Winning The Hambo Without Hearing The Cheers

Nearly lost in the hoopla of this year’s Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands on August 6 was the small figure of Risa Tanaka, the 31-year-old caretaker of the winning horse, Broad Bahn

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While the spotlight was on driver George Brennan and trainer Noel Daley, it was Tanaka who hugged the horse and understood him even if she could not hear the cheers that followed his victory.

Born deaf in Japan, her family moved to Christchurch, New Zealand to make sure she had the best possible chance to lead a normal life. It was there that she fell in love with horses and was introduced to standardbred racing.

That career decision brought her to North America --- she currently makes her home in Jobstown, New Jersey --- where she eventually landed in the employ of Noel Daley, who provided her with the chance to reach the pinnacle of the sport with a trotter named Broad Bahn.

It was not her first brush with a top horse. Her protégé, All Speed Hanover, won the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Colt Pace in October of 2009. But with Broad Bahn, she had formed a special relationship since he was a yearling.

Now, on the first Saturday in August in 2011, she found herself hoisting the Hambletonian trophy as the three-year-old trotter in her care won the $1.5 million Hambletonian, and wondering why her marvelous colt was resting his head on her shoulder --- only to realize it was the heavy garland of flowers that rested on his shoulders and was wearing him down.

Now, here is her story, in her words:

Leading Up To The Hambletonian

Leading up to Hambletonian Day, I was a bit surprised at myself because I was more relaxed than the Hambletonian elimination the week before. I was very nervous. My hands and knees were shaking like a leaf during the elimination. With Broad Bahn's win in the first elimination and with his post draw for the final, I felt more confident. After his elimination win, my fellow groom, Nicole Mellberg, texted to say, 'Congrats! Did you cry?' I texted back, 'No I didn't cry, I will save that for the Hambletonian final.'

I came to Noel's barn doing the same usual job, then left early to go with (caretaker) Vicki Wright and her colt, Ideal Matters, to the Meadowlands, along with Rob Pennington who came up to help us out.

Once we got to the Meadowlands, I headed to detention barn to check my colt, Broad Bahn. He was snorting at me as soon as he saw me. He threw his head around and was pushing against the gate of his stall, demanding me to 'Take me for a walk now!'

Before I took him out for a walk, I checked his water, hay and breakfast, and I remembered what Noel told me earlier in the morning, if he ate all the breakfast, give him a bit more so I gave him handful of grain. He licked that clean then I checked his temperature, perfect.

I took him for a walk and he was very relaxed and quieter. The last time he was screaming like a stud. There were moments he would playfully bite at me. Since I know him well, he never bites on purpose and he likes to grab at the lead to tuck and pull.

But that morning he did bite my hand, and I was like, 'Ow, thank you!' and playfully grabbed his neck back, and I knew he was feeling very good. After 15 minutes I took him inside the wash stall to be bathed, then took him back into his stall. Not long after, he rolled over with shavings all over him, and got himself dirty again. I was like 'Ok that's fine do what you want boy. I'm going into paddock. Okay will be back. Bye!'

I texted to Noel the update: 'Bahn ate everything, temperature very good, bit my hand while I walked him, rolled over after his bath, so far so good.' He answered back 'Great!'

I headed back to paddock to check what time, etc., making sure everything is running smoothly.

By 11 a.m. (on race day), I came back into detention, getting Bahn ready to go --- another temperature check, brush up, wrap hinds and by noon left detention, headed into the paddock.

I was told Bahn will be warmed up after the fifth race and after the seventh, so I waited, stayed with him at all times, making sure he behaves. He gets all worked up before warm up by jumping and moving around, but he was perfect, all day long, playing with the chain in his mouth and front pawing.

The photographer, Victor Blue, asked me, "What is that?" pointing to the chain in his mouth. I told him, "Oh that, he loves playing with his mouth. It relaxes him a lot." He said, "Like people smoking and for him, Bahn, playing with the chain in his mouth." I said, "Exactly! Yes!"

During his warm up first trip, I watched him and he looked so relaxed, then when he came back in, I took off his gear and gave him an ice bath, took him to the urine stall then give him water to drink, waiting for his next trip.

