Sullivan’s training days paying off

January 7, 2016 at 12:10a.m.

Toward the end of 2015, Elliot Sullivan had a decision to make. It’s a dilemma most horse trainers wish they could have.

The Youngstown-born, Berlin Center-raised Sullivan trains the two winningest thoroughbred horses in the nation, 5-year-old Tribal Custom and 4-year-old Chella. Sullivan owns Chella while Tribal Custom is owned by Youngstown businessman Mike Angelo. The pair of fillies were the country’s best in terms of the number of trips to the winners’ circle.

Does Sullivan want to be just the trainer of the most triumphant horse this year or the trainer and owner of the top horse?

Sullivan is a competitive man, but he is very deferential to those who have helped him. After Chella won her 10th race of the year at the Ohio-Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course on Dec. 5, Sullivan let his filly rest for the remainder of the year. Tribal Custom picked up two wins at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., to finish the year with 12.

“To me, I like to look out for the best interest of my clients,” Sullivan said. “My horse, Chella, she’s had such an incredible year for me that I didn’t feel the need to push the envelope. I was already graceful and blessed for what she had done and I know it meant quite a bit to [Angelo], and I would rather see him get the accolades for it.”

The honor is mostly a symbolic one, Angelo said he may get a plaque, if anything, for Tribal Custom’s feats. Besides, Sullivan and his clients have reaped plenty of tangible rewards.

Sullivan had a career-best 2015. The horses he trains earned $758,128 in winnings coming from 83 victories, 45 second-place finishes and 51 third-place finishes in 292 starts. Last year, he only was taking care of five horses when Angelo approached him in late 2014. After loaning a few horses to Sullivan as a tryout, he earned his trust and the responsibility of Angelo’s 25 horses, plus the handful of horses he owns outright or shares with a partner.

“It couldn’t have worked out better,” Angelo said. “Everything that he does, the barn bedding, the way the horses look pre-race, the way he treats the animals is what you would see from a first-class trainer.”

Everything he does is also uncommon for his age. Ask around the MVRC what the median age of a horse trainer and answers like 50 or 60 come back. Sullivan is 27. He grew up with the sport as his father trained off and on and his mother was a jockey. A cousin is also involved in the sport in Florida.

“I always learn something, even if it’s what not to do,” Sullivan said. “You’re never too old to learn and I learn from everything.”

How he picks a winning horse is mostly results-based. He prefers to work with fillies, but has had some geldings in his portfolio. He likes horses that have already won close to $100,000 by the time they break conditions. Before a horse can race in open competition, they have to win a series of races with certain conditions. For example, one condition may be a race that includes all horses who have never won a race. When they get out of that period, it’s a make-or-break moment. Either the horse thrives or if it goes winless in six months, it’s back to the conditions. Finding the right horse just as they prove they have some potential is key.

“A lot of times you can find a good horse that needs to improve on a couple things or you come across something that might have been missed,” Sullivan said. “We try to use conditions as an advantage.”

Temperament or the personality of the horse isn’t much of a factor, as evidenced by Chella and Tribal Custom.

Chella is a bit like her owner, easygoing, calm and friendly. Tribal Custom keeps everyone on their toes. Prone to snapping at staff or jumping when a jockey tries to mount her, the nation’s winningest thoroughbred is not the easiest to be around.

“If Elliott goes around her five or six times and she doesn’t try to bite him once, we’d think something’s wrong,” Angelo said. “I could be giving her mints and she’ll love me, but I turn my back to her and she snaps — it’s a typical woman.”

Jockey Agustin Bracho rode Tribal Custom for her final two wins of the year. He said for all the pre-race antics, she’s very focused and receptive to commands on the track. Bracho spoke to The Vindicator via his son, Armando, who was interpreting for him.

“The last time [I] rode her, she led [me] in press and she was really calm and then when [I] asked her to run, she took off running,” Bracho said. “She’s sensational.”

Sullivan lets the horse be themselves. After all, why mess with a winner?

“We appreciate all of our horses, but they’re standouts to us,” Sullivan said. “They don’t come around often so you have embrace them while they’re here because they’re special.”

He credits groom Angel Fabian for a lot of the day-to-day care of the two fillies. Speaking about his future in the sport, he won’t discuss it in terms of himself as a trainer, but his whole nucleus of clients, staff, horses and family. He would like to see his crew expand, maybe add more horses or eventually acquire a horse that can compete in the first-tier races at venues like Belmont or Churchill Downs. For now, he enjoys living 15 minutes from the MVRC and letting others enjoy his breakout year with him.

“Everything is kind of a roller coaster. I’m very happy with where we’ve come as a team,” Sullivan said. “I never want to say it’s me. This entire barn is a team, from my help to my family to my clients, everyone works together as one and that’s our success.

“I’m very content with where I am at. I’m young and I just kind of let it take me where it does.”