guests may decline to answer questions. Opinions expressed by guests of Talkin' Horses are those of the guest and do not represent the opinions of Blood-Horse Publications, its employees, associates, or affiliated organizations. Guests, dates, and times of Talkin' Horses discussions are subject to change.