Meet the team
Oakhurst Thoroughbred Farm, Newberg, Oregon
| President and Managing Partner, Scott Gruender | |
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Like we say, Horseplayers Racing Club was created by, and designed for, the everyday handicapper. Scott and Debbie Gruender formed HRC to share their passion for horse racing with partners in an affordable and exciting way through limited partnerships.
As an avid race fan and handicapper, Scott attended his first race as a toddler in England and has been hooked ever since. He grew up with an unrelenting passion for racing and all the excitement it has to offer. As a young, blue-collar handicapper, he dreamed of someday having more than just a passive interest in the Sport of Kings. He bought his first horse through a partnership over 20 years ago and his love for racing has grown expeditiously since then. Over the years, he’s formed and managed many racing and breeding partnerships and as his knowledge and experience grew, so did his success. His unique blend of talents – racing experience, relationship building, business sense and writing skills led him to write a book about jockeys. In 2006, “Jockey: the Rider’s Life in American Thoroughbred Racing” was published by McFarland and Company. Through a compilation of over 150 interviews with jockeys, agents, trainers and racing officials, the book tells the story of what it’s like to be a jockey. As a member of the National Turf Writers Association, Scott has national exposure to racing insiders. Scott is a veteran handicapper and NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Handicapping Championship qualifier in 2008 and has been a guest on several TV and radio shows in the past few years. He works part time at Emerald Downs as a handicapper with their group parties and VIPs. A respected horseman with business experience and professional communication background, he is uniquely qualified to lead this public partnership venture. |
| Office Manager, Debbie Gruender | |
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Debbie, our Office Manager and Event Coordinator, has been a racing fan for more than a dozen years and brings her passion for racing and flare for fun and excitement to all HRC events. She handles all the race day seating and passes, monthly assessment processes and works closely with marketing, horsemen's liaison and race office officials at the tracks HRC races at. |
| HRC Trainers | |
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Shannon Hastings Trainer, Texas Shannon has been training horses for 15 yeas and is a hard worker on the Texas thoroughbred circuit. He draws upon his athletic experience as a former football and track star in getting his horses ready for peak race day performances. A former understudy of the legendary Jack Van Berg, Shannon specializes in finding ways to move horses up in class and ability. His best horses include the likes of Imperial Material, Deception Island, Chokum Dan and our current stakes horse Turnleftatthelight. |
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Terry Gillihan Trainer, Washington Terry started training in 1980 with stints at Portland, Longacres, Bay Meadows, Golden Gate Fields, Hollywood, Santa Anita and now Emerald Downs. He likes to have the horses under his care to be fit, well schooled and ready to run when entered to race. He also wants his owners and grooms to be happy with their horses and their well being. He's had many stakes winners including Demon Warlock, Pleas Write and Vino Rossi. He loves to win races, but always puts the horses and owners best interest first. |
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Ed Moger, Jr Trainer, California Ed took out his first trainer’s license in 1976 and has successfully campaigned horses at Bay Meadows, Golden Gate and southern California the last several years. He has an excellent reputation with horsemen as being a reliable, knowledgeable, responsible and trustworthy trainer. He takes a strong interest in each horse, believing it is important to get to know their individual characteristics, movements and personalities. Ed’s top horses have been stakes horses Phaenna, Zoning In and Gentle Charmer. |
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Lynn Whiting Trainer, Kentucky The son of a jockey turned trainer, Lynn has a long string of success with big stakes horses like Clever Allemont, At the Threshold and Big Pistol. The veteran's training highlight is his 1992 Derby win with Lil E Tee. He'll be based out of Churchill Downs over the summer and handling the training chores of our first Kentucky horse, two-year-old filly Cajun Yankee.
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Michael LeCesse Michael is a veteran trainer with over 20 years experience. Winning consistently at a 20% clip, he's well versed in advanced training techniques. The LeCesse family operatives a farm near Finger Lakes, allowing his team to train year round. Mike bred, owned and trained Tin Cup Chalice, the first winner of the Big Apple Triple sweep. |
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Danny Pish Danny is a veteran trainer on the Texas circuit. He's won numerous titles and over 1,000 races. A former exercise rider, he still gets up in the saddle on the track nearly every day. He's trained dozens of stakes winners including Texas-bred champions I'm All That, Boots on Sunday and Leaving on My Mind. He's a talented horseman and we're thrilled to have him on the team. |
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Ben Root Trainer, Oregon Ben began his training career working as a groom for his father at Longacres while still in high school. After graduating from Oregon State University in Business Management and Athletic Administration, he worked in Sports Event Management, and as Promotion and Events Director at the Home Builders Association running famed events such as the Street of Dreams. However, his love and passion for the Sport of Kings quickly lured him back to racing at Portland Meadows, one hour from his parents’ Oakhurst Thoroughbreds 140-acre farm. Ben has since branched out to become a regular at Emerald Downs, consistently finishing in the top 15. “We treat each athlete in our stable as an individual and are constantly looking for ways to improve performance. We also really pride ourselves on excellent communication and complete honesty when dealing with our owners. Our goal is simple: have fun and introduce new faces to the Sport of Kings and Queens!” |
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Dr. Jack Root, DVM, & Margaret “Cookie” Root Veterinary consultant Jack, Ben Root's father, is a former trainer and full-time vet with decades of experience in horse racing. The Root's own and operate Oakhurst Thoroughbreds, Oregon's top thoroughbred facility. A student of pedigrees and conformation, Jack's counsel is valued and appreciated. His wife, Margaret "Cookie", is a former trainer who helps us out with Oakhurst farm visits. |
