J. Paul Reddam has learned the hard way that horse racing can be acruel business. He thought Ten Most Wanted could win the Kentucky Derby in 2003,only to see the horse bumped out of contention at the starting gateand finish ninth. Ten Most Wanted, in which the Canadian had a minority stake, wenton to finish second to Empire Maker in the Preakness, but the dreamwas over. "Since then I learned you go in with low expectations and besurprised," he said Wednesday. "And right now I'm surprised - whichis a good thing." The unassuming Reddam is also in the spotlight with his horse I'llHave Another on the verge of joining the select club of TripleCrown winners. "I want to maintain low expectations," he added. "They're probablynot - under hot lights - really low. But I just know in a horserace, a lot of things can go wrong, so I'm just hoping that theyall go right one more time." I'll Have Another has yet to disappoint. "It's a little bit of a fantasy ride," Reddam said ahead ofSaturday's Belmont Stakes, "because I've actually had to watch theDerby and the Preakness a few times to see 'Oh that reallyhappened."' A former philosophy and logistics professor at California StateUniversity, the 56-year-old native of Windsor, Ont., is presidentof CashCall, a California-based company that offers shortterm,high-interest consumer loans. Jockey Mario Gutierrez, a Mexican who calls Vancouver his secondhome after riding there, wore the Cash-Call logo on a plain whitetop when he attended Wednesday's Belmont draw. The low-key Reddam opted for a dress shirt with open neck. Reddam founded Ditech. com, a mortgage loan company known for itsuse of TV and billboard advertising to show current rates, beforeselling it to General Motors in 1999 for a reported $240 millionUS. He got into standardbred racing through a friend, turning tothoroughbred racing in 1988. Reddam currently owns 35 thoroughbredhorses and looks to add to his stable. "Always. Because you just never know where your next horse is goingto come from," he said. He bought I'll Have Another as a two-year-old for $35,000 US on theadvice of trainer Doug O'Neill's brother Donnie at the OcalaBreeders Sales. At the time, Reddam did not expect much. "Not really special in that any horse that he buys he always says,'Oh this is the one.' So he bought six and somehow they were allthe one at the particular sale. And I'm thinking, 'Well, OK, theone you just said this was the champion and I said OK. And nowthree minutes later, now this other one's the champion.' "So to me, to be honest, he was another one of a group of horses.Before they run, you think they all have that potential, butgenerally that doesn't pan out." I'll Have Another got Reddam's attention in his maiden race lastJuly at Hollywood Park when he won a 5.5-furlong race. "Pretty impressive," he said. "We thought he was stakes calibre atthat point." I'll Have Another won his next race in August, then finished sixthon a sloppy track in September. Reddam lives in California but his father and brother still live inWindsor so he does return home "here and there." His California home is about 40 minutes from both Hollywood Parkand Santa Anita. He reckons he gets to the track once or twice on weekends, whenhe's running horses. A weekday visit is rare "because I work." The Belmont Park notes say I'll Have Another is named for Reddam'sfondness for wife Zillah's homemade cookies. Reddam offers a slight correction, however. "Not necessarily her cookies. It could be any cookies. People havesaid 'Well, what kind of cookies?' No, any cookies. "Even stale cookies. I have a weakness that way.". The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Iphone Docking Connector , Motorola Xoom Keyboard Case Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Smartphone Replacement Parts today!
Related Articles -
Iphone Docking Connector, Motorola Xoom Keyboard Case Manufacturer,
|