It seemed like just a matter of time before trainer Dennis Cheesebrew would have a breakout career year and he's taking in stride the fact that it appears to finally
be at hand for him in 2010.
"I would like to think I've paid my dues in the business since I first got licensed as a groom in 1989. Basically, I decided to go out on my own because I got tired of being a second trainer, though everyone I worked for along the way was really great and I learned a lot of from them," the 37-year-old horseman originally from Columbus, Ohio says.
His longest tenure as a second trainer was in the latter 1990's in Chicago for Tony Morgan when Morgan was the kingpin there prior to his move East. Upon returning to Ohio, Cheesebrew also worked for Ken Holliday and Virgil Morgan.
With a pair of runner-up finishes from his three starters on Monday’s card at Pompano Park, Cheesebrew has amassed a 2010 slate of 53 starters and a top three summary of 10-7-4. He's easily on pace to surpass his 2009 numbers of 120 starters with 28 winners for purses of $72,000 when he was based at Northfield Park.
The Cheesebrew Stable starters certainly made their presence felt on Monday evening. Seeyall Later was a hard charging second in a $6,000 claiming pace and in a $10,000 claiming pace event Dynamic Rayzer cut the mile only to be caught by the streaking 3-5 favourite Smashing Art in the closing strides. His other starter and a newcomer to his barn, Cee Pee Bush, was sent off a favourite in the other division of the Monday evening $10,000 claiming pace but could only muster a sixth-place finish.
Cheesebrew said Cee Pee Bush, a $263,000 career winner, was a recent $8,000 private purchase from fellow Pompano trainer Jean Beaulieu.
"The racing is tough here but it is the situation I wanted," he added. "First of all I wanted to move my wife and son away from the cold in Cleveland. We're all just loving it here and our son Brandon is a big celebrity in the backstretch though he isn't quite two years old yet. The first month here last Fall I got discouraged and thought of returning to Cleveland. I had to change the whole inventory in my stable and then everything took off for me. I have two primary owners, Brent Hillabrand in South Carolina and Michael Brudner in Ohio that have totally supported me in this move.
“Even though the racing is very tough in Florida it's worked out great because it's a colony of good trainers and good people that I've learned a lot from. The guys with more years of experience here say if you can keep your training average in the .300 range you're doing fine. I'm accomplishing that goal and just hope to keep it going.”
The record also shows Cheesebrew has tried his hand at driving intermittently over the past decade and has ten lifetime wins in the bike to his credit.
"Driving I'll now leave to the professionals and it's such a strong and talented colony to choose from here," he added. "It just wouldn't make sense for me to try and drive against these guys, plus I've become a little too big to go out there and drive now. After the meet ends here on May 22 we'll be heading back to Cleveland since that's where my friends and family are. All things considered it's been a great first year here at Pompano for me. When racing starts up again in October I'll probably be first in line at the stable gate to come back in."
(Pompano Park)