Local Connection Has Horse at Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- When the parade of horses begins at the Kentucky Derby Saturday, be sure to take note of No. 16 . . . and, if you're going to cheer on one of the three-year-olds to victory, then Hofburg should be your choice.

Why? Because a local man has made good and Hofburg is one of the products from the Lexington farm, Juddmonte where Scott Walker has worked since 1983.

Walker was born in  Atwood but moved to Toledo when he was in the first grade.

"I went to Cumberland schools all the way through my freshman year and then I went to a Catholic seminary," said Walker.

If you don't remember Scott then maybe his brothers Tim and Steve Walker might ring a bell. Both of those attended Cumberland schools.

"I got interested in horse racing becauseI have two older brothers, Tim and Steve, who started out as quarterhorse jockeys," said Walker. "They both ended up switching to thoroughbreds as they got older. I started working for them in the summer during my high school year. I worked for them at the race track. That's how I got hooked.

"They used to ride at Cumberland at the start of their careers. Timmy rode horses in the Cumberland County Fair and Steve was more into bigger fairs like state fairs. They went on from there to ride at the bigger quarterhorse tracks in California.

"I started out as a groom and barn foreman. But when I started to have a family of my own, I had to figure out where to settle down. I settled in Lexington at a farm working with yearlings.

"I got the job at Juddmonte Farms in 1983 as the yearling manager. I've been there ever since and I've also become the farm trainer."

The farm is intriguing because it's owned by a Saudi Arabian prince. It's a world-wide operation.

"They have two farms in Ireland and four farms in England," said Walker. "Besides the U.S., they race in Ireland, England and France. I've been to Ireland and England to our farms there.

"I'm in charge of breaking the yearlings. We break them to ride. We race all of our horses, so I give them all their early schooling and then the two-year-olds that stay on the farm. We train them throughout the winter, then they are sent to the various trainers around the country in May and June of their two-year-old year."

Walker is now in Louisville, Ky. where he's going to watch the Kentucky Derby Saturday but it's not his first go-around at the Derby.

"We ran second in the derby twice in the past," said Walker. "Empire Maker was probably our biggest horse of the time and Aptitude. The horse in this year's Derby is Hofburg. He's an extremely well-bred horse. He's by a colt called Tapit which is one of the top stallions in the U.S. right now. He is a half brother to a filly called Emollient. who was a multiple grade one winner. He has a lot to live up to.

"Hofburg ran once as a two-year-old and was fourth. He won his first start this year as a three-year-old. He ran second in the Florida Derby but he ran a really good race. It was enough to convince us that he was ready to step it up for the Kentucky Derby."

Hofburg enters the race as a 20-1 long shot but that's not necessarily bad.

"Well, they call it a wise guys horse," said Walker. "It's a horse that people are looking for that have kind of longer odds but has a very good chance of winning it or being in the money. Hofburg is one of them. He's a colt that relishes the distance. He's been improving on every race and on every workout since his last race.

"So we feel confident that he will run a good race but it is the Kentucky Derby and there are 20 horses in there. It's like every horse race, you have to hope for some good racing luck and good positioning during the race. But we're very happy with the No. 9 post position."

Walker is married to wife Lisa and they have five children, four boys and a girl.

" All of them love the horses and love racing but they don't work in it," said Walker. "They just want the tickets to go to the races. I have my youngest son that's going to be here with me."

Walker was at the Kentucky Derby when Empire Maker finished second.

"That was very exciting. We won a couple of big stakes on the undercard that day. Even though it was disappointing we didn't win, it was a very good finish for him. He went on to become a very successful stallion."

Altamont's own Kurt Becker is there and will be among the announcers at the Derby.

"Kurt loves the history of horse racing," said Walker. "He's a great guy. I can't remember what day it is but Kurt remembers everything and is very knowledgeable."

It's the 144th Run for the Roses. Twenty horses will race for the $2 million prize. The Derby is the first race in the Triple Crown and always run the first Saturday in May followed by the Preakness May 19 and the Belmont June 9. Race coverage runs from 1:30 to 6:20 p.m. with the race starting at 5:46 p.m.

By the way, Kurt Becker will be joining the crew on the Saturday Morning Show to handicap the Kentucky Derby on 979XFM and KJ Country 102.3.