Helzer and Gilbreath reverse roles

The owner-trainer team of Jim Helzer and Sleepy Gilbreath reached the heights of the Quarter Horse world with a number of top-class horses, led by Refrigerator. But last week, their roles were reversed at Remington Park.

The Gilbreath homebred So Long Tiger won a maiden race for 2-year-old Thoroughbreds, and the trainer was Jim Helzer.

“I got old Jim Helzer training for me,” Gilbreath said. “I trained for him for 30-something years!”

Gilbreath said So Long Tiger is the only Thoroughbred he owns. He is a son of C’Mon Tiger and out of the mare So Long Baby.

“One of my other owners gave the mare to me and I had to do something with her,” Gilbreath said. “I bred her three or four years, sold two of her babies. Mr. Helzer has her now.”

Gilbreath on Saturday night was active at Lone Star Park, saddling Hotstepper to a fast-closing second in the Grade 1, $873,000 Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses. He said next spring he likely will have a division of Quarter Horses at Remington.