Student’s family trains Derby thoroughbreds

    Tomorrow, a handful of the world’s finest equine athletes will run for the roses, and one student could witness these horses run past the finish line.
    Will Werner, senior from Louisville, Ky., is no stranger to thoroughbred racing. His father, Ronny Werner, is a second-generation thoroughbred trainer who has prepped horses for races across the United States, including the Kentucky Derby. Will plans to be a spectator tomorrow.
    The Kentucky Derby, considered the world’s most famous thoroughbred horse race, is held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
    Thoroughbred Secret Gypsy, trained by Ronny, will run in the G1 Dispatch – the seventh race tomorrow at Churchill Downs, preceding the Kentucky Derby.
    “Growing up around thoroughbreds, anyone will tell you you’ve got to love them,” Werner said. “I consider them athletes.”
    Werner grew up in Texas where his family first trained quarter horses before his father decided to switch to thoroughbreds. In 2002, the Werner family moved to Louisville, Ky., to further pursue the racing business. Werner’s brother Rowdy serves as his father’s training assistant.
    “Kentucky is where you have your good horses, where you’re going to make the money,” Werner said. “When I was in junior high we moved our barn from Texas to Kentucky since racing is much bigger in Kentucky, and started picking up new owners. Now we train from track to track.”
    During the summer and when he is not playing football, Werner said he helps his father train the horses. Werner said his father is one of the only trainers that jogs and breezes his horses.
    “Once you get on a horse, you can feel a lot more than you can by just looking at them,” Werner said. “We have our exercise riders ride in the mornings and then jockeys will come in and work them. But mainly (my father) serves as a coach and sets up workout regimens.”
    Werner and his family will spend this summer training horses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. and Saratoga Racetrack in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. During the winter, Werner said his brother and father plan to travel to different racetracks throughout California and New Orleans, La.
    Werner said the horse training lifestyle involves seven-day work weeks, few vacations, and 5 a.m. wakeup calls.
    He said the process of training and breaking a thoroughbred begins when the horse is about two years old, when they can legally race.
    However, Werner said horses are now starting their racing careers later to prevent injuries.
    “A lot of times young horses are too pampered and have too much protection,” Wener said. “So they’re not going to develop with the same bone structure as other horses who have been let out in pastures.”
    Werner’s family has partial ownership of about seven horses.
    Whitney Harrod can be reached at
whitney.harrod@murraystate.edu.