Second Time’s a Charm for Dougherty

By Christie DeBernardis
    There has been a lot of buzz surrounding GI Preakness S. runner-up Ride On Curlin (Curlin) during his trip down the Triple Crown trail, but his owner Daniel Dougherty has managed to keep a low profile, letting trainer Billy Gowan entertain the press. The soon to be 56-year-old got his start in the horse racing business six years ago when he was introduced to Gowan by jockey Corey Lanerie. 
    “I have always been a horse racing fan and six years ago I got introduced to Billy Gowan, our current trainer, and bought into one of his horses [Readyroll in 2009] with him on a partnership, and I’ve been racing ever since,” he explained. 
    Dougherty continued, “Billy is very hands on and a good horseman. His father was a horse vet growing up, so he’s got good knowledge of the horses and their make up. We are able to be pretty active as owners with Billy and that’s important to me.” 
    Ride On Curlin is only the second horse Dougherty has ever purchased–and the first he has owned outright–when he was hammered down for $25,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. 
    “Billy [Gowan] spotted him first,” Dougherty remarked. “He had very good pedigree and had a good back end. Those were what attracted me the most. He was a little crooked up front. I was a little concerned about that, but that ended up working itself out. He grew up as a 2-year-old and he straightened up pretty well up front.” 
    Dougherty turned down an offer of over a million dollars for the dark bay following his record setting 7 3/4-length graduation at Ellis Park last July. 
    “We were offered north of million, but we just decided to run him ourselves and it’s paid off, so we are happy to still have the horse,” he commented. “We have had offers since, but I really don’t want to sell the horse. That’s the bottom line. It would have to be something crazy and then it would still be hard.” 
    While Dougherty no longer has Readyroll, he did purchase two more colts at the last Keeneland September sale, one by Super Saver and one by War Chant, who will soon be shipped to Kentucky and bring Gowan’s four-horse stable up to six. 
    “We sent [Ride On Curlin] down to Barry Eisaman to be trained in Ocala, Florida at Eisaman’s training center [after the sale], which is where he spent the winter,” Dougherty said. “Now, we have two 2-year-olds down there with Barry that will be delivered to us in a couple of weeks when we get back to Churchill and they are usually ready to hit the track around six weeks after that. They will run at Churchill or Ellis.” 
    After spending just short of two decades in the furniture business, the Kentucky resident was forced to close his two remaining stores last summer and now concentrates on his racehorses full time. 
    “I had 16 furniture stores for 17 years and when the recession hit hard in 2008 and 2009 it just became impossible to keep them open,” Dougherty said. “We had an American made brand and business fell off in half. We just couldn’t keep them open any longer. I am just focusing on the horses right now.” 
    Ride On Curlin has kept his owner pretty busy as one of just three horses–the other two being California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) and General a Rod (Roman Ruler)–to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown. Prior to competing in the Oaklawn Park GI Kentucky Derby prep races this winter, the dark bay ran at Big Sandy in the GI Champagne S., where he finished a very respectable third behind J “TDN Rising Stars” J Havana (Dunkirk) and Honor Code (A.P. Indy) in just his fourth lifetime start Oct. 5. It was that performance that gave Dougherty hope that his hard knocking colt could go far. 
   “There is no way you could ever imagine [making it to the Triple Crown] I don’t think,” Dougherty enthused. “We’re thrilled. When we brought him up here and ran him in the Champagne last fall, I had a feeling that the horse was certainly good enough to compete at a national level and I would have been disappointed if we were not able to do so as a 3-year-old.” 
    Seventh in the Kentucky Derby, Ride On Curlin determinedly chased California Chrome down the Preakness stretch and though he fell 1 1/2 lengths short of that rival, he was 6 1/2 lengths clear of third place finisher Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the Nile). Both Gowan and Dougherty feel their charge will relish the longer distance of the Triple Crown’s final leg. 
    “We think he will do very well at this distance,” Dougherty remarked. “I am pretty excited about it and I think our chances are good. I thought our chances were good in the Preakness and I was happy with our performance. The added distance should put a new twist on the race, so that will be interesting.” 
    Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be the newest Triple Crown pilot for Ride On Curlin, who was ridden by fellow Hall of Famer Calvin Borel in the Derby and the red hot Joel Rosario in the Preakness. Dougherty and Gowan were thrilled with Rosario’s ride in the Preakness, but the young jockey was already committed to GII Peter Pan S. hero Tonalist (Tapit) for the Belmont. 
    “We can’t seem to get any consistency on the jockeys, but we are happy to have Johnny V,” Dougherty commented. “I have never met him before but I know he is a good rider. We are glad to have him. We liked all the jockeys that have ridden the horse, but it’s a business and everybody moves around.” 
    As for his thoughts on facing California Chrome for the third time Dougherty said, “California Chrome is a very strong horse. I think he is the horse to beat, but there are other good horses in the race too so you have to watch out for all of them. I think [Ride On] Curlin will run well. He is ready to run.” 
    Anyone that has spent time at Belmont Park this week can see that a friendship has formed between the connections of the Preakness one-two finishers. Handshakes and laughs were exchanged at Wednesday morning’s draw and Gowan and exercise rider Bryan Beccia were spotted on the rail early Tuesday to check out the California star about a half hour before Ride On Curlin hit the track. 
    “We love hanging around them,” said Dougherty, who has also spent a lot of time with Team Chrome throughout the Triple Crown. “We requested to be stallmates with them again up here after the Preakness. It’s been a fun ride. It’s going to be hard going home and knowing the Triple Crown will be over some way or another. If we can’t win it, I would certainly like to see [California] Chrome win the Triple Crown.” 
    While future plans will not be made definite until after the Belmont, Dougherty is looking towards Monmouth Park’s GI Haskell Invitational as Ride On Curlin’s next start, which he hopes to follow with a trip to Saratoga. The dark bay is the 12-1 fourth choice on the morning line for Saturday’s “Test of Champions” and will exit post five.