Fall at the Oklahoma Training Track

Recently I blogged about a summer morning at the Oklahoma Training Track. After the racing season ended, at Saratoga though, I returned to the Oklahoma Track to capture more of the beautiful thoroughbreds and the people who care for and exercise them. In this post I will share photos I captured after the close of the summer meet.

Ailsa Morrison and Anna Phillips exercise a pair of Bill Mott trainees.
Jentl Verbeke has a quiet moment on a Nick Zito trainee.
Amin Castillo exercises a Rudy Rodriguez trainee.
Winel Ramirez ponying.
Caroline Nally rides an H. James Bond trainee.
Liv Machalikova rides a Chad Brown trainee.
A quiet moment for one of the thoroughbreds.
Daniel Wright rides a Todd Pletcher trainee.
Wilson Fabian rides Midnight Bourbon, runner up in the 2021 Travers Stakes, with a pony rider at his side.
Imakmrun Poz rides Tacitus.
Madison Olver rides a Christophe Clément trainee.
Roberto Howell rides a Steve Asmussen trainee
Moon the outrider pony watches over his domain
A close up of American Monarch by American Pharoah.
My pal Liza snuggles with Yo Cuz.
Liza gives a pet to Yo Cuz.
Baby Yoda, currently the one of the fastest horses in America.
Exercise rider Anna Phillips gives Baby Yoda a kiss.
Trainer Robbie Davis walks Vallelujah.
Red Priestess, a Robbie Davis trainee.
Robbie’s granddaughter gives Pepper King a pet.
Jockey Jacky Davis shares a special moment with Vallelujah.
Kisses from Val!
Liza, one of Val’s owners, feeds Val some grass.

A visit a little later in the fall yielded some beautiful colors.

The sun came out for a glorious two minutes.
The Whitney Viewing Stand.
A thoroughbred gets a bath.
Anna Hollander and Ricardo Fragoso head out to the track.
Liv Machalikova heads out to the track.
Caroline Nally and Raul Alejandro ride a couple of H. James Bond trainees.
Layla Griffin rides a Christophe Clément trainee.
A pony rider rides with a thoroughbred alongside.
Jenna Bray rides a George Weaver trainee out to the track.
The fall foliage was on its last legs.
Raul Alejandro rides an H. James Bond trainee.
This Christophe Clément trainee appears to be cracking his neck!
A Christophe Clément trainee looking regal in his stall.
Another Christophe Clément trainee.
Because the ponies wear western tack, this close up shot of an outrider pony kind of reminds me of the Old West.
Steven Herrera rides a Christophe Clément trainee.
Two friends share a lighthearted moment on their way out to the track.
Ricardo Fragoso rides a George Weaver trainee.
Playtime!
Sergio Hernandez with a thoroughbred.
Junior Lopez looking after Handbelle.
A Christophe Clément trainee.
The beautiful tree at the Oklahoma track.

I also took some video footage while I was there and made a quick video. It was pretty much the first time I ever shot video on my 5D Mark IV and now I think I’m hooked! I also took some footage on my iPhone.

To see more of my Saratoga photography be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. All photos in this post © Samantha Decker and may not be reused without permission.

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