Dean Reeves cuts a well known determine on the racetrack. He’s tall, affable, and all the time provides an excellent interview when the horses of Reeves Thoroughbreds win. Together with his spouse, Patti, by his facet, they’ve gained main races together with Mucho Macho Man’s courageous victory by a nostril within the 2013 Breeders Cup Traditional. In 2023, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Massive Invasion completed second within the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash.
Along with racing horses from their secure, they’re astute companions with greater than 65 racing luminaries together with Randy Hill (R.A. Hill Steady), Stonestreet Stables, West Level Thoroughbreds, Andie and Patrick Biancone, Gary Barber, and MyRacehorse.
The Reeves journey has concerned journeys to many magical locations to observe their horses race. In 2019, Dean and Patti (with associate Randy Hill) watched their mare Hotsy Totsy race within the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot. Somewhat than renting an ensemble for entry to the Royal Enclosure, Dean selected to buy “the entire outfit,” which included a tall prime hat. This was a smart move because it set him up for future Ascot visits. Patti relays that it was thrilling. “I had by no means seen Dean in a prime hat earlier than. He was so tall that I used to be simply staring up at him in awe.” Hotsy Totsy ran third that day in a area of 27 horses. It was an exhilarating day for the Reeves as they occurred to be close to Queen Elizabeth II as she made her method as much as the Royal field from the paddock!
One of many Reeves’ investments is a partnership involving a gifted 3-year-old filly Porta Fortuna. She is by Caravaggio and is out of Too Valuable, by Holy Roman Emperor. She is skilled by Donnacha O’Brien (Aidan O’Brien’s 25-year-old son). The partnership entails Steve Weston, Barry Fowler, Medallion Racing (Taylor Made Farm), and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. In 2023, she gained the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot with Frankie Dettori on board.
On June 21, Porta Fortuna raced within the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Throughout her race, among the companions watched from the paddock. Reeves determined to observe on the observe and was by himself. When the race started, Reeves thought, “She’s in an excellent place as a result of she is touring effectively. She handed the lead horse and gained! I used to be leaping up and screaming. I’m positive the folks round me thought that there was one thing improper with me!”
In a well-timed trip, jockey Tom Marquand and Porta Fortuna gave Donnacha O’Brien his first Royal Ascot win as she zipped previous his father’s horse Opera Singer. Reeves remembered, “I headed to the paddock space. It was so nice to see her are available. We had been excited. We knew that we wanted to go over to the stand to get our image taken.” A gentleman instructed them to take off their hats.
As they had been standing there ready, one other gentleman leans over and says, “So sorry. We’re ready on the King.” Reeve describes the second incredulously, “And I went WHAT? The KING!! I noticed then that the King was giving us a trophy. I couldn’t consider it. I used to be like, what are we alleged to do?”
The gentleman defined the etiquette: “If you go up; you bow. If he reaches out, you possibly can shake his hand.” Two of the companions went up, obtained the trophy, and King Charles III shook their palms and mentioned it was an honor to fulfill them. He then reached over to shake Reeves hand and mentioned, “She is a beautiful filly.” Reeves mentioned it was a blur. “I do know we had extra dialog, however I don’t bear in mind what it was precisely. He was pleasant and really good. We so loved being up there on the stage with the King. I regarded out and there should have been 150 cameras simply clicking away. I’ve by no means been within the highlight like that.” When Reeves had the trophy, King Charles mentioned, “Let’s stroll nearer to the entrance. The photographers like that. It was an actual spotlight second for me in my life.”
After the trophy presentation, Reeves thanked his spouse, Patti, in a FanDuel TV interview. Patti was at residence already posting the win and the interview on social media. She mentioned, “I used to be so proud. I had tears in my eyes.” In the meantime, on the observe it was time for champagne and celebrations. Reeves flew residence the subsequent day and had time to mirror on his wonderful go to. “I believed, how blessed am I that the nice Lord has given me this type of life to someway get into horse racing? I’m just a few building man from Atlanta, Ga. Rising up, we weren’t wealthy. We weren’t within the horse enterprise. We had been simply your middle-America household, and right here I’m standing on stage after a Group 1 win at Royal Ascot with the King of England. I consider that I’m the one particular person within the state of Georgia proper now that’s been with King Charles. That’s wonderful!”
On the planet of horse racing, there are good journeys and journeys from hell. In July, Reeves determined on the final minute to go again to England for Porta Fortuna’s subsequent race. She was entered within the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket. By now an outdated hand at abroad touring, Reeves felt assured that he may zip over the pond to catch the race and return to Saratoga for the summer time meet.
