Nip/Tuck Actress Kelly Carlson Steps Up For LongRun

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing actress Kelly Carlson who portrays the character Kimber Henry on the TV series Nip/Tuck. Carlson is a classic Hollywood beauty and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Minnesota native has a beautiful soul to match. The star has been spending a great deal of time in Toronto of late and has stepped up as a volunteer for the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society. I was fortunate to catch up with Carlson at a stable just north of Toronto where Carlson is instructing a young rider, Amanda, on the finer points of flat work with LongRun graduate Young Heart.

Actress Kelly Carlson has been volunteering for LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society


Carlson is an accomplished equestrian having trained with the United States Pony Club as a youth. "I started riding when I was four. My mother had horses," Carlson recalls. "I started riding at Highland Hill Training Centre, which is a three-day eventing barn,” said Carlson. “That's when I joined the United States Pony Club, which is very big in Minnesota. It is a very strict organization, because you are riding competitively at that point."

A whirlwind career has seen Carlson graduate from the Minneapolis theatre scene to be cast in movies such as Made Of Honor, Player 5150, Paparazzi and The Marine. You may also have caught Carlson in episodes of CSI and CSI Miami. Though Carlson has smoothly transitioned into the world of acting, a love for horses has never left her.

A young Kelly Carlson had no trouble getting "air time"


While in Toronto, Carlson made time in her busy schedule to get back to her equestrian roots. An Internet search landed Carlson on the LongRun homepage and a short time later the actress was pulling on her boots and getting stuck into some stable work with LongRun Adoption Coordinator Sheri Van Sickle.

“Kelly just rolled up her sleeves and said ‘which stall do you want me to muck,’” revealed Van Sickle. “Kelly is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to horses, especially when it comes to anatomy and sciences."

Before long Carlson had agreed to sponsor LongRun horse Sabina Park for a year. Through Van Sickle, Carlson was introduced to an up-and-coming equestrian by the name of Amanda and the actress volunteered her services as an instructor.

"I have a lot of patience to learn and teach flat work," said Carlson. "I love jumping and I'm very good at it but I really enjoy the process of bringing up a horse for dressage and flat work. I'm not a patient person at all but for horses I have it."

Amanda and Young Heart pose with Kelly Carlson


Amanda, 17, has been riding since she was ten years-old. Her family adopted Young Heart through the LongRun program as it was an affordable way to acquire a sound horse with the necessary talents for eventing. "I just want to have a good riding horse who is happy and healthy," stated Amanda. "I was excited that I found something (jumping) that he wants to do. I don't want to push him into something he doesn't like."

As for working with Carlson, the youth's eyes lit up as she answered, “Kelly is so patient. I could feel myself and Young Heart relaxing as she was coaching. I'm more comfortable and it's easier to control him.”

The lesson was a sight to behold. With utmost patience, Carlson stood in the middle of a dusty training barn, twirling a whip and shimmying in spot, as she directed a rhythmic banter at Amanda on balance, breathing and body contact as the young rider endlessly circled the actress on Young Heart. "Keep your eyes forward and feel what you are asking him to do,” coaxed Carlson. “Eyes forward…stay back...and walk." As if on cue, Young Heart learned his lesson responding to Amanda's touch and geared down from a trot to a walk.

Kelly Carlson calls out the commands to Amanda


Following the lesson, Amanda and Carlson diligently groomed Young Heart before allowing the ex-racer a chance to graze and relax following the workout. Carlson is clearly impressed with Amanda's progress. "She has an incredible seat. A lot of people cannot organize their body. You have to relax your stomach, but keep your calves firm and your quads relaxed. Shoulders must be back and at the same time you have to pay attention to what the horse is doing. Amanda is very quiet on a horse. Good seat, good legs. A real excellent natural rider."

Kelly Carlson - Actress and Equestrian


Despite the compliments, there is still much work to be done. "My goal is for Amanda to become really strong in the flats," declared Carlson. "Anybody can get on a horse and clear a fence but it's the riding between the fences that is difficult. She needs to add a bit of dressage to her routine and get a better balance to be connected to her horse. They have to become a team working together and learn a language between each other."

