#1: How did you get involved with racing?
A: Horses have always been in my heart, even though I grew up in the city streets of downtown Toronto. My earliest memories involve watching The Black Stallion and reading Black Beauty, but the closest I got to real horses back then was at the CNE or seeing the crowd-control police horses at events. I was always drawn to them—something about their power, grace, and spirit just fascinated me.
In fact, at every turn in my life it seems that horses were always there in the background. For example, one of my first student jobs was at Knob Hill Farms, which was owned by Steve Stavro. His office walls were covered in win photos and every day, I’d clock in, stare at those pictures, and dream about what it would be like to be a part of that world.
As I got older, I started going to the racetrack with friends. We had no clue what we were doing, but it was pure fun—placing bets, cheering wildly, and just soaking in the energy.