Harness: Profile of outrider Sis Arnold
Have you won a race at The Meadowlands recently? If so there is a great chance you've had the pleasure of meeting Sis Arnold, currently the winner's circle attendant at the track. Along with serving as interim outrider at Freehold before its meet ended in May and working for trainer Tony Alagna in the mornings, Sis has kept very busy since coming to the east coast a year and a half ago.
As the Meadowlands meet wraps up and just days before she'll likely lead the next Hambletonian winner into the winner's circle, Sis took the time to discuss her journey in the sport and why she is heading back to Illinois in August.
How did you get started in harness racing?
My father Mike Arnold. My grandfather also did it and my niece trains horses in Ohio. Dad is in Kentucky now.
Your father Mike was a very accomplished trainer/driver with thousands of combined wins. Did you consider going into that realm?
He'll be 75 this year and still has a couple of horses to fiddle around with. I worked for Curt Grummel and was his second trainer when he had Homicide Hunter. Grummel raised him and started him as a baby. We sold him to Michelle Crawford.
Have you ever been a listed trainer or just second trainer?
Just a second trainer. I always outrode in Chicago so I couldn't be a listed trainer because I was a racing official.
You spent much of your career as an outrider. Has that been your sole source of income over the years?
That was pretty much it. I always had a little job to do in the morning to be around horses. Being around horses gets in your blood. This winter I was working for Tony Alagna, then I would go out-ride at Freehold and head to work the winner's circle at The Meadowlands.
What goes through your mind when you have to rescue a horse on the track? Is it all instinctual?
This might sound bad but I always worry about my guys. Like when Marcus [Miller] fell the other day [at The Meadowlands] I was worried about whether he was alright. I always have the animals in my mind but it is the people I'm more worried about. You can't replace them.
What kind of car do you drive?
Mini Cooper. I can get so much junk in that car it is amazing. You think it is small until you get in and it's amazing.
Favorite dinner meal? Snack?
Big steak; Teriyaki beef jerky.
What is your favorite track to visit? Why?
I had never been to the east coast and as I've been working for Alagna I've gotten to go to a lot of places I've never been to. I don't know that I have a favorite. I like to go to all tracks. Vernon was probably the neatest track, and Monticello, I bet back in the day both were pretty nice.
What is your favorite big event in racing? Why?
I like any of the trotting races. They give me goose bumps. When Ake [Svanstedt] has one racing I'm like 'oh my God, look at those things.' And Sarah [Svanstedt], when you see her you think how beautiful she is, but then you see her in the bike and realize she's such a badass. I've been in this business so long and have met and dealt with so many people, but for a female to do what she does, it is kind of cool.
How often is racing or horses on your mind?
All the time. I'm always checking to see what Alagna has in or what is going on.
Do you own any horses?
I have two pony horses. I have an old horse that is 27 named Blackie. He is just my partner in crime. He outrode at Balmoral Park, that's how long I've had him. The other one is Junior and we named him that because he looks just like Blackie.
What is your favorite sport to watch?
I don't really have one.
What is one thing about you that most fans/bettors don't know?
That I have pins and rods all the way up my backbone. I had an accident at Balmoral Park in 2011 I think. Every day I get up and hurt but you have to push yourself through it. You have better days and worse ones, but I do alright.
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What is one word that describes harness racing for you?
Work. People don't realize how much work goes into animals. They think kids are hard [laughing].
What was your most memorable moment -- good or bad -- as an outrider?
When I caught Mike Brink. I love him, he is such a nice man. One day his line came off behind the gate at Balmoral. They took him all the way around but the whole way I'm thinking 'please don't let Mr. Brink fall off. Just hold on and I'll come get you.' He told me 'alright, I'm going to let him go' and I caught him. I could tell you tons of stories but that's the one that stands out.
Are there times you are on the track and sense there is a chance there could be a problem?
Absolutely. You watch horses warm up and can see it. At Freehold, I didn't know half of the names but after a couple of weeks you get the handle of everyone. I love Freehold but maybe that's because I grew up at Maywood on the half-mile track. Too bad it's gone now.
This season you've been the winner's circle attendant at Meadowlands. What made you take on that role?
I was looking for a little extra work after Alagna in the mornings. They were looking for an attendant and I thought, 'I can do that, it's easy.' The same day I told Scott Warren [Meadowlands Director of Racing] I would go to work, Karen Fagliarone [Freehold Racing Secretary] called me and said their girl [outrider] hurt her hand, can you fill in? My fiancé/husband said now you have to work at two places and I said it would be alright because Freehold was only supposed to be for a little while, but the girl never came back and I ended up doing it the whole meet.
You're originally from the Midwest. How did you end up in New Jersey?
I wanted unemployment from Hoosier Park and they wouldn't give it to me and were fighting me for the money. All I wanted was unemployment to help me feed my horses while I was off because I had four, but they were not willing to work with me. So I quit. I work for Tony Alagna during the winter in Florida and I called him to ask about a job in New Jersey and he said he'd love to have me. So me and my husband came and have stayed a year and a half.
You mentioned the other day to me that you were going back home soon?
Hambletonian Day is my last day. I told Tony I was homesick and wanted to go back and see me dad and mom. I haven't seen them in maybe two years. We talk every day on the phone but that isn't the same. I'm out of here August 8. I don't have a job or anything lined up, but I have a place to live and for my horses. That's all that matters. I did save quite a bit of money here because all I did was work.
Is Sis your given name?
No -- Hazel Michele is my given name. I'm named after my aunt and she was a pisspot. Nobody really know my real name because I don't tell anyone. When we were young all my sister could say was 'sis' and when she got bigger she kept saying it. It's been so many years there isn't much sense in changing it now.
Do you have any stories about a horse which acted up badly for you in the winner's circle?
No. I can't remember their names. If I see them on the racetrack I'll remember which the nasty ones are but I don't remember names. I'm the same way with humans.
If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be?
I would make more room for the little people. The two, three, 10, 15-horse stables. If that is even possible. All of the money now is going to Kentucky but the people there can't even afford to get those kind of horses. They can't afford the Stay Hungrys and Captaintreacherous'.
I would also publicize the sport more. When I hurt my back in Illinois I went to a therapeutic center that was 30 minutes from the racetrack and my therapist had no idea what a racehorse was. We had three tracks in Chicago at the time and she had no idea, none!
Time for the stretch drive:
Best horse you ever saw? Bulldog Hanover, only because on the wire some of those horses were so tired and you can't see it but that horse is going in (1:)46 and you can see it, he's saying look at me, I'm the man. Maybe it is because where I sit and I get to watch the horses finish now.
Best Driver ever? Anthony Morgan.
Lasix -- Yes or No? Yes.
Favorite TV Show? Two and a Half Men.