What must not be forgotten in all of this is that Amanda is not the only one learning a new skill. Young Heart, like all of LongRun's horses, is a former racehorse. Young Heart's pedigree is a who's who of local racing. By Alydeed, a multiple Stakes winner at Woodbine for Kinghaven Farms, out of an Afleet dam named Light Powder, Young Heart raced nine times before being retired.

Now into a second career, Young Heart has become a much-loved member of Amanda's family. It is encouraging that the handsome, athletic horse now has a chance to prove himself in a new setting. Not all thoroughbreds can become Triple Crown winners, but each one deserves a chance at a productive life. LongRun is there to make sure that those ex-racers who enter their program are able to find a new career suitable to their talents.

To raise funds and awareness for the LongRun program, Carlson will be assisting with the organization of the Fourth Annual LongRun Gala Spectacular in Celebration of the 150th Running of the Queen's Plate. The event will be held Friday, September 25, 2009. The $250 ticket will provide supporters with a chance to rub elbows with Woodbine personalities and maybe learn a thing or two about horses from a Hollywood stunner.

Please click on the following link to learn more about the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

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If you would like to hear more on this story, please visit the feature article published this past week in Down The Stretch newspaper.

Photo Essay: Let It Rain!

It was a stormy summer weekend in Toronto which made life difficult for handicappers trying to forecast three big WEG races: The Wonder Where, third leg of the Triple Tiara, held on Saturday at Woodbine; the $720,000 Maple Leaf Trot held at Mohawk on Saturday night; and the GII Nijinsky held on Sunday at Woodbine.

A thorough review of the Nijinsky was posted here yesterday.

Brooklyn Backstretch was in town for barely 24 hours and despite the rain, and time constraints,we managed to take in both the Wonder Where and Maple Leaf with a little time left over for a backstretch visit. How appropriate!

What follows is a photo recap of a whirlwind tour of the brilliant Woodbine product.

Saturday July 25th - Woodbine Racetrack - 12PM

After lunch and bevvies in the Favourites Dining Lounge we headed down to the paddock, dodging raindrops, to find a spot to watch the horses.

It was lonely in the walking ring for this poor wet duo


Emma-Jayne Wilson waits patiently for Still Learning who still is...


Eurico Rosa Da Silva would celebrate the monsoon with Brazilian Wedding


Gray and gloomy for the Wonder Where post parade


It was gray at the wire too as Tasty Tempation won convincingly


Patrick Husbands and Tasty Temptation pose for photos


It was raining hard enough that the post-race hose down may not have been necessary


Jeff Bratt gets the details from Patrick Husbands and Mark Casse


Saturday July 25th - 7PM - Mohawk Racetrack

From Woodbine to Mohawk in 25 minutes in time to meet Darryl Sittler


It was a dark and stormy night...


The harness paddock was buzzing with anticipation for the Maple Leaf Trot


Sakic Seelster is happy to hang out with Melissa Snook


The rain did not keep the fans away from Mohawk


Congratulations to San Pail on winning the Maple Leaf Trot


Sunday July 26 - 7AM - Woodbine Backstretch

A few short hours later we're on the Woodbine backstretch. Teresa says good morning to Wollemi Pine


Aline - groom for Rahy's Attorney, Wollemi Pine, Southdale and others - is popular along the shedrow


Eurico Rosa Da Silva takes a Sam-Son horse out for a spin


Apprentice Caroline Duquet works hard each and every morning galloping for a variety of stables


Hey you! Brooklyn is that-a-way!


By 9AM Sunday morning, Brooklyn Backstretch was in the car racing to Saratoga to continue her summer adventure. Next visit we'll attempt to hit at least three racetracks in one day. Perhaps a visit to Fort Erie and a meet-and-greet with Equispace will be in the cards.

Welcome to Toronto, come on back soon!

