Louis Phillips being presented with the winning owner's trophy by Howard Hamilton, president of the JamaicaThoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association after his horse MITAKA, trained by Philip Feanny, won Race Number Two in the TOBA Stallion Stakes Two-Year-Old Series at Caymanas Park on September 10, 2005. - CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
LOUIS 'TONY' Phillips is one of the most popular and committed racehorse owners at Caymanas Park.
He currently owns a total of 10 horses spread over four stables (Philip Feanny, Gary Subratie, Wilfred Chin, Wayne DaCosta).
Among them are four
two-year-olds, one of whom, MITAKA, won the valuable TOBA/Stallion Stakes Series No. 2 by all of 16 lengths on September 10.
Phillips, 64, has vast experience in racing not only as an owner, but as administrator as well.
When the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) was started by the Government in 1973, he was one of the first Commis-sioners under the chairmanship of the late Sir John Mordecai.
He actually did two stints as JRC Commissioner, firstly from 1973 to 1980 and again in 1989, actually serving as acting chairman when the ailing John D. Hall was forced to step down as chairman that year.
Phillips was also a Commis-sioner of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BG&LC) in the 70s and knows the regulatory process inside out.
Indeed, in the 70s he was mandated to carry out a study on tote monopoly and journeyed to the famous Longchamp racectrack in Paris, France to observe the system which was successfully implemented in that country.
A true ambassador of the Sport of Kings, as horseracing is called, while at the JRC in the 70s, Phillips was instrumental in piloting Jamaica's participation in the Caribbean Classic and in later years successfully lobbied to get Trinidad and Tobago into the race as well.
Earlier this year, Phillips, a noted businessman, was elected vice-president of Jamaica Racehorse Owners' Association (JROA). He is looking forward to making a difference and is banking on his experience in representational politics in the 70s when he was a PNP councillor for the Grants Pen/Waterloo Division of the KSAC from 1974-1980.
Phillips was an unsuccessful candidate for the North Central St. Andrew seat in the 1980 General Election, losing to Douglas Vaz by 530 votes.
One on One caught up with Phillips and he had much to say.
QUESTION: How long have you been involved in racing?
Louis Phillips: From way back in 1963. I used to work at the Esso Oil Refinery (now PetroJam) at the time and was introduced to racing at Caymanas Park by the legendary jockey Arthur Jones, who was a neighbour of mine in the East Road area.
Question: When did you own your first horse?
LP: In the mid-60s. She was a filly named Ponderosa who was trained by Bobby Hale. But to my disappointment she failed to win a race, but I soon acquired another horse, Revalie, who was bought from Vivian Blake. This colt was trained by Laurie Silvera who saddled him to win a couple of races. The day he won his first race it provided me with immense pleasure.
Question: Do you care to name other horses you have known?
LP: Years later I owned many winning horses, including If Winter Comes who was trained by Norman Palmer in the late 70s, Shamgar who was trained by Lloyd 'Bigga' Gordon in the early 90s and over the past five years, Most Wanted, Zip Up, Doctor On Call, Dancing Flames, Phantom J, All Fired Up, Palsy Walsy, of course Mitaka and Lord Louis, who was named after me.
Question: Which one has given you the greatest pleasure?
LP: I would say Mitaka. He not only won by a mile but was in fact my first two-year-old winner from my first runner and I have very high hopes for him. He could develop into a Classic contender next year.
Question: How did you acquire Mitaka?
LP: I did not buy this one at the yearling sale. He was purchased privately from Burt Tomlinson who said he bred him specifically for me. I spent $1.5 million to buy four yearlings (one subsequently died) in the sale last November, including a chestnut colt by Law Of The Sea out of Meadow Queen for $800,000.
Question: What's your take on the proposed divestment of Caymanas Park?
LP: It's a good thing for racing as it will definitely improve the product. The Government has too many commitments. Racing needs private capital but I would have preferred to see a new track constructed elsewhere in St. Catherine like over at the Caymanas Estate lands. It's cheaper to build a new track than to attempt to remodel the existing plant.
Question: What contribution can you make as vice-president of the Owners' Association?
LP: Given my vast experience in the administration of racing and in representational politics, I think I can help in a big way to promote the cause of owners alongside the president, Laurence Heffes. Overheads are high and getting higher every day. We need better purses ... owners are the lifeblood of the industry.
Question: What's your take on the Claiming System at Caymanas Park?
LP: It's absolute rubbish? All it does is clog up the system with unsound horses and generally caters to mediocrity. Trust me, many owners grow attached to their horses. That connection has been so since the pioneering days of Lord Derby centuries ago in England. The Claiming System negates that connection.
Question: Do you think a tote monopoly would be good for racing?
LP: Definitely. I studied the system and wrote a paper on it. This is the only way to go in order to maximise the take from the betting dollar.
Question: If you were the present chairman of the Jamaica Racing Commission, what would be your priorities?
LP: That's simple. I would come down hard on corrupt practices like doping and race fixing, or running business races as they say. I would also zero in on in-an-out running in an effort to minimize its effect. You know, I was once the chairman of the in-and-out running committee and the practise was not as prevalent in those days as it is today.
Question: What are your hobbies?
LP: Horse racing, horse racing. horse racing. I always look forward to travelling abroad as well.
- Orville Clarke
