Stu Stories

My husband and I met Stuart at Giussepe's having dinner at the bar one night. I was immediately impressed by his sincerity and openness. When he found out we bred and raced Thoroughbreds, he shared his story and that he worked for Taylor Made. He and my husband Steve bonded over their love of the stallion Not This Time. We often ran into each other at the sales or at the races and Stuart was always there to congratulate us on our successes and to offer advice only if asked....

"Robby, why don't we just take one?" After a long delay sitting on a tarmac leaving Kentucky for the Timonium 2-year-old sale, Stuart Angus and I arrived to find an understaffed rental car counter, with a line that appeared to be hours long. He figured we could short-circuit the process by getting in a car and bluffing our way through the gate agent. It nearly worked; the agent's hand hovered over the button to raise the gate, before she said, "Oh, you need a rental agreement, not just a reservation."...

Over 20 years ago, when my wife Jacqueline and I first started dating, she gave me Tim McGraw's new CD, "Live Like You Were Dying." In my mid-forties then, I wasn't able to wrap my mind around or put my heart into that concept. I'd not been around anyone who lived like they were dying, when they were dying. Now I have. Stuart Angus never allowed cancer to come between him and his life. If you didn't know Stuart had Stage Four cancer for the past five years, you wouldn't...

Much has been written about our friend and team member, Stuart Angus. Knowing that many readers never met Stuart, I thought I would share a short list of facts that may help you get to know him and benefit from his life lessons. 1) Stuart taught me not to judge people too quickly. My initial perception of Stuart 25 years ago was one thing, while the real Stuart was another completely. He was tough but he had a vulnerable side and a heart of gold. 2) We should all strive...

Editor's note: Stuart Angus, a Senior Thoroughbred Advisor for Taylor Made, passed away Aug. 28 at the age of 60. His friends are encouraging those he touched to submit `Stu stories' to the TDN. How can Stuart Angus possibly be the man behind so many? I have no doubt you're going to learn that with the flood of Stu Stories to be shared. A tribute fitting of his profound impact. He knew when to listen, when to advise, and when to let you brave the world on your own...always knowing...

Editor's note: Stuart Angus, a Senior Thoroughbred Advisor for Taylor Made, passed away Aug. 28 at the age of 60. His friend, Hunter Houlihan, is encouraging those he touched to submit `Stu stories' to the TDN. "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man," is a quote attributed to Winston Churchill. I think we can all agree with that. If you had the chance to meet Stuart Angus, even once, you would undoubtedly agree that there was something about him...