Rahy's Attorney Lays Down The Law

As I walked through the tunnel from the Woodbine backstretch and out onto the polytrack to watch the Sunday morning workouts, I was distracted by a loud snort and a gruff whinny. I turned towards the ruckus and was confronted by Rahy's Attorney being led back to the barn by Ian Black's assistant trainer Jeff "Skippy" Bowen. "Hey Keith," called out Bowen. "I think Rahy's trying to get your attention."

Rahy's Attorney on the morning of the Nijinsky


A few short hours later, Rahy's Attorney caught the attention of everyone with a powerful victory in the GII $339,100 Nijinsky Stakes defeating Marchfield and Champs Elysees in the process.

Bowen was busy Sunday morning overseeing a stable full of gallops and works for Black's barn but had time for a few words on a horse he holds in the highest regard. "Rahy has such a high cruising speed," stated Bowen matter of factly. "When he kicks, he kicks further than other horses can go." It was a statement made with a serious amount of respect for a five year-old gelding who is improving with each start.

Rahy's Attorney made his first start of 2009 in the GIII Connaught Cup and set a wicked pace despite carrying 126 pounds. Travelling one mile on the turf course, the son of Crown Attorney raced through fractions of 46.94 and 1:10.28 for jockey Slade Callaghan only to be caught at the wire by Sterwins in a track record time of 1:38.99. It was an impressive performance for Canada's reigning champion male turf horse in his season debut.

In his next start, Rahy's Attorney exacted a measure of revenge by defeating Sterwins in the GII King Edward Handicap at a distance of a mile and an eighth. Callaghan took his charge to the lead once again hitting the markers in 47.83 and 1:10.35 before being challenged by the multiple graded stakes winner Sterwins at the top of the stretch. This time, Callaghan and Rahy's Attorney would not be passed as the big horse refused to be headed and sped through the wire in a track record time of 1:44.73. It was a record that had stood for fourteen years, the previous record of 1:45.20 being set by Bold Ruritana on June 18, 1995.

Two starts into the meet and Rahy's Attorney had set the pace for two track records and showed no signs of slowing down.

Sunday's GII Nijinsky Stakes pushed the marker another eighth of a mile further as the gelding owned by Ellie Boje Farm, Dean Read, Mitch Peters, and Jim and Jean MacLellan stretched out to take on five foes in a ten furlong test.

GI winner Champs Elysees shipped in from Belmont along with rider Alan Garcia. The six year-old multiple GI winner had raced twice previously over this course with a win in the G1 Northern Dancer and a hard closing third in the G1 Canadian International.



Mark Casse's Marchfield, another graded stakes winner, would have plenty of pace to run at for jockey Patrick Husbands. The Melnyk Stables trainee was Canada's older male horse of the year on the main track in 2008 but has only five previous lifetime starts on the turf.



Spice Route, trained by Roger Attfield, was a rallying second in the Canadian International won by Marsh Side last October keeping Champs Elysees a neck behind. Jim McAleney retained the mount.



Sam-Son Farms entered two horses in the event. Catch The Luck, a four year-old gelding by A.P. Indy had never won on the turf but showed improving form with consecutive victories in allowance events. Queen's Plate winning jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva would steer the closing specialist.



French Beret had been in the money in 20 of 37 lifetime turf starts going into the Nijinsky, but only four wins. Todd Kabel had the unenviable task of ensuring Rahy's Attorney did not race with an uncontested pace.



From the opening bells, French Beret went to the lead opening up a four length lead on Rahy's Attorney reaching the half in 50.74 over a soft turf course. The remainder of the pack were bunched up some seven lengths behind Rahy's Attorney. Sprinting down the back stretch, Callaghan allowed the big gelding some rein and the pair skimmed swiftly along the rail dispatching French Beret with ease to open up a five-length lead turning into the stretch.

As the field charged down the long straightaway to the finish, Alan Garcia initiated a wide rally aboard Champs Elysees and Patrick Husbands urged Marchfield off the rail and into contention. The Woodbine grandstand roared as Callaghan and Rahy's Attorney continued their stride through the stretch.

The field chases Rahy's Attorney in vain


Marchfield loomed closer as the leader passed the tote board but there would be no denying the brave gelding as Rahy's Attorney stopped the clock in 2:08.42 winning by nearly two lengths. Marchfield would finish second keeping Champs Elysees six lengths in arrears.

