John Fielding is hoping CHARLATAN is the real deal.
One of the continent’s most successful Standardbred owners (17 Breeders’ Crown victories), John is also a co-owner and breeder of many top Thoroughbreds in the last decade having embarked on a joint business venture with friend Fred Hertrich. The unbeaten California-based, Bob Baffert-trained Charlatan could be a ticket to the Kentucky Derby in September for John.
Of course, the Toronto businessman, founder of Array Marketing which has clients including big cosmetic companies such as Estee Lauder, is in the same listing boat as most business owners and horse owners; everything is shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and bills need to be paid. And John has more shares of Thoroughbreds this year than ever.
“I picked a great year to keep more of the yearlings we bought to pinhook and race,” said John, who also has a few horses at Woodbine with Catherine Day Phillips and shares of a number of horses racing in the US. “Look, everybody has a bad story. Hopefully we get racing soon.”
John is on the board of directors at Woodbine and praises the job CEO Jim Lawson, vice president of racing Jessica Buckley, and the horsepeople are doing managing the idle time before racing gets started.
“It’s tough, we are in the hands of the government. Hopefully when the state of emergency is lifted (scheduled for May 12 by Premier Doug Ford) things can get going.”
One of the few tracks that has stayed open during the almost two months of ‘state of emergency’ status in most parts of North America is Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, split in two divisions, will be held Saturday May 2, the originally scheduled date of the Kentucky Derby. Racing at Churchill Downs is tabbed to begin on May 16.
John owns a share in Charlatan with SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stables and Hertrich. The Speightstown 3-year-old is 2-for-2 in his career and heads the first division of the Arkansas Derby.
“He’s a beast,” said John. “I was lucky enough to be invited into this ownership group. He has not been in a graded race yet but he’s a pretty good horse. He ran a 105 Beyer Speed Figure first time out and then a 106 in his allowance win.”
Charlatan has post 1 in the first division of the Arkansas Derby and will be heavily favoured.
And if Charlatan is not exciting enough a 3-year-old star prospect, Fielding is also a partner in AUTHENTIC, another Kentucky Derby contender trained by Bob Baffert.
More from Canadian Thoroughbred:
