My Week With California Chrome

L-R: Raul Rodriguez, Vince Mirarchi, Alan Sherman, California Chrome, Victor Espinoza, Willie Delgado.

Photo Courtesy of: Zoe Metz

By TackRoomHQ Staff

Recently, on Social Media, I was looking at a lot of California Chrome and

Breeders’ Cup postings, and I ran across this woman taking a lot of photos with Team

California Chrome. For those of you who don’t keep up with horse racing, California

Chrome won the Preakness Stakes, and Kentucky Derby 2014. I thought to myself,

“How lucky is she, and wondered how she got the opportunity to do all of this?”. I

found out that her name was Ashley Godwin, and she lived in Georgia. After seeing

several amazing photos, I immediately messaged her, and had several exchanges back

and forth during the week of the Breeders’ Cup. Being such a huge fan of California

Chrome, it was thrilling to live vicariously through her during her time there. Upon

her return home, she graciously accepted an offer to do an interview with us, and this

is what she had to say…

L-R: Alan Sherman, California Chrome, Ashley Godwin, Vince Mirarchi. Photo Courtesy of: Zoe Metz

Q: Please tell me a little bit about yourself!

A: My name is Ashley Godwin, I’m 39 years old and originally from Atlanta, GA. I

have loved horses since the day I was born, and for my 10th birthday my dad bought

me my first horse, Sultan, who I owned until he passed away a few years ago. My

dad raised me as a single dad and didn’t make much money. He would deliver pizza

at night to help support my horse habit. It’s because of his sacrifices that I am where I

am now. We ran this farm together, in fact he lived in the house with me, until he

died last year so obviously that turned my world upside down. We had a small farm

in the Atlanta area, and then 13 years ago we opened Rivermont Farm in the NW

corner of Georgia where I became a full time trainer. I grew up riding, training and

showing hunter/jumpers. Finally when we purchased what is now Rivermont Farm, I

was able to fulfill my dream of doing this for a living. I host horse shows on my farm

as well as offering boarding, training and lessons. I am currently trying to launch a

program to help rehabilitate off the track Thoroughbreds as I have done this in the

past and am very passionate about it! Our Thoroughbreds need a job once they leave

the track, and I want to do everything I can to help them find loving homes once their

racing career is over. My farm is currently for sale and I plan to relocate to Ocala,

Florida which is well known for being “the horse capital of the world”. I also design

and manufacture a line of ladies insulated coveralls called GlamourAlls, which are

proudly Made in the USA!

California Chrome in his stall at Santa Anita Park

Q: What circumstances lead you to the 2014 Breeders’ Cup? I understand that is

was an auction you bid on at a fund raiser for The City of Hope, is that correct? What

was it exactly that you bid on, and what did it include?

A: My boyfriend, Dr. Vince Mirarchi, bid on a silent auction that was to benefit The

City of Hope. The winner was to meet Victor Espinoza and watch California Chrome

work on the track. Vince didn’t even tell me he had bid on it! He called with the

amazing news that we won! We had already purchased tickets to go to the Breeders

Cup, but this was icing on the cake! I lost my dad last year to cancer, who ran

Rivermont Farm with me and was not only my dad and best friend; he was also my

business partner. Vince and I felt this was a wonderful charity to support and a great

way to honor my dad!

L-R: Art Sherman, Ashley Godwin, Vince Mirarchi, Alan Sherman

Q: Was this your first time at a major horse racing event? If not, what others have

you attended in the past?

A: Yes, this was my first time as a spectator. I have worked as a groom before on

the backside when I was a teenager, but honestly had never gotten to watch a race

from the spectator’s side. It was so exciting!

Alan Sherman let Ashley and Vince borrow his dad’s pass to go and have breakfast in the VIP Tent reserved

for the owners, to watch the morning workouts.

Q: When you first arrived at Santa Anita Park, what were your first impressions?

Was there a lot of excitement in the air?

A: I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Santa Anita Park is so beautiful! Every

morning we would go to the track and watch the horses gallop. Famous jockey’s and

trainer’s buzzing around everywhere!

L-R: Ashley Godwin, Vince Mirarchi, Unknown, Alan Sherman, Art Sherman, Forestbird Photoghraphy at the

post position draw.

Q: Moving on to your first encounter with California Chrome and his people, how

was that experience, what did you do, and how long did you get to visit with him and

his team?

A: We met Victor Espinoza on the morning of October 27th. He took us back to the

barn area where we got to meet Alan Sherman, Willie Delgado and Raul (Chrome’s

groom). They were cooling Chrome down as he had already jogged that morning. I

remember telling Alan Sherman it was way cooler than meeting Elvis! Chrome has a

presence to him, similar to what I imagine Secretariat had. He’s so beautiful! We

were able to have our picture made with Chrome and his awesome team! I got to pet

Chrome and that in itself was a dream come true! We visited with him (and Team

Chrome) for probably about an hour or so that first morning, however as the week

went on we were able to visit with him again after we met the Coburn’s. They were

kind enough to autograph our photos we had brought with us as well as a leather

halter that Vince had purchased in another charity auction that had been worn by

Chrome at the Derby! The whole team, including the Coburn’s, eventually signed this

halter with a silver sharpie! It’s so cool!

L-R: Vince Mirarchi, Art Sherman, Ashley Godwin, as Art is signing California Chrome’s halter, and other

keepsakes.

Q: Was the experience meeting Chrome what you imagined it would be, or did it turn

into much more than you ever dreamed it could be? If so, in what way?

