Gentleman of the Turf probably is the best way to describe Tommy Trotter. He is always professional, always classy, always a person who greets you warmly. But, more importantly, he knows Thoroughbred racing as well as anyone.

Tommy Trotter

Birthdate: September 12, 1926
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky
Residence: Hallandale Beach, Florida
Family: Charles Hildreth Trotter, father (trainer); grandfather, great-grandfather (trainers); Jimmy Hoffler, uncle (jockey); Jimmy McGee, uncle (trainer); Sally, wife; Lisa (daughter); Barry (son); Tommy (son); Timmy (son); Danny (son); Maureen (daughter)
Past positions: Director of racing (Hollywood Park); director of racing, racing secretary (Gulfstream Park); steward (Keeneland Race Course); racing secretary (Arlington Park); racing secretary (Garden State Park); racing secretary (Churchill Downs); steward (Delaware Park); steward (Atlantic City Race Course); handicapper, racing secretary (New York Racing Association); racing secretary (Turf Paradise); secretary of the stewards (Hialeah Park); assistant racing secretary (Centennial Race Track, Arlington Park); clerk in secretary's office (Fair Grounds)
Member of: Former chairman, Arlington Million selection committee; past president, Society of North American Racing Officials; Breeders' Cup selection committee; Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Graded Stakes Committee

After taking his first job in the racing office at Fair Grounds in 1945, Trotter went on to become one of racing's most respected officials. Whether he was filling programs as racing secretary for the New York Racing Association, Churchill Downs, Arlington Park, or Gulfstream Park, or serving as a steward at Garden State Park, Delaware Park, Atlantic City Race Course, or Gulfstream, Trotter was respected throughout the industry.

After 56 years in racing-during which he helped to create the Arlington Million Stakes (G1), shape the Experimental Free Handicap, and put together some outstanding race cards throughout the country-Trotter called it quits on March 16 when he retired after serving as a steward at Gulfstream's 63-day meet.

Trotter recently spoke about the beloved sport in which he has worked and helped to mold for more than a half century. He was interviewed by Dave Joseph, Turf writer of the News/Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and South Florida correspondent of Thoroughbred Times.

Thoroughbred Times: Let's start with weight. Handicap horses don't seem to carry a lot of it anymore. Why is that?
Tommy Trotter: "I think this is what happened: At one time in New York they had a rule where a (highweighted) horse had to carry no less than 126 pounds in any handicap unless a three-year-old was running against older horses, or if a filly or mare was running against boys and they got a sex allowance. That rule set a standard, I believe, across the country.

"Even when we started in the spring-even if a horse's first race was the Metropolitan Handicap (G1)-the least he'd have on him was 126. Now if he won the Carter Handicap (G1) and won it easily, he could carry 129 in the Metropolitan.

Then the next horse would be 127. Horses like Kelso and Forego, they'd start at a high weight and keep going. They'd go 130, 131, and secretaries in California and Kentucky would keep the weights up because they'd be embarrassed to see their weights lower than New York.

"Once the rule was dropped around 1981, I noticed weights dropped across the country. But I don't think it's good when you see a Grade 1 race and the top weight is 122 and the others drop to 111 or 110. I was always impressed by the ability of a good handicap horse to carry weight."

TT: Do you think putting weight on horses can attract fans and create stars?
Trotter: "Take Kelso or Forego-they carried the weight they did and I think that was an attraction to patrons. They'd ask, 'Can he carry the weight?' 'Can he beat this field with that weight?' Years ago in New York, I ran starter handicaps, and we'd have some horses actually carry 136, 138, and those horses would win. I think the patrons liked it, and it always showed in the mutuel handle."

TT: Because there are more opportunities for handicap horses, does that mean racing secretaries try to get certain horses by lowering weight?
Trotter: "Well, it didn't hold true the time I was in New York because secretaries respected the weights being put out by others and, like I said, I think the public liked seeing those horses carry the weight. Nowadays, I think you see less weight so (secretaries) can bring horses to certain areas."

TT: How has the increase in travel affected racing?
Trotter: "Years ago, you had horses coming in by air, but purses in California were equal to New York, and Arlington held its own with its stakes level horses. So most people stayed in their back yard unless they had a horse that was maybe looking for turf and the track he was at was working against him. But today, they think it's nothing to travel. They'll ship to a race for anything."

TT: Why are there fewer distance races today?
Trotter: "That's become part of a sore point over the years. During my years in New York, we always made a point to make the purses higher on the overnight for distance races; at a mile or over, the purses were higher than they were for sprints. It helped, but it wasn't a solution.

"I guess many horses are bred to go a distance of ground, but it seems like a smaller number. I guess when you run a horse in a distance race, the space between those races is a little longer. I guess from the standpoint of making an owner happy, if you run in sprint stakes you can run every couple weeks, and that's financially better. Maybe running in distance races takes a little longer to get your money back.

"Look at the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). The Jockey Club wanted it to be one of the top stakes in the country. I believe it was two miles at one time. No matter what you did, it was difficult at that time of year to bring in a full field. It was life and death to get more than six horses. They've cut the race back in distance a couple times trying to make it a better race. You still have a problem with quantity."

TT: So how do you restore distance racing?
Trotter: "The only way I see is for racetracks to give more money for a distance of ground. More money is the only way I can see to entice them."

Shrinking field size

TT: Another problem facing track managements has been getting larger fields.
Trotter: "I can go back to Gulfstream Park, maybe through a period in the 1980s, where it seemed like there was more of an attraction for stables being there. The money was very good at the time. It just seemed like all the fields had plenty of horses to work with. We had to split some maiden races two or three times. But I guess some stables have moved to the Fair Grounds-I've noticed two or three stables there-and I believe the money in New Orleans has increased. But even California is having trouble (filling fields), and that just didn't happen.

"I guess maybe it's just too much racing. Years ago it was April to November in New York. I don't think California raced as much. So you had fewer race days in California, much less in New York, and Florida had Tropical (Park), Hialeah, and Gulfstream. Another thing is that I don't know if you see as much two-year-old racing. That kind of disappeared at some tracks, so you have one less division to work with."

TT: It seems that years ago horses ran more often, too. Is that true?
Trotter: It seemed like those horses started in April, and they stayed sound all year; it seemed like they were a strong, durable type back then.