Serendipity has a lot to do with Mark Horner ending up with the horse that changed his life. In October of 2004, the St. Marys, Ont.-based trainer was arriving at the Kentucky Standardbred sale in Lexington when fellow trainer Garth Gordon told Horner to go straight to the auction ring and buy a Northern Luck—Better Butter colt named Button Up.
“He loved him,” Horner said. “I went on Garth’s word. We had spent time looking at horses before and I have great respect for his advice… I did check (Button Up) quickly and he looked good, so we bought him.”
The price was $18,000, but little did Horner know at the time, but Button Up would end up earning more than 41 times that amount. Over 12 racing seasons, the Ontario Sired horse earned $752,692 before being retired from racing earlier this year due to health reasons at age 13. Button Up won 49 times over 341 career starts in which he hit the board a whopping 170 times (50 per cent with a career record of 49-71-50).
Horner said he would have liked Button Up to earn his 50th career win, but, “We will have to be happy with 49 wins and incredible stats.”
The highlight of the horse’s 12-year racing career actually came in year one when he won the $300,000 Battle of Waterloo in 2005 at Grand River Raceway by seven lengths with Horner’s brother, Mike, in the sulky. “Our whole family was there it was a great day,” Mark said.
Over the next 11 years, Button Up continued to churn out money for Mark, who has trained the winners of more than $7 million in his career.
“I think like all great horses, he had the will to compete and win and he was tough as nails,” Mark said. “He had great gate speed and was sound for a lot of years.”
The trainer said Button Up “covered up a lot of mistakes” made with other horses. “I had nice ones before him like Cassidy Seelster, The Masters and few others, but (Button Up) put me in position every year to play the game and get one like Franceschetti and Pinky Tuscadero. In short, (Button Up) has been team captain for many years.”
Mark said Button Up has a home for life at the trainer’s farm and is enjoying retirement.
“Let's just say he has us all trained,” Mark said. “He's the boss and the rest of us are his servants. He's a beautiful animal and we have been blessed to have him in our life.
“Sometimes it is just getting the right halter at a sale.”
(Courtesy Ontario Racing)
Well said Gord Brown.All
Well said Gord Brown.All horses deserve a good home irregardless of wether they made a million dollars or a $110.dollars. It is not there fault they weren't fast enough. They want a good home and a good life as much as the million dollar winner. Imagine if humans were punished because they weren't good enough to make it to the professional level. This has always been one of my pet peeves about the race game.
Congratulations Horner Stable
Congratulations Horner Stable amazing management. David I couldn't agree and disagree more. Every horse needs a good home regardless of fame. If a horse can't cut it, it's not their fault.
I just want to say, there
I just want to say, there should be an unwritten law about horse owners making sure the GOOD ones can have a home like one one explained in this article. I have been to the standardbred riding shows and see way too many horses that never got to the races and have found a wonderfull home.They don't diserve it as much in some cases and surely the old war horses DO!
Thank the HORNER family for making my day.
Nice to hear you are giving
Nice to hear you are giving him a home for life. He was a good horse for you and should be treated that way. I just want you to know if I had any money left over at that sale I would bought him myself.