Noel then changed his mind and said, "Get him ready now." It was 20 minutes to the seventh race. I got him ready and out of there. I watched him second trip. He looked so good I couldn't help but smile quietly, and I watched Noel. Getting off the track he drove past George Brennan as he was getting onto the track, telling him, "He felt very good."

One Coin For Luck

Out of the blue a thought came into my mind: 'You have three quarters in your pocket, take two out and leave one in for luck.' So, I took out two and left one in. I don't know why it just came to me, so I automatically did that.

I was getting nervous when leading him down the stretch to the front paddock, looking at the crowds, taking a deep breath and smiling. It helps me relax having Rob (Pennington) walking beside me. Since I'm deaf I was worried about getting ready for the camera action (the race was televised live on NBC) and I can't hear what's going on. Rob helps me by telling me what to do and pointing me in the right direction as instructed. I was so grateful to have Rob there for me otherwise I'd be lost.

As I led him out to the track, I got the shock of a cameraman, screaming at me, "Don't move, stay where you are." I am watching him closely for a hand signal, I got confused as to whom he was signaling. When I would move, he would scream, "No!" I was like, "What's with your hand signal all over the place? I thought it was meant for me!" Fortunately 'Bahn' relaxed next to me while we waited patiently.

I let him go, putting the over-check on and said to George (driver George Brennan), "Good luck," walked back into the (winner’s) circle with Rob, holding hands for comfort. Rob and I met up with Noel, and Noel said to me, "Good luck." I said, "You, too." Then we went up onto the platform along with (prominent horse owner) Adam Victor, Sr. as we watched the Hambletonian start.

My nerves suddenly came back and I prayed, 'Come on boy. I know you can do it,' looking up to the sky.

As Bahn led, I was like, "Oh good, stay there, keep steady." then Manofmanymissions came around I was like "Uh-oh, here we go, come on boy don't let him pass!"

I was screaming as Bahn made full speed down the straight and Manofmanymissions made a break. I screamed, "Come on boy! Don't stop!"

Then he crossed the finish line I was like looking at Rob. "Oh my God, he did it! He won!"

I jumped and bear-hugged Rob and start crying. I hugged Noel, then went onto the track to get my big boy.

It was surreal, and I have to keep pinching myself that it's not a dream. It was reality that my boy, Broad Bahn, did win the Hambletonian!

My dream came true not just for me, but also for Noel, the Alber family (owner Leif Alber), Ole Bach (the stable manager that picked out the colt) and George Brennan.

It's extra special to share our first Hambletonian win for all of us as a team, and Broad Bahn did all the hard work.

After the race, inside the winner’s circle, I noticed how tired he was because he kept resting on my shoulder and I didn't realize how heavy the flowers he was carrying around were until when we got back to the paddock area. That's when Rob told me to lift the flowers. I was like, "Oh, my God, that's so heavy, no wonder why he was resting his head on my shoulder! Poor baby."

Celebrating And Reflecting

When we got home, I unloaded him as he was the first to get off (the van). The very first thing he did was go straight to the green grass, eating while still standing on the ramp, blocking two horses still inside the trailer --- Ideal Matters and All Speed Hanover. That's my boy.

I didn't celebrate the Hambletonian win that night, as I was so tired. I got back to the farm like 7:30 p.m., and we had stalls to clean up. But there was a Hambo after-party held on Sunday at 4:00 p.m., so we all celebrated together.

When I came home, I told my boyfriend, (Joie De Vie Farm’s assistant trainer) Henrik Lundell, about my lucky quarter story, and pulled it out of my pocket To my surprise, the picture on my quarter was a horse! I had no idea since I assumed it was a typical ugly quarter and didn't look before the Hambletonian race.

Broad Bahn is the best horse I ever have in my life, in my entire career in this industry. He has everything perfect --- conformation, character --- and he is a real big-hearted boy. He tries so hard all the time; no matter what he gives 110 per cent.

I still call him his full name in my barn to everyone, but I call him Big Boy or BB when I'm alone with the horse. He is the first horse I've cared for since he was a yearling and prepared him throughout his entire career.

Broad Bahn came under my care as a yearling at the end of 2009. He was already broken in and was under another groom. I was down to four horses when he came in.