A: I thought we were just going to meet Victor and get to see Chrome at a distance,

but they just took us in like we were long lost friends! We met the Coburn’s on

Wednesday, and actually had dinner several times with Team Chrome! I came to

California thinking I was just going to see Victor and Chrome, but left with new

wonderful friends! We all plan on staying in touch, and we plan on attending

Chrome’s races in 2015!

L-R: Ashley Godwin, Steve Coburn, Carolyn Coburn, attending Art Sherman’s Award Dinner

Q: Do you feel the connections you made there will be long-lasting friendships that

will continue?

A: Absolutely! I even cried when I said goodbye to Steve and Carolyn Coburn.

They are such wonderful, kind people and I told them they had blessed me with the

best week of my life! (Vince feels the same) We exchanged contact info and will

absolutely stay in touch with not only the Coburn’s, but the others as well! I wish the

public could see what we saw that week. The whole team is so great! They put the

horse first, and that’s the most important thing. They all love Chrome!

Ashley Godwin At The Finish Line

Q: What is your personal opinion on the final outcome of the Breeders’ Cup

Classic? I have been reading a lot of post-BC articles, and hundreds of comments

from fans, and I would say more people seem to be upset with the final outcome, than

they are okay with it. People that are okay with are generally saying that it’s just the

way horse racing is, sometimes horses get bumped around. Could you get a general

feeling from the crowd there how they felt about it?

A: I absolutely feel like Bayern should have been disqualified! What happened put

other horses and jockeys at serious risk, even injuring Moreno! That’s flat out not

right! I was standing on the track after the race, and a very famous jockey (who I

won’t mention names) commented to us that it wasn’t the right call, as he shook his

head and looked at the ground. Thankfully, Chrome wasn’t tangled up in that, but I

do feel bad for Shared Belief, Moreno and VE Day who were very much affected by

that mess!

Victor Espinoza and Art Sherman shaking hands at the post position draw. Photo Courtesy: AP

Q: Is there anything that really surprised you in a good way, that you weren’t

expecting, that hasn’t already been mentioned?

A: Vince and I weren’t expecting to be a part of the post position draw, but the

Sherman’s invited us to come along and much to our surprise, we were asked to sit on

the sofa with Team Chrome during the draw! In fact, Victor Espinoza sat right next to

me! When he drew 13 I asked Victor “Are you good with that?”. He smiled and said

“yes!”. An AP photo hit newspapers all over the country of this, and I was now

known as the “girl in the pink shirt”!

Another awesome thing that happened was the Breeders Cup took us to the Winner’s

Circle to watch the race! We were front row right on the track! I couldn’t believe it!

You haven’t lived yet until horses of that caliber gallop just feet from you at 40 miles

per hour! You could feel the ground shake!

California Horse Racing Commissioner, Bo Derek and Ashley Godwin

Q: Did you see any celebrities while you were there?

A: We saw several celebrities. I had my picture made with Bo Derek and Ritchie

Sambora! The real celebrities in my mind though were all the famous horses and

jockeys! I met Gary Stevens and had my picture made with him, as well as Lafitt

Pincay who rode Affirmed and Sham!

Ashley Godwin, and Laffit Pincay who rode Affirmed, Sham, John Henry and Swale

Gary Stevens and Ashley Godwin

L-R: Vince Mirarchi, Steve Coburn, Ashley Godwin

Q: I thought it would be fun to do a little word game. In 3 words or less, can you

please describe each person, from the personal experiences you had with them?

1. California Chrome- Work of Art (literally, a work of Art Sherman!)

2. Steve Coburn- A hoot!

3. Carolyn Coburn- Sweetheart and intelligent!

4. Victor Espinoza-Very kind

5. Willie Delgado-Outgoing

6. Art Sherman- The real deal

7. Alan Sherman- Funny

8. Raul Rodriguez-Devoted hard worker

Ashley Godwin and Raul Rodriguez

L-R: Willie Delgado, Ashley Godwin, Steve Coburn, Carolyn Coburn, Vince Mirarchi

Q: Did you attend any special functions during your week at the Breeders’ Cup?

A: On Tuesday night we attended a benefit for TROTT at the Derby Restaurant in

Arcadia. They had a raffle and auction to benefit off the track Thoroughbreds and I

bought a huge Secretariat print signed by Penny Chenery and Ron Turcott! I also won

several things in the raffle that were super cool, including a print of Zenyatta signed

by Mike Smith. I am passionate about OTTB’s and have one at my farm now that I

took off the track in August. She had a tendon injury, but with lots of love and care

she’s completely healed up and will start her training as a hunter this spring! I hope to

expand my program with OTTB’s. They are amazing horses with so much to give

after they are done at the track!

Ashley Godwin, Victor Espinoza, Vince Mirarchi

On Wednesday night we attended an awards dinner where Art Sherman was

awarded the Mr. Fitz Award. We sat at a table with the Coburn’s and Willie Delgado,

and at the table next to us were the Sherman’s. It was a fabulous evening! I got to

meet Charlsie Cantey who was such a sweet lady! I got her autograph and had my

picture taken with her. Lafitt Pincay was there along with many other famous people

in the Thoroughbred industry.

Ashley And Vince, Photobombed By Willie Delgado

In conclusion, please tell me your final thoughts on Team California Chrome, what

you thought of everyone, and your experiences with them.

The whole team was just amazing! The Coburn’s were very happy with Chrome

running 3rd and felt he ran his heart out! We all went to dinner after the race and

celebrated a great race! In two words to sum up the Coburn’s, the Sherman’s, Willie,

Raul and of course Victor Espinoza….

“GOOD PEOPLE”, and these days good people aren’t easy to come by!

For more information on Ashley Godwin’s Horse Farm and GlamourAlls, please

visit her websites: www.RivermontFarm.com and www.GlamourAlls.com