You can't catch me!


Following the race, the connections celebrated in the winners circle and lauded the gelding with a series of heartfelt adulations.“He ran really good over a soft turf. I wouldn't necessarily say that might be his best going," smiled Slade Callaghan. "He has a heart like no other. You can't ask for anything more than that in a racehorse."

The champ heads back to the barn


Conditioner Ian Black was equally eloquent, "I'm in awe of the horse. He's wonderful. He loves to race. He loves to win. He has so much desire and a great mind. I'm honored to be around him."

Ian Black and Renee Kieran's reflect on Rahy's Attorney


Rahy's Attorney followed this same path last year before going on to win the Woodbine Mile. It would surprise no one if the big horse scored a million dollar hat trick this fall by repeating last year's success.

Thumbs Up! Jeff Bowen, Aline Allain and Reggae lead Rahy back to the barn

Friday Fun: Horsing Around With Music

This edition of Friday Fun is all about horsing around with music. That is, bands or songs that bring our equine friends to the forefront. My own musical taste is so varied and random it's hard to put into words. At various stages of life I could have been labelled a Cure head, Emo or a Britpopper.

I have a running gag with friends where I rail on about how New Order are the greatest thing to ever have happened to music, including why they are more important and influential than the Beatles.

Truth be told, I grew up in an Irish household with a father who could get up on stage at the local and belt out a tune. His favourites were George Jones and Hank Williams. I listen to all that old country stuff as well. While fads and styles of music come and go, it's country music and its derivatives that I always return to.

However, that's not what this post is about. This post is about music and horses. Let's get at it.

An Horse- This two person indie band hails from Brisbane, Australia. Their grammatically-challenged name raises a smile each time I recommend them to a friend. Gritty and cool - head directly to iTunes and purchase!

Here's An Horse playing Camp Out on the roof of the Cooper Square Hotel in New york City


Band of Horses- Another indie band with a horsey name. Reverb and effects mashed together into one driving wall of music.

Band of Horses perform the haunting Is There A Ghost on the Letterman show


England's Kempton Park race course asked the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to give a recital at its finishing post with an eye (and an ear) to inspiring the horses to race faster as well as entertain fans.

On July 8th, the orchestra played the "William Tell" Overture, the "Lone Ranger" theme song, during a horse race. The experiment was both a success and a failure as winning horse Action Impact covered that one-mile, three-furlong course in two minutes and 20.34 seconds, more than two seconds off the record pace. Fans were delighted all the same.

Here's some footage from the odd experiment with music and horse racing


If you live in New York, you can catch Jessie Murphy In The Woods on Saturday July 25th at Passout Records in Willaimsburg. JMITW are a trio of local ladies who proclaim, "We don't sign in unison. We sing in unicorn." With odd song titles such as When I Am A Horse Again and God Save Owen Wilson you're likely to be well entertained.

Jessie Murphy In The Woods performing their ode to Eight Belles






Online music shop CD Universe offers an album entitled Great Songs About Horses.



Featured on the album are songs such as Mr Ed, Tennessee Stud and The Old Grey Mare. Hmmm...

Critically-acclaimed Ben Kweller is soon to release an album entitled, Changing Horses that promises to take on a country-esque style.

Check out the twangy single Fight from the new Kweller release Changing Horses


On the opposite end of the musical spectrum is the industrial tones of Coil. In 1986 they released an album entitled Horse Rotorvator founded on a theme of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In existence from 1982 until recently, their longevity is impressive though their music may be off the beaten path from what most horsemen enjoy!

Coil performing the traditional lullaby All The Pretty Little Horses


It gets weirder. California is home to Horse The Band who play aggressive heavy metal interspersed with video game effects. The genre is known as Ninetendocore and features a keyboard designed to replicate 8-bit video game music/chiptunes.