Noel asked if I wanted to take him in, and I said, "yes." His size wasn't an issue to me. He was a very big colt, the biggest I had ever seen, but he was a real gentleman around me. He never bites or kicks, but he does bolt and pull when I lead him out to the paddock. But he never tried or attempted to take off. He just stops and behaves when I scold him. “Hey, don't do that!"

A lot of people asked about how quiet and well-mannered Broad Bahn was. I explained, first thing in the morning he is always turned out to take the energy out of him. He screams all the way down, dragging me with him from his stall to the first and closest paddock, and when he is inside the paddock, he automatically turns around, facing towards me, waiting for me patiently to release the chains around his nose and say, "Ok, off you go."

He will spin around, trotting away. Once he is out in paddock for two to three hours, he is calmer and relaxed. Warming up is very important in every race. It helps him relax. And he sleeps all the time.

Broad Bahn loves kids. He is very gentle with them and loves to nuzzle, playfully nibble their hands with his lips. He doesn't attempt to bite at all and loves eating carrots.

Bahn Back From Broken Bone

When he broke his hind coffin bone last October, it was heart breaking for me. Inside I knew how tough he was, and he proved that by winning the Breeders Crown elimination in 1:55.1 at Pocono Downs. He just grit and bear it, like it was all business. Once the gate went off, he trotted like a pro.

I was happy that he was pulled out of the final to focus on healing his injury, but I knew Bahn would have gone crazy being confined in a stall for six months.

When he came back into work, on his first day out of his stall, oh boy, he had gotten stronger than ever, and I couldn't handle him, walking down for his daily hand walking. We had to sedate him first for few days. I was hand walking him 20 minutes twice a day for a month, in the paddock during the winter, with knee deep snow. It was a lot of hard work, but I was very happy to have him back.

Then I would drive him with the power cart around the track, walking-only for roughly two months before he resumed jogging.

Once he started jogging, I left it for Noel or (his assistant) Mike Vanderkemp to start off for safety reasons because Bahn is very well known for leaping into air all the way down the track. He never bucks or kicks in the cart, just rearing up and leaping like a rabbit.

Once Bahn calmed down and relaxed a couple of weeks later, then I took him to jog myself when Noel said it was okay. Since then, it's either Noel or myself who jog Bahn. I never allow any drivers in my barn to jog him. Even if I'm busy, I won't allow them to take him!

It doesn't scare me when he does that rabbit hop down the track. I know him very well. I've jogged him since he was a two-year-old. I just let him do his thing, and he always calms down after a lap or two. He never pulls, that's most important in a horse. I was so fortunate to have him so well-mannered for a colt and when asked he will do it.

Finding A Home With 'Team Daley'

I have five horses this summer. There’s Bettor B Lucky, a two-year-old filly, and Southwind Swallow, a six-year-old mare, who was my first horse for Noel Daley when I worked for Mike Vanderkemp in Canada in 2008 and still is here with me. She's the longest I’ve been taking care of one. There is Caviart Sarah, a three-year-old filly, Be The Best, a two-year-old old colt, and Broad Bahn.

I had a couple of horses that won big races before Broad Bahn --- All Speed Hanover and Mystical Sunshine --- but they were under other grooms that were unable to make it to the trip, and I was just temporary.

Broad Bahn was clearly my biggest winning horse because I was there throughout his career, right from the start. He's my boy, and I treat him like my own. Up Front Hotsey was my next favoUrite after Broad Bahn. She was a very tough mare as well.

I came to Noel Daley through Mike Vanderkemp. I first came here to work for Chris Ryder in October 2006 through his brother in New Zealand. At that time I knew no one, and I was not comfortable. But then in April 2007 Chris send me up to Canada for the summer, and that's how I fell in love with Canada.

I got to know a lot of people and friends there and being so familiar with every racetrack, I've been shipping to and from, so that's why I stayed. Not only that, I found Canadians more tolerant with people like me and were willing to help me. I was looking for a job in Canada and worked for Kevin O'Reilly.

I was working for Mike Vanderkemp for three weeks. As he was headed back to New Jersey for the winter, then I worked for Tony O'Sullivan. Mike Vanderkemp came back up in Canada April 2008, and asked if I wanted to work for him again, and I did.

That's how I got to know Noel Daley the following winter and worked in his winter base in Florida in 2008-2009 and got to know more people and friends.

