(PHOTO - Holly Porter and the horse who changed her life, TTT Kellys Regan - Laurie Overton photo)
The first time Holly Porter laid eyes on the handsome sorrel gelding at a small farm in the southern U.S. state of Georgia, she knew he was the one for her.
The Quarter Horse youngster, a foal of 2011, was named TTT Kellys Regan and he was a Louisiana-bred by Second Down Kelly - The Village Queen by Village Hero. His personality simply shouted out to Porter.
"He was such a dude," said Porter. "Despite the games he played under tack, his personality was so overwhelming."
TTT Kellys Regan made his debut for Porter at Ajax Downs in October, 2013 as a juvenile, finishing a close second in a 330-yard sprint and earning him a notation from the Equibase chart caller, “impressive debut.”
Since the Ajax season ended soon after that exciting first race, Porter packed up her gelding and headed south to Florida where she has spent many winters racing and riding. Her special horse picked up purse shares in five straight races at Hialeah Park in Florida and Louisiana Downs, before heading back to Ontario. He won for the first time in his career in his second outing of the 2014 Ajax meeting and promptly won again in his next outing.
‘Regan’ has raced almost exclusively at Ajax since early 2015, competing strictly in allowance events or optional claiming dashes, picking up eight second or third-place purse shares.
“He has run very competitively at any track we have entered him,” said Porter, who has been involved in Quarter Horse racing for 10 years.
Porter has only been training on her own since 2013 after working for Larry Brigden as an exercise rider and several other barns while learning the training trade.
An interesting fact about Porter is that she was born in the Kawartha Lakes town of Omemee, the home town of legendary singer/songwriter Neil Young.
Currently, Porter is working at Victoria Feeds Horses and Hound in Lindsay and is anxiously awaiting the 2017 racing season at Ajax and a return of TTT Kellys Regan.
“He is my best friend. We have had an extremely close bond from day one.”
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