Trainer’s patience is being rewarded
Since health issues slowed trainer Lloyd Mason and finally forced his official retirement July 31, his stable has sustained its longterm success under the direction of Faith Taylor.
On Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, Taylor will saddle More Power to Him — owned and bred by Mason’s son, Brett — in the $100,000 California Derby.
“He’s coming along very nicely. He’s really matured mentally and physically,” Taylor said. “He’s just a nice levelheaded colt, just a trier.”
Taylor began her racetrack career as a hot walker and exercise rider for trainer Charlie Comiskey and moved to Mason’s stable after breaking some young horses for him at her ranch in Clayton.
“I had a Shetland pony when I was 8, and then I graduated to a horse,” she said. “He was quite a stud and somebody said, ‘You’re really good with horses; you ought to work at the track. Just go out there and ask for a job.’ ”
Taylor proved such a good horsewoman that she won world rodeo titles in 1998 and 2000 in bareback bronco riding. Along with assistant Diane Lambert, Taylor still prepares young horses for their racetrack experience.
“More Power to Him was such a late baby (foaled May 11, 2014) that we didn’t even bring him to the track until late May” last year, she said. “We brought him along slowly and we’re just really happy with the way he’s come around.”
More Power to Him finished fourth and seventh in two sprints, respectively, then put in a strong rally to win a 11⁄16-mile maiden race. He unexpectedly set the pace in the 1-mile Gold Rush Stakes and finished third, but returned to his comefrom-behind style to win a 1-mile allowance event Dec. 31. The California Derby is 11⁄16 miles.
Taylor has won with eight of 46 starters since becoming the stable’s trainer of record after Lloyd Mason collected 1,264 winners from 8,851 starters in his 36-year career.
“The biggest transition was just the responsibility of being in charge,” Taylor said. “But I’ve got a great crew and they’ve been with Lloyd for years and years also. I was hoping I’d win my share, but having a horse in the Cal Derby wasn’t something I was expecting. It’s icing on the cake.”