If you enjoyed playing The Legend of Zelda, there's still no guarantee that you'll like this


On a more traditional note, the Rolling Stones had one of their biggest hits with the love song Wild Horses. It's been covered numerous times and even if you're not a fan of the Stones you've learned all the words to this single by now.

Rolling Stones getting a bit weepy with Wild Horses


Let's end this one on a happy note. It is meant to be Friday Fun after all. Ernie Munick is a blogger, writer, handicapper and musician based at racetracks across New York. If you're on Facebook, you should be a member of Munick's Thoroughbred Racing in New York.

If you're at Saratoga for either of the twilight days (first and last Friday of the meet) or for Travers Day, you'll find Munick entertaining the punters with his unique brand of music and racing trivia.

Ernie Munick belts out the Belmont Park Boogie


Rock on horse lovers. Have a great weekend!

Photo Essay: Ladies Night At Woodbine

It was an unofficial ladies night at Woodbine Racetrack on Wednesday as an appreciative evening crowd was treated to two excellent races for fillies and mares including the Passing Mood Stakes won by Double Malt and a $72K Allowance sprint won by Edamame. There's a good bean.

Chantal Sutherland Poses in the Woodbine Paddock


On hand was Woodbine's strong contingent of female jocks including Krista Carignan, Catherine O'Brien, Melanie Pinto, Chantal Sutherland and Emma-Jayne Wilson.

Anyone concerned about the male-to-female ratio at the racetrack needs to make a visit to Woodbine on a Wednesday as the grandstand was filled with beautiful racing fans. Especially appealing was the appearance of Down The Stretch editor Eleanor LeBlanc who was at Woodbine to celebrate the birthday of the ageless Peter Gross.

(What follows is a photo review of the evening. As always, you can enlarge a photo by double-left clicking on the photo. To return to the blog, click on your computer's "Back" button.)


Twitterin' Melanie Pinto sends a message to her fans


Fourteen horses contested Wednesday's second race going a mile on the turf. If there's one thing to know about Woodbine turf handicapping, it's to find out which horse Jono Jones is riding and then take a second and third look.

Sincerely A to Z struts his stuff in the paddock


Chantal Sutherland wears her sunglasses Corey Hart style aboard Night Chapel


Slade Callaghan does his best Sean Penn impression leading No More Lakes to the track


Emma-Jayne Wilson's got her game face on!


Prince of Wales winner Corey Fraser and Majestic Tribute



Jeff Bratt making his Pepsi Pick of the Night


Sandy Hawley searches for a pun amongst the fourteen horse field.


Although Hawley hoped that Captain Mark would lead the field, there was a chance that On Wings of Trust might fly home in front. In the end, it was Jono Jones who was Golden (Glade.)


The feature race of the evening was the Passing Mood stakes which marked the return of undefeated Cawaja Beach. A host of brilliant Ontario-Bred fillies graced the paddock before taking to the turf.

Double Malt stretches her legs. A smiling groom is a good sign!


Mike Doyle, conditioner for Sans Sousi, dishes out pre-race instructions to Chantal Sutherland


Trainer Scott Fairlie gives Daniel David a leg up on Cawaja Beach


Todd Kabel and Executive Deed head to the track and then to the lead!


Lucky n ' Bold was bold to the top of the stretch but came away unlucky


Double Malt streaks to the wire ahead of Executive Deed


Cawaja Beach returns a beaten fourth after a mild rally in the stretch. Not to worry, she'll be back in the winners circle soon.


Eurico Rosa Da Silva and Malcolm Pierce congratulate Double Malt for a driving win


Emma-Jayne Wilson signs autographs for the kids


Night falls at Woodbine


Todd Kabel yuks it up with Renee Kierans after a win aboard Wookin to Run


The field heads out to race under a blue-black sky


Tyler Pizarro ushers Ushuaia out of the paddock


Catherine O'Brien's smile lights up a dark night


The post-parade for the $72K Allowance sprint won by Edamame


Following the race, Eurico Rosa Da Silva explains the winning ride to a captive audience


All in all, a brilliant Wednesday evening. Summer nights at Woodbine provide a quality card of racing in patio-weather conditions. Hope to see you there next Wednesday!