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Shane Seaton Trainer, Oklahoma Shane is a young trainer working in partnership with his father-in-law Ricky Gustafson. Ricky is a veteran trainer of over 30 years and has a great reputation on the Oklahoma circuit. Shane's grandfather has been in the racing business all his life and Shane caught the bug early and has done breaking, roping and racing over the years. Since marrying Ricky's daughter, he's been the talented trainer's partner at the track. Shane's favorite horse has been April's Shaynee, who he purchased as a two-year-old and named after his wife. Shane looks for horses with a big heart and attitude - one that will give their all every time they go out. |
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Brian Williamson Trainer, Illinois Brian is a talented, veteran trainer with many stakes winners to his credit. He's always among the leading trainers at Hawthorne and Arlington. Brian trains for the legenary Fairberry Farm of Harry and Nancy Vanier. |
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David Vivian Trainer, Florida Dave is a veteran trainer who has won training titles all up and down the east coast. Now based at Calder, he's consistently in the top 20 and won over 24% of his starts last year. He's had two Breeder's Cup starters, including a fourth place finish with Supah Gem in the 1992 Juvenile Fillies. |
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Adam Phillips Trainer, Massachusetts and New York Adam is young, up-and-coming trainer who had instant success with horses such as Boracay Princess and Boracay Wonder. A former understudy of Girard LaFleur, considered one of the best leg men in New England, Adam honed his skills working on horses with a number of ailments. Over the years, he's worked with a number of top trainers, including Dale Romans. Adam takes great pride in the horses he cares for and has a passion for understanding every horse as an individual. |
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Jeff Bonde Trainer, California Jeff Bonde grew up around horses with his father Duke Bonde Jr., Uncle Bob Dupont and brother Gary all working shoeing horses for years while his grandfather Duke Sr. was a trainer. Jeff began working for trainer Jerry Dutton at the age of 15 and took out his first trainer license at age 19. He's had a number of career highlights and picked up his first graded stakes win in 1992 with Athenia Green taking the San Francisco Handicap. In 1999 he saddled Spain in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where the horse finished fourth. In 2001 Bonde led all Northern California trainers with 9 stakes wins with the biggest being San Nicolas in the $100,000 Forty-Niner Handicap. In 2002 he saddled Menacing Dennis in the Preakness Stakes dueling War Emblem for 6 Furlongs before giving way. Jeff specializes in buying horses at the Yearling Sales and has had outstanding results with two year olds in particular. He has an imposing record during the Fair at his home track of Pleasanton where he lives and trains. |
| Racetrack Liaisons | |
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Vince Delgado Racetrack Liaison, Lone Star Park in Texas Vince has been a racing fan for ten years and lives 30-minutes from Lone Star Park with his wife and two daughters. Professionally, he’s a successful manager with strong interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills. He’s been a racing fan for over a dozen years and is a part-owner in two horses. He’ll be working closely with our Texas trainer and assuring our partners enjoy the best race horse ownership experience possible. |
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John Cavalli Racetrack Liaison, California John has been a horse racing fan ever since his father took him to the track as a boy. After retiring from a career as a probation officer in California, he started buying horses. During the past five years he has owned over 35 horses in various partnerships. John and his wife Jan live in Alameda, close to their son and two grandchildren who he coaches in soccer and baseball when not watching his horses run. John is looking forward to meeting all the California HRC partners and bringing them into the Winner's Circle. |
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Mike Vito Racetrack Liaison, Illinois Michael is originally from Chicago and resides downtown with his wife, Margaret. He is a graduate of St. Francis University in Joliet, where he played football and baseball. He is the General Manager of the Seneca Hotel in Chicago and has been in the hotel business for 20 years. His home tracks are Arlington Park and Hawthorne. He has been involved in the horse racing industry as racing fan and handicapper for over 15 years. He’s owned horses the past three years and currently has over 25 horses in various partnerships from coast to coast. He looks forward to bringing the HRC experience to the Chicagoland area. |
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Robert "BC" Retchless Racetrack Liaison, Louisiana and greater Texas Robert "BC" Retchless was born and raised in East Texas. He lives in Whitehouse, Texas with his wife Julie and children Brookelyn and Alex. Robert has been a horse racing fan/fandicapper for 20-plus years and hit a $24,000 Pick 6 while on his honeymoon! He's been a horse owner and breeder since 2007. Robert's home track is Louisiana Downs, while he's fondest of the Fairgrounds in New Orleans. He'll be handling the Louisiana HRC Liaison position for us in addition to his role as our Louisiana/Texas HRC Handicapper. Robert also arranges most of the horse shipping for HRC, securing safe and reliable transportation as we move horses around between sales, farms and race tracks. |
| General Counsel | |
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Scott Schwartz
Scott is a horse racing enthusiast and the founding member of the Law Office of Scott A. Schwartz. After graduating from UCLA Law School, he practiced law for a large international law firm. He subsequently started his own firm, which serves clients in both litigation and transactional matters, including equine law. |
| Web Content Development | |
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Jessica Gruender
With parents so passionate for the Sport of Kings, the love for the live action came naturally to the children growing up in the Gruender Household. Jessica is one of the four daughters Scott and Debbie have raised and is ecstatic to be a part of the business her parents have worked so hard to establish. She has over 2 years of graphic design experience in custom stationery and has recently transitioned to web design. While not working on a project, Jessica enjoys spending time with her daughter and playing MMORPGS. |
| Photographer/Videographer | |
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Carly Kaiser
We’re thrilled to have award-winning photographer and videographer Carly Kaiser on the team. Carly contributed many of the photos on the website and captures the HRC spirit in action throughout the year. |
