When Bodexpress acted up in the starting gate, throwing jockey John Velasquez, outrider Kaymarie Kreidel and her off-track Thoroughbred Witch Hunter sprung into action. The former jockey and her former racehorse knew better than most how to go after a loose horse and, equally important, how to keep said loose horse from getting into more trouble or causing a bigger pile up.
Kreidel gave most of the credit to her horse, who she said, knows his job is to draw even with a runaway horse, not pass them.
“They love it – these ponies, once they learn this job, they love it It’s just like being a racehorse – they take pride in winning a race, and these guys take pride in catching a horse,” she said.
“And when you don’t get to catch a horse, they get mad. They do. When you can’t get a horse, and you have to pull out of it, they get pissed off. They don’t want to pull out of it. They know their job. I’ve actually had horses that I’ve had trouble pulling them up [after I’ve caught them] and I’ve had my horse turn and make ugly faces at them, trying to get them to back off.” (Paulick Report)
Although Hunter retired in 2011, he obviously hasn’t lost too much of his speed. And I love the fact that he’s being ridden in a hackamore.
As for Bodexpress, he was having fun.
“He was fine. He was playing games,” she said of Bodexpress. “I don’t know if you saw him come out of the gate but he actually lunge-bucked out of the gate and tossed the rider in the air. Rider had no shot at staying on. To him, this race was just a game and I was unfortunately the one who ended the game for him. I was the party pooper.” (Paulick Report)