helen pitts

[reenci]

the woman just won the clark today at churchhill downs....what else does she have to do before bigtime outfits realize that this here woman knows her way around a horse......instead of taking them away.

[wilf]

Yes it's nice to see that she came right back at them after developing Curlin. What a lovely versatile horse Einstein is and I love the Buckaroo sire line. In many countries steeped in racing history such as Brazil,Argentina,Australia and New Zealand you may regularly see great American sire lines nicking with old colonial blood from Britain and France and producing horses made of iron. I notice though that the infamous Midnight Cry crew are involved in this guy too as far as part ownership.

[Foggytrip]

I think at this point shes below the elite trainers on that circuit but she certainly does a very good job

[Tonno100]

When the time comes, you cannot pay enough money for the "built-up-from-scratch-against-the-odds" reputation.

[Heidilady]

I think at this point shes below the elite trainers on that circuit but she certainly does a very good job

Ah but in what way below? I mean if they'd left Curlin with her, who's to say he wouldn't have rocked it like he did? Certainly having trained a Preakness winner or a Classic winner would've given her a different image and the so called elite trainers will tell you sometimes it's just a matter of not screwing up a terrific horse. Does she just not sell herself as well or is it truly her being a woman? I can't figure out what she does that is worse in terms of quality than folks like Baffert, Shirreffs, Mott, Frankel, etc do except that owners trust them with their fancier horses and leave them there (minus the occasional personality clash). What's she done wrong that a better trainer on the circuit wouldn't have done? I'm not being snippy to anybody I promise. I genuinely don't understand and I have this thing Dutrow blurted out in my head about women just not being good at training or something. He probably doesn't think women are good at the book learnin' either but whatever.

[Foggytrip]

Below the elite trainers can be a matter of winning at a ridiculous clip, or simply having the right horses. Ive always thought she was a very nice lady, her horses make a great paddock presentation, and shes very organized in the morning. It may be a matter of just getting a shot, but at this point shes below those guys who have capitalized on their chances.

[Tesio]

I think she is a high quality horseperson.

But, she is a female, and we know she really can't be any good because Rick Dutrow says so. He knows everything!

[Twingirl]

Does she just not sell herself as well or is it truly her being a woman?

As a woman, I don't buy into the "it's because she's a woman" stuff.

I will say marketing herself. I volunteer at a Wildlife Rehab Center, the guy is a genius with the animals. He is also a Master Falconer, the youngest in the nation.

Birds of prey, and other regular birds he has rehabbed and released literally come down from the sky when he calls them. Bears take cookies out of his mouth with their mouths. He's "gifted".

But he can't market himself or sing his own praises worth a darn. And he can't even raise money. He is too busy "talking to the animals" anyway. That's his talent.

Pitts needs a better *network* , IMHO. We live in an age where no matter what you do, if it's not spun enough, nobody knows about you. Even Nobel Prize winners have this problem!

[Fair Play]

I agree. Everyone knows some amazing horse people who can't attract or keep good clients and ones who from a horse person's viewpoint aren't as good with lots. The type of person who can afford top horses is hard to tell "what's what" to.

I suspect it also has something to do with chat at a cocktail party or boardroom. Who wouldn't rather impress their business colleagues with, "I have 5 horses with Pletcher or Baffert" and get a knowing nod, rather than" I have a few with Pitts and get a blank stare". --Even if they think one is a better or equally competent horse person. (I am just using the names as familiar ones, no personal opinion intended).

[bdw0617]

I agree. Everyone knows some amazing horse people who can't attract or keep good clients and ones who from a horse person's viewpoint aren't as good with lots. The type of person who can afford top horses is hard to tell "what's what" to.

I suspect it also has something to do with chat at a cocktail party or boardroom. Who wouldn't rather impress their business colleagues with, "I have 5 horses with Pletcher or Baffert" and get a knowing nod, rather than" I have a few with Pitts and get a blank stare". --Even if they think one is a better or equally competent horse person. (I am just using the names as familiar ones, no personal opinion intended).

people who make decisions like that are the people who operate in the red year in and year out. making a decision soley to impress people who have no vested nterest in your horse racing balance sheet.


twngirl, funny you mention about nobel prize winners... one of the lessser talked aobut stories in american history, is the story of t homas edision. while the man was ovbiously, brilliant, he was more of a marketer of his ideas than he was a scientist. Contary to popular belief, edision did not invent the light bulb, the electric chair, the movie camera, AC electricty, the alakaline battery, or the telegraph, all of which are accredited to him in some shape or another. in fact, with the elctric chair, he convinced the state of NY to use DC power instead of AC power, something he actually did create, and it was probably, well, not evne probably, it was the worst death sentence carried out in united states history. the guy was electrcuited for about a minute, and did not die, so they had to put him to death using another manner after he had went though that.

but what edision was good at, is taking credit for other people's inventions and being in the right place at the right time, and spreading hte word about how great he was.

[LB]

My 2 cents: several years ago I called Helen Pitts and left a message saying that I had 2 2YO fillies, one by Street Cry, one by Elusive Quality. Both were at a training center and they were ready to move to the track. I told her I was looking for a new trainer and wished to discuss it with her at her convenience. I never got a call back. Maybe that's why she has trouble attracting or keeping clients.

[wilf]

Maybe Helen is happy with her numbers,why on earth would she want the headache of a hundred well bred expensive yearlings ,8o of which will probably have her on the phone to unhappy owners; who needs that. Look what greed and high numbers has done for Pletcher,Asmussen,Lake and Cole Norman; drug positives and horses that don't train on and sometimes personal disintigration, I think I'll pass. If she keeps Curlin she's a happier camper with two very good ones in the barn . Those big guys always have agents on the lookout for promising young stock and the Curlin saga will be re-written as long as horses race. I would love to read an article about her routine and expectations though.

[Foggytrip]

Id think she would call you back. We will take them

[reenci]

i gotta believe its not luck but a gift she must have.......going to keep this woman in mind.

[leveeguy]

I believe she's from the Monkton area in Maryland. There's an awful lot of good horsemen -- and horsewomen -- up there. Must be something in the water.