Trainer puts trust in Black Tie Event
Anthony A. Stabile has trained thoroughbreds off and on since 1980 in the East and Midwest while also serving as a jockey agent and stable manager.
He won with seven of 19 starters in 2009 and trained a graded-stakes performer in Slowhand in 2001, but also had years when he went 4for-88, 1-for-58 and 0for-44.
This year has been so different. Not only has he won with 14 of 107 starters, but he also moved with 20 horses from Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., to Golden Gate Fields, where he’ll run Black Tie Event in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Berkeley Handicap.
Francisco Duran, who combined with Stabile to win Thursday’s third race with 19-1 shot Daddy Duke, rides Black Tie Event on Saturday.
“It just goes to show in how short a period of time people can be successful,” Stabile said. “I met Eddie Bayeh, a successful businessman in Erie, and we started talking. We came up with a plan to have a couple of horses to fool around with at Presque Isle. We bought a couple of cheap fillies and they paid their way.”
Bayeh — who races as Hill Farm LLC and has a partner in John Kramer — and Stabile expanded their stable and claimed Black Tie Event for $7,500 on July 6. Black Tie Event won two allowance races in the next three weeks.
“I went to work on him with paints (therapeutic leg ointments), sweats and ice and here we are,” Stabile said. “I pride myself on bringing horses back to their better days. I was taught if they’re eating well, training well and running well, keep them going. As long as they eat and they’re sound enough, I’ll run.”
Their success at Presque Isle Downs, whose season ended Oct. 5, prompted Stabile and Bayeh to look at Golden Gate Fields instead of shifting to Penn National. Both Presque Isle and GGF have a Tapeta Footings synthetic surface.
“After taking with Patrick (Mackey, GGF’s racing secretary), it made sense to come out here,” Stabile said. “I promised to stay until I have to go back to Presque Isle (whose 2018 season opens May 20). That’s our base, but I hope I can continue with this rotation the rest of my life.”
Black Tie Event drew the No. 13 post in a field of 14 for Saturday’s 11⁄16-mile race, but that should be no problem for a horse with such keen front-running speed.
“You can’t beat what you can’t catch,” Stabile said. “You can only beat speed with speed. I’m going to the front, plain and simple. My horse is an open book. You can send the 49ers’ front line to soften him up and it isn’t going to happen.”
Black Tie Event proved his mettle in running second in a stakes-quality allowance race Oct. 29 in his second start at Golden Gate Fields. Bronze Star pressured him from the start on a blazing pace, but Black Tie Event put him away leaving the second turn and was passed only by Force in the final sixteenth. Force will be one of the favorites Saturday.
“The only way you can beat this horse is if you time your run,” Stabile said. “If he sees you, you’re done.”
Stabile’s first experience with racehorses came with New York trainer Mike Sedlacek.
“He invited me to the barn when I was in high school, and I quit high school two weeks later,” he said. “I love animals in general, and dogs and horses are my two favorites. I always had a knack with mean dogs and nasty children being attracted to me. I thought maybe I had a gift.
“I’m not rich or goodlooking, but I believe I have a bond with animals. Just give me some stock and I’ll get them there.”