The Hall of Claim: Reba's Gold, the Alex Trebek-owned racehorse that went from "claimer in Jeopardy" to stakes winner
The underdog story of a claiming horse whose celebrity owner and sharp trainer resulted in him being a part of several "Daily Doubles" at the track over a fantastic 6-year run
This entry to HorseClaiming.com’s Hall of Claim is the story of a hard-knocking west coast horse that became a millionaire asset for an iconic TV host.
“Alex, I’ll take Hall of Claim for $400, please”
The answer is: Reba’s Gold
“Who was a $28,000 claimer at Fairplex Park who on September 19, 1999 was purhased for a pedestrian $28,000 by trainer Dan Hendricks for owner Creston Farms (Alex Trebek’s 724 acre farm in Creston, California)?”
The Humble Beginnings: Sired by Slew o’ Gold, Reba’s Gold was a late-maturing colt who wallowed in the lower-tier claiming brackets of the California fair circuit. Operating under exposed sprint form, he was entered for a modest $28,000 tag on the tight, bullring turns of Fairplex Park.
The Turning Point: Recognizing that the colt’s physical frame and pedigree were completely unsuited for short bullring sprints, trainer Dan Hendricks dropped the winning slip. The moment Reba’s Gold entered his new barn, Hendricks immediately transitioned him to two-turn, long-distance routes on major tracks.
The Historic Ascent: The surface and distance change worked wonders. Reba’s Gold transformed into an incredibly durable graded-stakes competitor. Over the next four years, he went toe-to-toe with the finest handicap horses in the country, hitting the board in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, the Grade 1 Goodwood, and capturing a definitive victory in the Grade 3 Seabiscuit Handicap.
The Legacy: Reba’s Gold retired with nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in purse equity, delivering an astronomical return on a $28,000 fair circuit claim. He later transitioned into a successful regional stallion career, passing on his trademark structural durability.
Reba’s Gold became a “Jeopardy champion” of horse racing. And a reminder that even today, all it takes is some vision, a change of venue and strategy, hard work and a bit of luck. Because this type of rags-to-riches story is one we see happen continously in the horse racing business.
