From The Jug To The Saddle With Ease
June 4, 2020
It isn’t something you see very often: a Little Brown Jug and O’Brien Award winner wearing a saddle rolling around the ground at a major Standardbred Horse Show but that’s exactly what Michaels Power was doing a few months ago and his rider, Kailey Williams, could not have been more delighted.
“I had only been riding him for four months when we entered that show (The National Standardbred Show at the Horse Park in New Jersey). I didn’t realize what a big deal it was,” explained Kailey, a 20 year-old Stockton University student. “He was a little scared, there were a lot of announcements and noise, I think he thought he was back at the track.
“We got a fifth and I couldn’t have been happier and I think he was too. He laid down and rolled, with the saddle on; he was sweaty and thought it was okay to do it right there in the ring. His name had been announced and as we were leaving the ring a lady came up to me and said ‘Michaels Power? As in Little Brown Jug Michaels Power?’ That’s a reaction I get a lot.”
That’s understandable given the success Michaels Power had on the racetrack. Not only did he win the 2012 Jug in a world record for a gelding and becoming only the second Ontario-sired pacer to win the coveted leg of pacing’s triple crown, he also added many other trophies during his sophomore season. He swept the Upper Canada elimination and $600,000 final at Georgian Downs, captured a Somebeachsomewhere division, won several Ontario Sires Stakes Gold events, the Confederation Cup final at Flamboro Downs and the OSS Super Final at Mohawk.
At the conclusion of his three-year-old season he was crowned Canada’s top performer in his division and took home the O’Brien Award for his owner/breeder Jeffrey Snyder and his son Michael who continue to own him to this day. That would prove his most prolific season at the track but he also enjoyed a productive six-year-old season, earning over $200,000. He officially retired the following year.
Most horses with his talent and pedigree would have been retired earlier but there wasn’t a lucrative stallion career in his future as he is a gelding. Michaels Power is sired by one of Canada’s most prolific stallions of all time and a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Camluck.
His maternal side isn’t too shabby either. His dam, Michelles Jackpot, a half-sister to Cams Card Shark ($2.4 million), earned $695,000 during her racing career. The daughter of Artsplace was the two-year-old pacing filly of the year in the US in 1996 and as talented as she was on the racetrack, she was even more impressive as a broodmare. To date she’s delivered 18 foals who have earned well over $5.9 million.
Michaels Power is her richest performer followed by his older full sister Michelles Power who won $1.3 million during her career. Another of their siblings is the gelding Alexas Jackpot who earned in excess of half a million primarily on the WEG circuit.
Shortly after Kailey posted about riding Michaels Power on Facebook, Ontario trainer Amanda Fine responded that she had his half-brother, Alexas Jackpot, and that they look similar. Another poster reached out to say they took care of his full brother Mikes Powerhouse last summer.
“I started riding him in April of 2019 and he has become the best all around horse there is, we’ve done western pleasure, gymkhana, trail riding, showmanship and this year we started English,” was what Kailey had written on Facebook.
Kailey’s cousin, Tom Spain, lives and works at Blairwood Farms where Michaels Power is enjoying retirement. Kailey, who lives close by, would often help Tom out at the farm and a few times she brought Michaels Power into the barn.
“I grew up riding horses, I was on them since I was about two or three. I stopped riding when I was around 10 or 11 as I was playing soccer and lost the feeling for it for a while. Michaels Power is the first horse I had ridden in 10 years,” explained Kailey who is a health science major, leaning towards a career in the medical field, perhaps dentistry.
“Last year I was thinking that maybe I’d get back into riding. I really like Standardbreds, although I hadn’t had much experience with them. Apparently Mike Snyder had told the farm owner, Leslie McClaren, that if there was anyone wanting to ride Michaels Power they would like that. It was a way to give him some more attention.
“Michaels Power was such a sweetheart I thought maybe I’d throw a saddle on him. Tom got on him first, bare back, and the next day we put a saddle on him and I rode him. He was so good; he acted like he’d been doing it his whole life. He has a great personality, I love giving him treats which I have the hidden in tack room and he knows as soon as I get them,” added Kailey.
The ardent animal lover is very grateful to be able to ride and take care of such a talented horse. She keeps the Snyders updated on his progress and often sends photos. “I am very happy to be riding again and I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to ride such an incredible horse.”
During the past few months in quarantine, Kailey has been working at the farm quite a bit and therefore spending more time than usual with Michaels Power, riding him almost daily, which is one of the positives for her to come out of these uncertain times.
When racing was shut down, the farm was quite busy housing numerous racehorses in the area. One of those included 2018 Jugette winner Alexas Power, Michaels Power’s niece. The now five-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere is the fourth foal from Michaels’ full sister Michelles Power.
Michaels Power’s swiftness on the racetrack has not transitioned into his riding career though. “When you’re riding him you’d never know he’d been a racehorse, he doesn’t want to go fast. The first year I never took him faster than trot, this year I took him out in the front field and got him to canter and then he started to pace, he could go fast if he wanted to, he just usually doesn’t want to.
“I can’t praise him enough. He’s never done anything stupid or tried to buck, he’s very smart. I fell off him once and he just stood there and looked at me like: ‘are you all right?’ He’s such a good horse,” praised Kailey.
Michaels Power is yet another Standardbred who has transitioned into a second career almost seamlessly. And he also proves that regardless of success on the racetrack - the upper echelon as he was, or unraced as many are - they can still enjoy long and productive careers in another discipline.
Photo Credits: Jug photo (Conrad photo) Remaining supplied by Kailey Williams.
After a 10 year racing career which saw him face the gate close to 300 times, KJ Owen is now learning the ropes as a riding horse. His lessons are going well, although he did take his trainer, Bert Mollica, for an unexpected ride in the early going. Matthew Loman profiles the 12 year-old gelding in the latest OSAS Pathways which may be read here.
