Timbo Timbo Nearing Retirement

Published: December 15, 2008 08:19 pm EST

A big birthday is coming up for the 14-year-old pacer Timbo Timbo. On January 1, the universal birthday of all horses, he'll reach the mandatory retirement age of 15.

Not that the stallion needs any time off. According to owner and trainer Kelly Clark, the winner of 10 races in 25 starts this year seems to thrive on work.

"He's the type of horse that as long as you keep him happy, he's going to give you everything he's got," Clark said.

Timbo Timbo was among 55 14-year-olds that raced at least once in 2008. Among that group, Swingin Glory, who last raced in May, was the leader in career purses, with $817,082.

Clark ought to know what keeps Timbo Timbo happy. His current round of ownership is the second time he's owned the horse. In 2000, he bought him privately when the horse was recovering from a bought of lameness.

"A friend of mine got him cheap out of Freehold after he was a vet scratch; he was pretty sore," Clark said. "I was helping him out, getting him back and sort of got attached to him. I ended up buying him for $5,000. He was sounder at that point."

Clark got Timbo Timbo, who had a fairly distinguished career as a younger horse with wins in the Simcoe Stakes (beating His Mattjesty by a nose) and a start in the Little Brown Jug, back to the races. Lifetime, Timbo Timbo has won 65 races and $563,719, including $26,910 this year.

"He was claimed him from me and they took him to New York, but then the first shot I had, the first time he came back here [to Saratoga], I claimed him back for $5,000. I just loved him and he was my boy. I figured he did so good for me, I was a little worried, but I said the heck with it, I'm taking him anyway. I figured even if I didn't keep him racing, I'd stand him at stud.

“I'm going to have him at my farm for my own personal use,” he added. “There are so many stallions out there, but there are a couple of people looking to breed a mare to him."

Clark has used a little equine psychology to figure out what make Timbo Timbo happy and racing well.

"He likes his work, he likes his paddock. The main thing to keep him happy is apple cookies from the feed store. He eats too many," Clark said with a laugh. "He's quite round. People say he looks like he's in foal as they walk behind him."

The stallion is not exactly easy on his indulgent owner, though.

"He's fine around other people, but he has my number; he knows he can push me around a little," Clark said. "He likes to take little bites out of me once in a while. He doesn't mean to hurt, he's just playing. He's not mean at all."

Clark recently qualified Timbo-Timbo after a short break and hopes the horse he calls "Timmy" will be able to go out in style in the Au Revoir Pace, to be held on December 31 at Monticello Raceway in Monticello, New York. Aside from the general TLC, Timbo Timbo gets some low tech care to stay sound and racing.

"He gets a lot of cold water hosing and a lot of poultices after he races," Clark said. "He goes back and forth from the track to my farm, near Ballston Spa, for his paddock time. His main thing is just being happy."

(Harness Racing Communications)

Tags
Have something to say about this? Log in or create an account to post a comment.