a Saratoga Sure Thing... THE BONDS

WRITTEN BY WILLIAM G. GOTIMER, JR. PHOTOS PROVIDED

No one wants their name bandied about in the same conversation or sentence as death and taxes -- but when it comes to sure things, counting on H. James Bond-trained horses running well and winning at Saratoga fits the bill. The locally-based conditioner routinely saddles winners during the Spa meet, and it’s no accident. Bond-trained runners have visited the winner’s circle at Saratoga virtually every year in the past three decades.

Bond is a multiple Grade 1-winning trainer and a fixture on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit. Born in Rochester, New York, Bond began galloping horses at age 11 before taking out his trainer's license at 16.

Fittingly, the Bond operation is a local and family affair. Bond, along with his wife, Tina and sons Kevin and Ryan, operate and own a 100-acre farm, Song Hill Thoroughbreds in Stillwater, New York. While their operation competes year-round in New York, the Saratoga meet is where their hard work comes to fruition. The focus on New York State comes naturally for the Rochester natives, who have solid connections to upstate New York and horse racing.

Bond’s roots run deep in the Thoroughbred game; his father, Harold Bond, trained horses at Finger Lakes in the 1970s and ‘80s. In a foreshadowing of his son’s prominence in New York racing and involvement with horse breeding in New York, the elder Bond won the very first pari-mutuel race restricted to New York-breds when his Pride of Erin scored at Finger Lakes in 1973.

Tina Bond is the managing partner of Bond Racing Stable, which attracts partners, both experienced and inexperienced. The Bonds retains the majority ownership of every horse, which allows an easy entry point for owners new to the sport. She further advances the sport by acting as 2nd Vice President of NYTHA, the New York Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association. She serves on NYTHA’s committee overseeing the active backstretch programs and safety nets at New York’s racetracks.

Tina Bond’s previous business experience outside the Thoroughbred industry, as well as their sons’ formal education, have allowed the operation to continue unabated over the years as a public stable serving both wealthy, established owners and racing newcomers, alike. The Bonds’ business model revolves around breeding, purchasing and developing horses for productive racing careers.

With the extensive historical and current dedication to New York racing and breeding, it is no surprise that this familyrun local training operation makes the Saratoga meet its centerpiece. Each year Bond-trained horses outperform their odds with a high percentage of horses running in the money at generous prices.

Over the years Bond-trained horses have consistenly excelled in the Spa’s marquee events:

Will’s Way won the 1996 Travers for longtime clients Rudlein Stable and William L. Clifton Jr., after prepping with a secondplace finish in the Jim Dandy and returning to the Spa in ‘97 to take the Whitney Handicap by a nose. Fifteen years later, Tizway won the 2011 Whitney for long-time client, William L. Clifton, Jr.

A New York-bred colt, L’Carriere, owned by Virginia Kraft Payson, won the Saratoga Cup in successive years (1995, ’96), and took the Bond family to Dubai where he ran in the Inaugural Dubai World Cup.

Perhaps the most memorable Bond runner at Saratoga, ironically, was Behrens. An accomplished racer, he took the Bond family to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup twice – but Behrens never won at Saratoga, despite impressive efforts. He suffered by-a-nose defeats in both the 1997 Travers and 1999 Whitney, on his way to a then astounding $4.5 million in total career earnings. To paraphrase Robert Burn “…the best laid plans … often go awry.”

Most recently, Rinaldi, a Bond barn favorite won at Saratoga four times, including stakes three years in a row (2019-’21) for the Tina Bond-managed Bond Racing Stable. As a New York-bred, Rinaldi won the New York Stallion Stakes in 2019; the West Point Stakes in 2020 (in front of eerily-empty grandstand during the Covid pandemic) and the Forbidden Apple Stakes in 2021.

Bond Racing Stable showed its discerning eye for young horses when it purchased Rinaldi for a mere $5,000 at the Fasig-Tipton auction in 2016. From his five lifetime wins to date, Rinaldi has earned more than $450,000. He’s recently returned to the races, and is a likely runner for the upcoming 2023 Saratoga meet.

To date, Bond Racing Stable has enjoyed a healthy return on investment, and years of racing experiences.

The horse which is most emblematic of the full range of Bond family expertise is Giacosa. This daughter of the aforementioned Tizway was bred, foaled, raised and raced by the Bond operation. Three of her five lifetime wins came at Saratoga in successive years (2020, ’21), including the black-type Yaddo Stakes, named after Saratoga’s famous writer’s retreat. Giacosa retired with more than $350,000 lifetime earnings. Giacosa is currently in foal to Grass Sprint Champion Golden Pal. Whether it is with long-time clients or those new to the game, the Bond family operation consistently puts forth winners and competitive runners each and every Saratoga meet.

In a fast-changing world, it is comforting to know that some things (other than the death and taxes cited by Benjamin Franklin) are certain – James Bond trained horses winning at Saratoga.