“Having ridden and owned a variety of horses over the last 35 years, the Standardbreds are the most honest ones out there. They are so loyal, smart, safe and sound, they don’t have many bad or off days it seems. So, for that I will forever be grateful,” notes Fran Brethour when speaking of her OSAS graduates Nutzz N Boltzz and Reven Up. Fran praises her Standardbreds in the latest OSAS Pathways feature by Matthew Loman which may be read through the link below. https://woodbine.com/mohawk/mohawk-insider/osas-pathways-nutzz-n-boltzz-reven-up/
OSAS is pleased to welcome the iron tough KJ Owen to their roster. A 12 year-old gelding by Roll With Joe, KJ Owen faced the gate an incredible 297 time over his 10 year career. He recorded his 50 th lifetime win in April of last year at Flamboro with Austin Sorrie at the controls. Upon his retirement in January of this year he sported a summary of 52-41-38 for $311,000 banked. The first foal of Winsmith Jess, KJ Owen raced primarily in the US at various racetracks. His first Canadian start was in January of 2025 at Mohawk. He has two brothers with earnings over $200,000 – KJ Hunter and KJ Leo both of whom are still racing at Monticello Raceway. Owen is now at Susan and Bert Mollica’s foster farm where he will be trained for his second career.
“I’ve never seen a horse with the emotions he’s shown. When he first arrived, my husband and I were both like, ‘We don’t know what to do.’ We had never seen a horse cry before but there were literal tears in his eyes,” said Susan Mollica of OSAS graduate Steel Reserve. Bert Mollica used a different training technique with the warhorse whose second career will be somewhat unique. His story is profiled in the latest installment of OSAS Pathways by Matthew Loman and may be read here.
The Ontario Stallion Adoption Society’s 2026 Stallion Auction has now closed. Breedings to 16 sires from Ontario and PEI were offered over the past four days. OSAS extends sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s auction including the stallion owners, the stud farms and everyone who placed a bid. Congratulations to the successful bidders and the best of luck. To view the full list of stallions and buyers please click here.
Please be advised that the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s 2026 Stallion auction will close Friday, February 20 th at noon. It is important to note that the end time can be extended to a maximum of 30 minutes on each of the 16 stallion breedings available if there is continued bidding. You are notified by email and/or text (if you select that option) if you are the winning bidder and if someone has outbid you. This year OSAS is using 32 Auctions as their auction platform site. Here is the explanation of how the extended bidding works: How does Extended Bidding work? If an item receives a bid during the final three (3) minutes of the auction, the item end time will be extended to allow for 3 additional minutes of bidding. This process repeats until no new bids are received during the final 3 minutes of the item bidding window or the auction has been extended for a maximum of 30 minutes beyond the original end time. When an auction is extended, you'll see Extended Bidding messages displayed throughout the auction with a link for easily viewing all of the extended items. For further information on this feature, and an example, please click here. Here is the link to the actual auction site.
The 2026 Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society’s Stallion Auction begins today at noon. This year we offer 16 top stallions from Ontario and PEI including one stallion, King Of The North, whose book is already closed this year. Use the link below to enter the site and see what stallions are available. Follow the easy steps to register which allows you to bid on any of the stallions. We encourage you to register early. Good luck to all and thanks to everyone for their support of this popular fundraiser again this year. The auction closes on Friday, February 20 starting at noon. Enter the auction site here
The Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society is pleased to announce the dates for their 2026 stallion auction. The annual fundraiser will kick off at noon on Tuesday, February 17 and close Friday, February 20 with a staggered close starting at noon. This may be your last opportunity to obtain breedings to popular sires whose books have already closed or are close to closing for the season. Bids will be in Canadian funds. The sires available to date are as follows (in alphabetical order): All Bets Off Betterthancheddar Betting Line Big Jim Century Farroh Control The Moment Dancin Lou Its Academic King Of The North Lawless Shadow Lookslikeachipndale Malicious (PEI) McWicked Shanghai Phil Sportswriter (PEI) OSAS thanks every stallion owner for their generosity and support again this year. Additional sires will be accepted up until February 13. To donate, or if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Joanne Colville at osashorses@gmail.com or call or text 905-339-6748. Established in 1996, OSAS is the official adoption agency for Standardbred horses in the province, responsible for spreading the message of the versatility of the breed and finding forever loving homes for retired pacers and trotters.
After earning more than $350,000 during his racing career, Sweet Deisel is set to embark on the second chapter of his career, as a riding horse. He’ll be leaving Susan and Bert Mollica’s foster farm along side another OSAS trainee, Stetson Seelster, at the end of this month. His story is featured in WEG’ OSAS Pathways this week and may be read https://woodbine.com/mohawk/mohawk-news/osas-pathways-sweet-deisel/
Amrock Major has passed. He was 38. A warrior on the racetrack, the son of River Rouge faced the gate more than 203 times during his career which started as a four-year-old in 1992 and ended during his 10 th year in 1998. Bred by Dennis and Gerald Rock of London, Ontario, the tough performer raced at B tracks and fairs throughout Ontario during the 1990s. His last start was in October of 1998 at the now defunct Elmira Raceway with trainer Gerry Gaynor driving. Gaynor trained Amrock Major for the last four years of his career. Prior to that he was conditioned by Ron Brintnell. A son of Graylin Jean, Major is a half-brother to Amrock Wise Guy who earned a quarter of a million dollars during his racing career four decades ago. Amrock Major came into OSAS after his retirement from racing and he was adopted within a few months. Several years later his owner was facing health issues and Major returned to OSAS. He spent his last years at the farm of Pam Brooker who provided him a wonderful life.
