08-30-14

YouthMovementBona Venture hopes to exposeyounger age group to ownershipBY DAN TORDJMANOn a busier day at Saratoga, youmight’ve missed Kyle Burrell standingabout 20 feet from the Sea Herostatue in the center of the track’s lushpaddock. But on this day, there aren’tmany people here, and there certainlyisn’t anyone glowing quite like thesharp-dressed Bostonian. His pristineblue suit has nary a wrinkle andBurrell’s smile appears permanentlypressed on his boyish face.Burrell’s cool exterior hides theusual anxiety he feels in these situations.In just minutes, a dark bayridgling named Smooth Bert will taketo the track. The horse will carry 120pounds, as well as the hopes of morethan a dozen unlikely owners, Burrellamong them.“I don’t have any kids but I’mguessing it’s what it feels like whenyour kids do well at sports. You getnervous thinking about it,” Burrellsaid.Just two years ago, Burrell couldhardly conceive of such a physiologicalreaction. He had no connection tothis horse, few ties to racing and evenless knowledge of horse ownership.Then, one night, he saw somethingRACE 1: Follow the game long enough and you get to know certaintrainers strengths and weaknesses without even looking at “The Form.”For D.W. Lukas, in recent years, firsters and first turfers have been thebugaboo. That being said, he has to win sometime in those categories,and today’s opener seems like it’s worthy. #1 SIERRA DELTA has awhopping 381 Turf Tomlinson (45 points higher than the next best, anda cavernous 96 points more than anyone else), and is facing no monstershere. #3 FIRESPIKE has experience, which others lack, Javier onhis back, and a race over the track (“Holy Nipsey Russell, Batman!”).Logical. #7 EPSILON is nicely bred for the green stuff, has been workingwell, and Kiaran’s finishing with a flourish. OFF TURF: 8-10-3-6-1Dan Collins (second from left) talks racing in the paddock.during an online stream of a basketballgame involving his alma matter,St. Bonaventure University.“There was a commercial on BonaVenture Stables with Dan’s emailaddress on it. I just said to myself,‘there’s probably not a chance that Ican buy a racehorse but I’m curious.’And that’s how it started,” Burrellsaid.The Dan whose email Burrell gotfrom the commercial was Dan Collins,founder and manager of BonaVenture Stables. Collins was lookingto syndicate shares in horses and theestimated rate for 10 percent of theirup-and-coming 2-year-old, SmoothBert, was a little more than $10,000.See YOUTH page 47AttentionRunnersInterested inan excellent adventure?Tom Law’sBourbon Chase team“Runamuck Old Batch”is in need of runners,1 male, 1 female.Oct. 10-11in Lexington area.Tod MarksGood time guaranteedand no pressure to be fast.Call Tom at 859-396-9407or emailtom@thisishorseracing.com46 The Saratoga SpecialSaturday, August 30, 2014