Remembering 'Fantastic Horseman' Tom Bowden

“Tom was a fantastic horseman, and he was a good dad.”

It’s a candid statement delivered by Greg Watson as he recalls his friend, Tom Bowden.

Tom, or ‘Coach’ as some knew him, was a father, a lifelong horseman, a horse trainer, a mentor, and simply a good friend to many who crossed his path within and outside the horse racing industry. Bowden passed away on January 20 at age 68 after a long battle with COPD. Despite his health issues, Bowden worked and trailered horses up until the day before he went into the hospital.

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Greg Watson met Tom in the mid-70s when Woodbine Racetrack hosted a quarter-horse invitational race, which he ended up winning. Not long after, Watson worked as an exercise rider when Bowden assisted trainer David Cross Jr. at Woodbine.

“I worked for him when he was running David Cross’ barn. He (Cross Jr.) had Sunny’s Halo, Big Destiny, ~~Royal Chocolate~~ … he had some really nice horses,” said Watson of the trainer who was inducted into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.

Tom Bowden. (courtesy Bowden family)

Watson recalls the time he sold Bowden a quarter horse, Heza Real Dasher. Framed win photos of the quarter horse hang in the living room of the Bowden residence among many racing photos, family photos, and dozens of racing licences that occupy the cozy home. It’s a telling landscape that encapsulates the very full life led by Thomas Richard Bowden.

Born on August 25, 1954, in the heart of Toronto, Bowden was raised in the Warden and Danforth area. One of nine kids, his younger brother, Darren recalls Tom’s love of horses developing early on, riding at Hilltop stables in Scarborough. The city landscape has changed over the last several decades and Warden Hilltop Community Centre now occupies the stables once located around Mendelssohn street.

On his 12th birthday, Tom was gifted a horse by his parents. Darren recalls his brother’s childhood being consumed by his four-legged friend. “He would go off to the stables whenever he could. He would even ride the horse down into our neighbourhood, and all the kids would crowd around.”

As a young adult, Bowden found himself working and learning the ropes of various roles within the racing industry. His daughter, Victoria, says his resume over the last four decades included “horse trainer, owner, exercise rider, he’s been so many different things to different people…stable hand, hotwalker on an odd day. I think he’s been it all.”

When asked about her dad’s highlights in the racing industry, Victoria mentions Sunny’s Halo. “He doesn’t get as much credit for it as I think he should. But he knew himself that he was the reason that horse won the Kentucky Derby.”

David Cross Jr. trained Sunny’s Halo, but Bowden was Sunny’s regular exercise rider. The chestnut horse won several stakes during his two-year-old campaign, including the Swynford, the Grey, and Coronation Futurity at Woodbine. In addition, he secured the Sovereign Award for champion two-year-old. In 1983, Sunny’s Halo captured the Kentucky Derby and in 1986 was inducted into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Around the early to mid-90s, Tom began training horses for John Burness at Colebrook Farms.

“Tom was a good horse person,” said Burness. “The number one priority for him was looking after the horses, making sure that they were getting what they required. If they weren’t 100 percent, we weren’t running the horses. Bringing along the young horses, like Appealing Phylly and Air Cool, he was good.”

Bowden was associated with developing many winners from Colebrook Farms, including Appealing Phylly, Miss Inquistive, Cool Ashlee, Air Cool – to name a few. Under Bowden’s tutelage, Air Cool secured multiple stakes wins at Woodbine, including the Vandal Stakes (’96), Display (’96), and Woodstock Stakes (’97).

In 1998, Bowden trained Appealing Phylly to win the Gr. 3 Sorority Stakes (’98) at Monmouth Park and the Glorious Song Stakes (’98) at Woodbine. In the fall of 1999, she also secured a win in the Gr. 3 Ontario Fashion Handicap. That same year, Bowden also trained Cool Ashlee, who secured a victory in the Critical Miss Stakes at Philadelphia Park before posting a runner-up finish in the Gr. 1 Mazarine Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

Bowden travelled with Colebrook horses across the border, winning races and stakes at various US tracks. During his tenure as a trainer, Bowden won over 200 races and accumulated over $5 million in earnings.

Bowden played an influential role in the lives of many who worked Colebrook. Hallam ‘Roper’ Jones, a Barbadian-born horseman, remembers his friend well. “Tom had a keen eye for seeing a good horse, and he was detailed about the barn and the horses. He gave me the confidence to be the horseman I am,’” said Jones, who continues to oversee the training and care of Colebrook’s future racehorses. “He had a lot of knowledge. People would call him for just the information he had. He knew stuff in every aspect around the horses, and people will miss him for that.”

Air Cool, trained by Tom Bowden, after winning the Display Stakes.

Fiona Levers has worked in various roles in the racing industry, riding and grooming at Beechwood Farm in ‘84 before transitioning to Colebrook Farms in 2002. This is where she crossed paths with Bowden, and was impressed by his knowledge, generosity and honesty. “He was never in it for anything but to help the horse and the person succeed – no matter who they were.”

In 2011, Levers started Hat Trick Equine in Stouffville, Ontario, and Bowden, who retired from training in 2015, played a pivotal role in running the boarding, riding and rehab operation up until he went into the hospital.

“He was always involved – he always had comments to make things better. If we were ever unsure, we would get Tom down here and tell us how it is. He was here every day, no matter what. He never took a day off. Even Christmas, he was here helping with the horses,” said Levers.

Standing in the kitchen of the Bowden residence, discussing memories of his dad, son Tom remarks, “He wasn’t a role model in the sense of a typical role model. It was more in different ways, which I realize now were more important than the typical ways. What he said in the moment would be right for what you needed to hear. It might not be what you wanted to hear, but it’s what you needed to hear.”

Victoria, 16, competes on the central east zone Trillium shows with her horse Tus Nua. Her ‘show dad,’ has taken the pair to horse shows and watches her ringside. “As a dad, he was somebody that always tried to make sure I was loved, and that I was always going to be cared for. He’s been so supportive and the best show dad ever and overall, he’s literally just done everything,” said Victoria.

Her brother also speaks candidly about his dad’s influence over the years as well. “He was the catalyst for me going into what I’m doing now and having a secure job. I’m really thankful for everything he’s done,” said Tom, who works as a stonemason. He recalls some good times spent with his dad at the track. “On the shedrow at Woodbine, Dad used to put me on Brewster, his pony, and when there was no one around he would say, ‘hold onto the reins, hold onto the horn, and he’ll walk around the shedrow.’ And I would just walk around there for hours.”

Levers added a final memory. “One day, many years ago, he was at Woodbine. He saw a homeless man walking a small pony around Toronto. He bought the pony, took him to the track, then later to the farm. I don’t know how old the pony is; ‘Shorty,’ passed away in his sleep the same night [as Tom]. So Tom had a horse to cross the bridge with.”

Many horses were probably waiting for Bowden that day, including a certain chestnut horse with a halo.

Bowden will be sorely missed but kindly remembered. A celebration of life is being planned for him later this year.