Daniel Clasing mixes on-and-off-the-track experience to compete at the highest levels of Eventing.

 

Makeover Trainer: Daniel Clasing of White Hall, MD

Daniel Clasing grew up in Baltimore County and began riding at the age of 6. At 17, he began breaking and riding racehorses for Bill Santoro as a source of income, and has galloped for Michael Matz, Tom Voss and now for Holly Robinson at Pimlico. Now he's an up and coming star on the eventing scene, having trained with Packy McGaughan and Phillip Dutton. In 2013, Clasing sailed around the Rolex CCI**** cross country course inside the time limit on the same weekend that he served as a demo rider for RRTP and New Vocations at the Thoroughbreds For All Kentucky event.

Although the techniques of riding in eventing and racing differ on many points, Clasing recognizes that exercising racehorses has helped his Eventing strategy. "From a training standpoint, I have made my gallops shorter and faster, which seems to make my horses gallop more forward and efficiently on cross country." Indeed, we couldn't imagine a cleaner and more efficient cross-country round than the one he rode in this year's Rolex. Clasing has a promising career ahead of him as an advocate for ex-racehorses in the grueling sport of Three Day Eventing.

Read: Daniel Clasing's Thoroughbred Makeover Blog

Thoroughbred in Training: Madhubala ("Baby")

Breeding:
2010 b.f. by Scipion out of Red Valentine, by Dehere
Bred in Maryland by Mr. & Mrs. Charles McGinnes of Thornmar Farm

Career:
Starts:5
Firsts: 0
Seconds: 1
Thirds: 0
Earnings: $6,040
Last Raced: 12/1/12 at Laurel Park

Originally named Lady Notorious, Baby hails from the prodigious broodmare band at the McGinnes' Thornmar Farm in Chestertown, Md.. She is a half-sister to Maryland-bred multiple-stakes-winner Glib, and her half-sister, a filly by Lion Hearted, will go through the Fasig-Tipton Timonium sales ring on Monday, September 30. "She has a beautiful pedigree," Charles McGinnes wrote on one of Clasing's Facebok posts about Baby, "(she) should have a wonderful performance career as she is a superb athlete." The McGinnes have sent several of their homebreds to Steuart Pittman for retraining, and Cynthia McGinnes speaks very highly of his ability to work wonders with ex-racehorses. "He has given the breed a whole new life in the regular horse world."

Now another Thornmar homebred is in Steuart Pittman's capable hands via Daniel Clasing. Clasing's girlfriend and polo player Liv Stringer had picked up Baby a week before Christmas in 2012 from the Campitelli's at Laurel Park shortly after her last race. "She seemed to get a bit sour on the track," explains Chris Campitelli, "When we noticed her starting to get sour we started looking for a new home for her. I thought the filly's body type and attitude would be a good fit for polo so I asked if Liv would be interested." Stringer picked up Baby as a polo prospect and turned her out, giving her a much-needed alternative to life at the track.

When Clasing's first Makeover horse was laid up with a cracked heel, Stringer suggested using Baby, who had been turned out since Christmas 2012 and was scheduled for retraining in September. "She was a bit of a nervous sort when I started but she has been growing in confidence the last month." Once Baby adjusted to the working life at Yardley Hill, she put her mind towards flatwork and hacks with Clasing's Rolex horse Houston, and recently demonstrated enthusiasm over small jumps. "I think Baby is very well put together and clean legged, which will serve to keep her sound for a long career of galloping and jumping." Slow and steady wins the retraining race, so Clasing is keeping it simple for his Maryland-bred. "I try and break it down as simply as possible for her, and always aim to finish on a positive note." We positively can't wait to see Baby and Clasing at Pimlico.

Watch: Baby performs her favorite trick.

More information on the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium.

Buy tickets to the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium and receive free general admission to Jim McKay Maryland Million Day, October 19, 2013 at Laurel Park!

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