Vital to the Jocks’ Room

By Mackenzie Pfeiffer

If you ever find yourself within earshot of the jocks’ room, chances are you’ll hear a voice carrying over the hum of laundry machines – almost always followed by laughter. That voice belongs to Bo Bo. He’s the spark that keeps the room buzzing, and the steady presence riders lean on when nerves attack. Mention his name anywhere on the track and the response is nearly universal:

“Oh, he’s the best.”

Officially, Bo Bo is a valet. Unofficially, he’s the glue that keeps his riders sharp, smiling, and on time. With a knack for keeping things spotless and lighthearted, he’s equal parts organizer, comedian, and therapist. Luckily for his jockeys, his razor-sharp memory and quick wit don’t count toward the weight allowance.

I followed Bo Bo around for an afternoon to learn more about his process and perspective. From plastic-wrapped goggles to knock-off Pledge, his bag of tricks is as entertaining as essential.

Mackenzie Pfeiffer (MP): Are you pretty meticulous about how things are set?

Bo Bo (BB): Oh, absolutely. Everything’s got to be perfect – clean and sharp looking, all the time.

MP: How do you stay organized?

BB: I’ve got my system. Here’s my list – each rider’s name with their notes underneath. So Brinton’s (Arnold) name is here, then “2-red-116.” That tells me he’s the two-horse, with a red cap, carrying 116 lbs.

At Laurel, I’ll add a “t” if it’s turf – that means two goggles. No “t” means dirt, and that’s four goggles.

(Glances at distant television monitor) “Hazlenut” won? We call him that instead of (Yedsit) Hazlewood. He’s a goof, and “Hazlenut” just stuck.

MP: (laughing) Am I allowed to use that?

BB: Oh yeah. If you call him that, he’ll probably stop and laugh.

MP: I’ll have to try it sometime. What’s next?

BB: So, this is Brinton’s saddle. It’s clean, already set for the next race. I line everything up on the table – spot for the two horses, helmet set, and ready.

MP: (watching as he adjusts goggles) Is there a trick to layering the elastic bands?

BB: Not really. Just neat and straight, so they look nice. The first one, on top here, is always a bit tighter. The second one is snug but a little looser, and so on. I feel the band, so I know how it’ll feel on their face. Sometimes Sheldon (Russell) comes back and says, “Man, that first goggle was too tight.” I tell him, “Dude, loosen it up yourself. You’re the one putting it on your head.”

MP: (laughs) That reminds me, who’s the pickiest rider?

BB: Sheldon Russell. Most definitely. About everything.

MP: Ha! Who is the least fussy?

BB: Weston Hamilton. He’s a little country boy. He doesn’t care. I’ll tell him, “Wes, let me knock those boots off.” He’ll say, “Nah, they’re fine,” and head right back out. He doesn’t care - pants are dirty and all. Sometimes I have to force him to change.

Brinton’s good. Stays out of my way. If he gets picky later, I’ll tell him where he can go (laughs). He’s quiet, doesn’t mind.

MP: Alright, give me some tricks of the trade.

BB: Rainy days, I wrap the top goggle in plastic wrap, tuck it tight so no water seeps in, and leave a little tab hanging. That way, the jocks can rip it off in the gate easy.

MP: Smart. How about tack?

BB: Simple. Bucket of water, sponges, toothbrush, towels. The KEP helmets have vents, so I use the toothbrush for those. For the tack, I try to use as little water as possible. Wipe, spray, towel, and you’re ready for the next ra

MP: Is that Pledge you’re spraying?

BB: Knock-off Pledge. The real stuff’s too slick for saddles, but the cheap kind keeps it smooth and shiny.

MP: How’d you get started?

BB: I was galloping for Hammy (Hamilton Smith) and came to fill in one afternoon. I liked it and stuck with it.

MP: It has to help that you understand the horse side of it from riding in the mornings. Do you talk with your jocks about their races?

BB: Mostly Sheldon. We talk about races all the time. If Brittany (Russell) says something after a win, I’ll joke that we already planned it out in the jocks’ room. You know, stuff like that. Sheldon’s my brother – we’re always talking. “What do you think, Bo?” And I’ll say, “Put him on the Bill Daly.”

About horses, I don’t say much. Jocks are on them in the mornings. If they ask, and I saw it in the morning, I’ll remind them about a gate work or who they went with. Just enough to jog the memory. I try not to say too much.

MP: So you’re part sounding board, part scout.

BB: Yeah, definitely. And you become friends with them. Y’all do everything together.

MP: How about your clock? You must keep an eye on that nonstop. Do you have a good internal clock?

BB: Oh yeah. I’m always working off the clock. Right now, I’ve got a breather, but I’m always keeping an eye on the clock. Goggles take time, though. Sheldon has five sets and two helmets, so that’s easy. Fresh pair every race. Boots, too. He and Wes have two pairs each. But Sheldon? If he just won in a pair, he wants those back. Superstitious. Wes couldn’t care less. He’ll grab dirty boots, knock them himself, and go.

I gotta go saddle this race. You coming?

MP: Let’s do it.

MP: (Walking back from the paddock) How do you feel like you make an impact on your riders’ day?

BB: Keeping it light. Laughing, messing around, making them comfortable. Brinton’s new, a bug boy, nervous. I keep him laughing to loosen him up. It’s lively in here - our own little community.

MP: And, in the mornings, do you keep an eye on everything?

BB: When Sheldon went to the [Kentucky] Derby and rode for us, I had been getting on the horse (Done Talking). I kept telling him, “Best horse I’ve ever been on. Just the coolest. Laid back, and breezed great. You gotta come get him.” He asked, then [agent] Marty [Leonard] helped him get it.

MP: Does riding in the morning help keep you sharp?

BB: Ha. Sometimes it slows me down when I’ve gotta rush to the jocks’ room after. I won’t mind the day I don’t have to worry about waking up at 4 am. But yeah, it keeps me sharp.

MP: I heard you were tipping the room on Hazlenut before his afternoon debut?

BB: Oh yeah. I saw him breeze from the gate and told everyone – Frankie, Sheldon, the whole room – “I don’t know where this kid came from, but when he rides, he’s going to win.” Sheldon came back after Hazlenut’s first race and said, “Natural.”

It’s nice to be able to see them in the morning, too. It’s kind of an advantage, I could’ve asked to valet for him. Instead, I hooked him up with my cousin, Mikey T. I’m scouting out there! Or the other way too. If there’s a rider I shouldn’t take!

MP: What makes a good day for you?

BB: Last year at Laurel, we almost won the whole card. With my jocks, we won eight of nine races. We were HOT that day. That was a good day. That was a very good day. It’s always a good day if you can win a stake on a stakes day.

For a valet, two wins is a good day. Three? Great day. We mess around with each other a lot. If someone’s jock noses out another’s, we’ll walk by giggling. But we’re always congratulating too. We all want each other to get a piece.

MP: You told me once that Rosie Napravnik was the best you ever had. Why?

BB: Very easy. The only thing I had to worry about was making sure she had her yellow goggles in the rain. They brighten everything up. She was a great rider and an even better person. We had a lot of success. We still keep in touch. On big days, she’ll send a jock my way.

MP: One burning question: how did you get the name Bo Bo?

BB: First name Bo, last name Bo. My real name? Can’t print that. That’s a white boy name (laughs)! My uncle called me Bo, and it just stuck.

MP: Deal – your secret’s safe. Last question, if you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?

BB: Training. I might get to it. Hammy Smith has me polished up good. I’m ready.