I went back to Canada again in 2009 for eight months and knowing I cannot stand the Canadian winter ever again, I asked Noel if he has a job for me in New Jersey for the winter and the rest is history.

Dealing With Deafness

I was born deaf. My parents didn't realize that until I was two and a half years old, after they noticed that I didn't even know my name and didn't pay any attention to usual sounds.

My family doctor confirmed that I have profound deafness since birth after tests, and I was wearing hearing aids straightaway, with intense speech lessons by the specialist.

My first language was Japanese. We came to New Zealand in 1987 for a visit after we were told by the specialist that Australia or New Zealand are the best place for me to be educated in normal life just like everyone else. Living in Japan was pure hell. I was treated like an outcast, and my family was treated like a second class citizen because of me. Having kids with disabilities or being half foreigner were taboo.

We moved to New Zealand in January 1988 when I was nine with no knowledge of the English language. I was sent to a special dual deaf/hearing school to learn English, and that's when I realized that I was different.

For the first time I met deaf students, but they were communicating by hand-sign language, and I was like, 'What's that?' But I was quickly blended in and within three months I was fluent, speaking English.

All of sudden my deaf classmates told me, "If you want to be our friends, stop talking and use sign language" I was like, "What?" I told my parents and they tried to explain, but I was still a kid I didn't understand.

My parents pulled me out of that school and enrolled me into an all-hearing school. It was hard growing up. The older I became, the more difficult challenges I faced. Even to this day I'm still learning, and I have got a lot of catching up to do.

My parents work as tour guides in New Zealand, taking foreigners around places. My brother is now living in Japan, working for a cosmetics company in senior sales management. My family has no involvement in the horse industry, and I am the first and only one. Like my deafness. I am the first and only one in the family born deaf.

Happiness With Horses

When my family moved to New Zealand, we had friends working in farm communities and their kids were riding, so they invited me and my brother to ride. I was so terrified when I rode for the first time. After I had my first fall, I swore I'll never ride ever again.

Two years later, after hearing my best friends talking about riding, I was itching to ride again and told my dad I want to ride. I was 11. Within a couple of months, I found myself going into shows, winning ribbons along the way, and was transferred to one of the best pony clubs when I was 13. I went to more shows, pony club teams, show jumping, riding different ponies along the way.

When I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to work with horses no matter what, whether it be horseback riding, jockey/galloping, polo or harness racing. Harness racing popped up first, and I got my first job at 19, six months after graduation.

I've been taught to harness, jog, train, break-in yearlings, and following the orders of trainers. When I worked (in New Zealand) it was with Doug Williamson, Nigel McIntyre/Robert Cameron, Mark Purdon, and, lastly, Colin and Julie De Filippi.

At 23 I was granted a junior driver license and won four races and 13 placings from 47 lifetime starts. I became the first of Japanese descent to win a harness race in New Zealand on April 4, 2004 with My Vicolo while working for Mark Purdon.

I quit driving in 2006 to focus on working in the United States as a groom. I am very happy where I am right now. I have a great boss, colleagues, friends, horses and working conditions here. I haven't been back to New Zealand since October 2006 and do not intend to go back any time soon. I hope to train one day on my own and my dream is to breed one from Broad Bahn and train his baby. But first I have got to find a filly/mare that matches his bloodline. That would be my dream and goal.

Going to school/college/university aren't for me. I'm terrible with communication and listening. I find it very hard with people talking with their backs or sides to me. I heavily rely on lip reading at all times, and I can hear only with familiar voices like my parents and my brother. It takes time to familiarize other people's voices. The longer I'm with same person, the more I can hear their familiar voices. I hated being interviewed on TV as I had no idea what the reporter were asking. It is hard for me. I'm afraid to speak the wrong answer.

I have no problems with my deafness in this industry because I am very familiar with horses and their systems. I'm comfortable doing what I know best.

Horses don't talk but I can read and understand their body language and express my concern to the trainer. I'm grateful for Noel and Mike to listen and hear what I'm saying. They pay a lot of attention if I have any problems with horses or work.

I'm familiar with shipping to/from races, warming up the horses and if I have any problems or questions, I'll always ask. My bosses are very laid back, and I am grateful for their trust in me to be able to handle everything, even alone and unsupervised.

(Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey)

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