However, in fact, there are all the time bumps within the street. First off, he forgot his passport. This required some rigorous coordination along with his brother, who gathered the passport from Reeves’ residence. Together with his baggage checked via to London, Reeves nonetheless wanted to attach along with his brother.
But it surely wasn’t simple. Delta Airways met his brother and introduced Dean his passport minutes earlier than he boarded the flight to London. Fortunately, there have been some delays however that additional made his flight aggravating. He arrived in London at 8 a.m. the day earlier than the race.
On arrival, Reeves sought his baggage, which was essential as a result of he had the jockey’s silks! NO LUGGAGE! This was the beginning of an actual wild and loopy state of affairs involving the airways, Uber drivers, and sheer panic as Reeves waited for his baggage to be discovered. The airline promised to have the bags on a flight from Atlanta with a 6:15 a.m. arrival the subsequent day and they’d ship it within the early morning.
The subsequent morning? No baggage! Reeves obtained a textual content that it could be delivered at 1 p.m. Porta Fortuna’s race was at 3:30. It was getting tight! After a flurry of telephone calls, he determined to not await baggage supply and despatched an Uber driver to select up his baggage. He defined to the motive force that there was no particular person to be picked up however moderately a bit of baggage and to please hurry again to the resort. There are gate codes and quite a few different points. They had been all the way down to minutes.
In the meantime, British racing had despatched a automobile to select Reeves as much as take him to Newmarket. Reeves pleaded with the motive force to attend whereas he tried to get his baggage. Reeves was lastly reunited along with his baggage. “I’ve by no means had that a lot stress!”
However wait! The driving force was instructed to take him to a farm to take a look at stallions — an early plan that was deserted. Reeves panicked! “NO! I’ve received to get to the racetrack ASAP.” A great deal of extra telephone calls finding out the supply level and selecting up his credentials. He made it at 2:30 p.m. and handed over the jockey silks. “I took a deep breath and mentioned, ‘I’ve received to have a drink!’ ” Fortunately, it was an excellent race! Beneath Ryan Moore, Porta Fortuna simply outclassed her six rivals. Reeves mentioned, “when she gained, it was all worthwhile! It was a whirlwind! It was fabulous!”
The subsequent morning, in any case that folderol, Reeves was up at 4 a.m. able to fly residence. He requested a cab and, as soon as once more, destiny intervened, however in an exquisite method.
Reeves driver was a tremendous British fellow named Lee Barron who has been a cabby driver for 22 years. All London taxi drivers should study and move the “Data of London” topographical check of endurance. There isn’t any check prefer it elsewhere on the planet and it could take three to 4 years to grasp it. London cabbies know their metropolis and Barron is a tremendous instance.
There’s a fantastic symmetry on this world of how “horse folks handle to search out horse folks.” Throughout an informal dialog, Reeves mentioned he was at a pleasant race the day earlier than at Newmarket. He talked about that he met the King and Barron responded jokingly, “Oh you met my dad!!” Barron has been into horse racing since 1988, and he and his mates have their very own bookie at an area pub the place they play the horses.
Because the dialog meandered, Reeves talked about that he wanted a reputation for certainly one of his 2-year-olds (by Mucho Macho Man out of Reba’s Cat, by Consolidator) again on the farm. Reeves received an concept and mentioned, “I’ll title him Lee the Cabby.” Barron responded that the fellows again on the pub would by no means consider him. “Oh my god! I’ve received a horse named after me.” Reeves went onto Equibase and inside minutes the horse was newly christened.
Barron is thrilled and wrote to the Reeves: “I wish to say thanks for the chat yesterday and am actually enthusiastic about Lee the Cabby. I additionally learn up on Mucho Macho Man. What a horse! Within the pub yesterday, I used to be driving everybody crackers in regards to the horse. I need to say, in my 58 years on this earth, nobody has ever proven me such an act of kindness. My spouse was completely amazed. I’m going to begin saving cash in order that hopefully, if the horse is operating subsequent 12 months, I might like to see the race stay. As soon as once more, thanks!” Barron hopes that sooner or later he can have his photograph taken with Lee the Cabby and “has his fingers crossed that he’ll be pretty much as good as Mucho Macho Man.”
Two journeys to London. One was like clockwork. One was pure chaos. However ultimately, it was because it was meant to be. Reeves met the King of England after which met a king of a person driving a London cab. All occurred due to the love of horses.
Porta Fortuna hopefully can be competing on the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar in November. And Reeve’s horse Lee the Cabby has a spiffy new title and a shining future forward of him. He already has a world fan base! That’s the magnificence and glory of horse racing. You simply by no means know what the longer term will maintain nevertheless it’s thrilling. Simply ask Lee Barron and the Reeves about it!