BY SARAH WELK BAYNUM
Craig Wheeler’s distinguished career in the Thoroughbred industry began far from the track – in Rhode Island, where his family was more interested in yachting than horses.
“My mother would drive by the riding stable on the way to the milk store and I used to beg her to stop and let me watch the kids ride around,” Wheeler said. “Eventually, I started working there for free riding lessons and by the time I was 12, my parents let me get a super nice Morgan horse. We drove it, rode it—everything. But the deal was, I had to sell the horse when I went away to boarding school at age 14.”
That bittersweet departure led to an unexpected opportunity. Wheeler’s roommate at boarding school was the son of Tyson Gilpin, one of the world’s top Thoroughbred agents and a key figure in syndicating Secretariat. After an introduction on parents’ weekend, Wheeler secured a summer job with D.G. Van Clief Jr., a prominent Thoroughbred breeder and Breeders’ Cup and NTRA Executive, that would shape his future.
“I worked for Mr. Van Clief at a top-class operation where kids from all over the world came and worked,” Wheeler said. “[We] lived in the bunkhouses, went up to Saratoga to sell the horses, and then went back to school. Eventually, I climbed the ranks to head bunkhouse foreman.”
While studying economics and philosophy in college, Wheeler’s passion for Thoroughbreds never wavered. After graduation, Van Clief helped arrange a position at Irish National Stud, where Wheeler worked under Dr. Michael Osborne and gained international experience galloping for Irish trainer John Oxx and British conditioner Toby Balding.
Upon returning to the U.S., Wheeler’s connection with Van Clief led to another pivotal opportunity: assistant manager at Hobeau Farm in Marion County, working with Jack Dreyfus and Elmer Heubeck.
Despite initial doubts about managing 500 horses and 100 employees, Wheeler took the challenge. His dedication paid off—after seven years as assistant manager, Heubeck recommended Wheeler for the top position. Wheeler went on to manage Hobeau for 20 years until Dreyfus’s passing.
Wheeler then established his own breeding and training operation.
“We used to breed 20-25 horses a year and had the training barn going, too,” he said. “What we used to do is breed a lot of them in Kentucky. Then bring them back to raise them here and keep them until they were 2-year-olds and sell them as 2-year-olds in training. It worked well because many times, if you can sell them for more than what their pedigree is worth because they’re showing ability on the track, you can hit some home runs.”
One of those home runs was Imprimis, a Florida-bred turf sprinter who became a multiple graded stakes winner, earning $883,483 for Breeze Easy LLC. His first stakes victory in the 2018 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico remains a cherished memory for Wheeler.
“He just exploded down the stretch that day to take the win with all the crowd cheering. That was an experience I’ll never forget.”
While Wheeler has bred horses in Kentucky, he’s found Florida to be ideal for raising foals. “It’s the best weather to raise a foal,” he explained. “There’s nothing better than the winter training grounds and the mares cycle early. You don’t have to worry about putting the babies out.” He points to the region’s natural advantages: “Mr. Dreyfus was one of the original big farm owners here and he talked about all the calcium and phosphorus in the grass and in the water, and how it affects growing strong bones. He had his 2,200-acre farm here and had tremendous success. It’s just the healthiest place to raise foals.”
Return to the February 18 issue of Wire to Wire
