I, Chinook Pass, was born in 1979 at Rainier Stables in Enumclaw, Washington. I was named after my parents, Native Born and Yu-Turn and a nearby mountain pass in the Cascade range. I had a normal upbringing at the farm, but heard rumblings that I was cocky though I thought of myself as confident. I was gelded partly because the horseshoer refused to trim me until I was "cut" .

My race career began at Longacres with trainer Bud Klockstad. My owner, Ed Purvis, was a retired Seattle police officer who enjoyed coming to the backside to watch me gallop and work. I "showed some speed" as they say, and won my first race as a 2 year old. although I was disqualified and placed second because apparently I swerved too much coming down the lane. I learned my lesson and went on to win 3 more races as a 2 year old, including the Stallion Stakes and Stripling Stakes at Longacres.

After an autumn break I resumed racing as a 3 year old. I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say that I ran at Portland Meadows, Longacres Park, Hollywood Park and Santa Anita. I ran 13 times from March through December. I won 8 races, was second 3 times, and third once. All were stakes races except for two. I also had 8 different riders for those 13 races, including Willie Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay. In my 3 year old year I set a WORLD RECORD for 5 furlongs at Longacres in 1983. The late Public Relations Director, Mark Kaufman got to call the race, filling in for announcer Gary Hanson. Then I set a track record for 6 furlongs at Santa Anita, and was voted the top Washington bred 3-year old colt.

I had a successful year as a 4 year old. I was trained by Laurie Anderson of California. I ran a total of 7 times, winning 4 times, and the remaining races I ran fifth or sixth. My tendons were bothering me and after I won the Longacres Mile on August 21, 1983 by 6 1/2 lengths on a fractured splint bone, it was decided I would retire. Because of my record, I was voted Champion Sprinter and awarded an Eclipse Award, the racehorse equivalent of an Oscar! Mr. Purvis traveled to New York in January 1984 to except the award, which has not before, or since, been won by a Washington-bred horse.

I was turned out and rested, then a comeback was attempted after I had a couple of years off. When it did not appear that I would hold up to training I was turned out for good at Rainier Stables where I was born and raised. During this time I met a girl named Jill. She worked with me on a treadmill/aquasizer. After I was turned out she continued to visit me at Rainier Stables. The farm owner, Dewaine Moore, encouraged Jill's friendship with me. I had many visitors from other states and even from other countries. All wanted to see ME, the homebred Eclipse Award winner! Soon Jill began riding me and that is when my life changed! She emphasized riding quietly and started to teach me to SLOW DOWN! I learned that galloping is different from cantering, and I began working in arenas instead of racetracks. With Jill as my rider and handler, I have competed in horse shows as a hunter, and have been shown in Training and First Level Dressage. I enjoy trail riding and often escort fresh off-the-track horses on the trails. I go through water, and enjoy both the woods and open fields. I sometimes pony horses when we go on a trail ride or when Jill gives a lesson and the rider needs to be on a lead line. Even with old racetrack injuries I manage to hop or clamber over logs!

I have made many appearances and have been called "ambassador for horseracing!" Since I enjoy crowds and am not bothered much by commotion, I have made appearances in the Seattle Torchlight Parade, have been to downtown Seattle twice promoting Washington racing and have been interviewed by sportscasters on TV! There have been magazine and newspaper articles about my racing career and my activities after racing. I'm even featured in a book about retired race horses! Jill tuned into a local radio station a few years ago to hear a commentary about a retired champion who does not do endorsements but still has a following, and it was ME! I returned to Longacres before it closed and made appearances at a Parade of Breeds. I have also been in the Tacoma Dome and old Kingdome representing the Thoroughbred at horse fairs and extravaganzas. Jill took me to Westlake Mall in downtown Seattle one time. I standing around visiting and promoting the racetrack to shoppers when a shop lifter, evading the bike police, ran towards me. Jill turned me and backed me so that my rear was facing him and boy did he slow down...the cop caught up with him, tackled him and put the cuffs on.

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I was invited to join 600 race trackers from Emerald Downs in previewing the movie Seabiscuit. Jill took me a few days earlier for a practice with no audience, and I had special anti-skid "easyboots" on my feet for traction. I walked into the theater, down the carpet past the seats and stood in front of the movie screen , then walked on the carpet up another aisle way. On the special night, jockey and stunt rider Gayllen Mitchell was given a leg up and I was led past a clapping crowd, many who I knew! I was unable to stay to watch the movie but I did get some popcorn. Not long after that I went to a school assembly at a high school where they were starting a school-wide reading of the Seabiscuit book. I especially enjoyed visiting with the developmentally disabled students after the assembly in the gym. I have had my photo taken with tourists, riding students, day care kids, other horses and Santa Claus. I have had three generations of race trackers greet me and reminisce about my racing days...I joined friends at a Longacres reunion, and this summer I will be at Emerald Downs helping to celebrate their first 10 years! I once appeared at a roast for Ron Crockett, owner of Emerald Downs, at a hotel near SeaTac Airport. There were 700 people were seated eating breakfast. I was supposed to stand near the podium but that was boring so Jill led me back and forth on the red carpet in front of everyone. I return to Emerald Downs, which is every year. One time I joined the tailgate party in the parking lot with the fans and handicappers on Mile Day! In the fall there is a race named after me and I get to lead the post parade. I then canter back in front of the grandstand and stand in the paddock while the race runs. I love going to the the backside where the old timers come out and give me a pat.

Jill and I drove to Montana to the Great Falls meet in 1992 and joined another world record holder, Midnight Mackee (4 furlongs). Jody Davidson, who rode me when I set the world record 10 years earlier, was at Great Falls and we had a nice visit. On that trip I saw the galloping steel horses in Vantage, Washington are HUGE 10foot + steel structures that you can see from the highway, and crossed the Continental Divide! I've traveled north of Seattle to participate in a fundraiser for homeless animals and have gone south of Seattle to Tacoma on New Years Day to ride to music with another great retired Washington-bred, Saratoga Passage. Let's see, I've been to the following states in my lifetime - Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho and Arizona. There was a campaign planned when I was 4 years old to head back east and run, but the splint bone injury prevented that from happening. I even heard there was a possible match race being planned and talk of sending me to England to challenge some runners there. I was retired a year before the Breeders Cup series of races started. Now THAT would have been fun! As it was, I retired with almost half a million dollars in earnings. I was voted horse of the decade by the Thoroughbred breeders in 1990 for my accomplishments in the previous decade, and at the beginning of the new millennium I was voted HORSE OF THE CENTURY by the breeders - I was also the first horse inducted into Washington's Horse Racing Hall of Fame. I am humbled and appreciative of all these honors.

At home I am in charge of two other Thoroughbreds, as well as an Appaloosa and a pony. I have a goat named Harold who shares my stall and paddock. Harold is my second goat. My first goat Ribbon lived with me for 11 years. Most days I am turned out in the big field with my horse friends. In the winter Jill and I don't go riding too often. In the spring we trail ride or just ride down to a nearby lake. We ride to music, my favorite song is “Greatest American Hero”.

Now, at 27 years young, I am looking forward to a couple of appearances at Emerald Downs this summer. Someone calls Jill and the next thing you know I am getting a bath, my whiskers are being trimmed and the trailer backs up, the leather halter goes on, I know we're going somewhere special. Each trip I've been able to meet somebody who remembers ME - "that great old racehorse Chinook Pass!"

-that's it for now-
Mr. Pass

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