Trotman gives up role as assistant trainer to represent Husbands

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After spending more than 20 years as an assistant trainer, Leroy Trotman has changed roles and will now represent eight-time Sovereign Award-winning jockey Patrick Husbands as his agent.

Husbands and longtime agent Gary Kemplen recently parted ways, and Trotman said Husbands offered him a chance to take over his book.

“Patrick wanted to make a change, and he gave me a call,” Trotman said. “This opportunity is the perfect opportunity.”

This will be Trotman’s first experience as a jockey agent. He spent the last 11 years as an assistant trainer to Reade Baker. Baker represented three Sovereign Award-winning jockeys as an agent from 1976-85 – Gary Stahlbaum, Avelino Gomez, and Ron Hansen – and Trotman said Baker was the first person he spoke with about the position.

“Reade said this was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Trotman said. “He told me the best time he had in horse racing was when he was an agent. He was very supportive.”

Trotman said he’s spent the last couple of weeks learning the role and hopes to represent additional riders down the road.

“This is just the beginning,” Trotman said. “Hopefully, this can lead to someone else. Patrick is going to be enough for me to handle right now. It’s a learning process. At the same time, it’s great to start with a rider like Patrick. It makes things a little easier, but at the same time, there’s things to learn while you’re doing that.”

Shakhimat has minor surgery

While the top three finishers from the Queen’s Plate were scheduled to run in Tuesday’s $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, fifth-place finisher Shakhimat was not among those entered for the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Trainer Roger Attfield said Shakhimat underwent minor throat surgery following the Queen’s Plate for an entrapped epiglottis. Another Attfield trainee, Are You Kidding Me, underwent a similar procedure ahead of his 2015 campaign, when he was named Canada’s champion older male.

“[Shakhimat] is doing fine actually,” Attfield said. “He’s back under tack and just started jogging. He’ll be back in normal training in about 10 days, and all looks good.”

Attfield said it was possible that Shakhimat could run in the $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes on Aug. 21, but a more likely return spot is the Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Derby on Sept. 17.