On the Rise: Ethan West

Ethan West, 32, didn't expect to find himself in the position of saddling a Kentucky Derby (G1) starter so early in his training career which launched in 2018. Yet, here he is, and not only does West plan to make the most of the experience—an opportunity which eludes some of even the most-seasoned trainers—he doesn't merely want to say he was a participant in the world's most-talked-about race: he's keen to see Chunk of Gold turn in a top-level performance at Churchill Downs May 3. The married father of four explained, "Everybody keeps telling me, 'Just make sure you enjoy it.' You know, there is a competitive side of me, and while I want to enjoy it, we're here to work." Besides Chunk of Gold's maiden win on debut at Turfway Park in December, the Terry L. Stephens-owned colt has a trio of runner-up finishes in stakes, including a pair of grade 2s, the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. West, who grew up in Indiana and now lives in Erlanger, Ky., operates a year-round public stable at Turfway Park with approximately 30 horses. His answers are edited for clarity and space. BloodHorse: How did you become involved in racing? Ethan West: Kind of grew up into it. My grandparents (Wayne and Lois West) had a few horses, and it sparked my brother's (Aaron's) interest, and I always followed him around, so it naturally sparked my interest. I was going to the track as a little kid, just hanging out with my grandma and grandpa and their horses. Then for my first job, I was in the receiving barn (at Hoosier Park in Indiana). I would hustle the ship-in horses to go to the paddock. I was galloping at that time as well. BH: Did you work as an assistant for anybody before going out on your own? EW: I worked under my brother, Aaron. He and I both moved to southern Kentucky, Russell Springs, in 2013. He leased a training center down there and broke a lot of babies there. Just when his career was starting to take off—got too big to where all the horses couldn't be at the farm—I started working at the racetrack. I went back to Indiana. I would be there in the summers, then do Turfway in the winter or go back home to Russell Springs in the winter, just kind of depended on the stock we had at the time. BH: In 2023, you won your first graded stakes, a grade 3, in the Bryan Station at Keeneland with the 20-1 Runaway Storm. What do you remember about his head victory over the favorite, Talk of the Nation? EW: If you're familiar with his form, coming from last the way he did was not the tactics we had set up in our head. He'd always been a front-runner, and he just decided to walk out of the gate that day. Colby Hernandez put a perfect ride on him. He sat back, didn't panic when we didn't break, just kind of let him do his thing. When he asked him to go, he went. It was amazing. BH: What's your state of mind about having a Derby starter? EW: Nothing but excitement … trying to keep the nerves aside. I mean, it's easier said than done, but you know, it is exciting. It's cool to see. You're watching the races on TV, and they start talking about the Derby, and you see your horse up there. That one takes the cake. BH: A popular storyline surrounding Chunk of Gold is that he was purchased for $2,500 as a yearling. But as many people on the racetrack would note, horses don't know how much they cost. EW: Seems to be the story that everybody wants to know. Like I've told other people, I can't take credit for picking him out as a yearling. I had nothing to do with it. Why he was as (inexpensive) as he was, I couldn't tell you; maybe he was an unattractive yearling. They told me that his X-rays were all clean. Knock on wood, we've never had any issues with him since we've had him in. It's like you said, they don't know what they cost. BH: You gallop Chunk of Gold. What kind of horse is he to ride? EW: He's pretty classy. He goes out there and does his job. He loves to stand and look and take everything in. He's one of those horses that takes a while to train, just because he enjoys standing out there on the outside rail, parked out, hanging out, and enjoying all the surroundings, seeing what's going on. BH: How would you expect him to handle his surroundings at Churchill Downs when training there Derby week and the day of the race? It can be a chaotic scene. EW: I don't expect anything out of the ordinary. I could be wrong; when we get down to Churchill and he sees all the crowds and twin spires and everything, he might lose his mind, but I don't anticipate that. We took him to the Fair Grounds, and he took everything (in stride). He didn't bat an eye. He was looking at the new surroundings, but never scared, never intimidated. I would expect the same at Churchill. BH: What changes have you observed in him from 2 to 3? EW: He's gotten a lot bigger and stronger. I think he's a horse that, if he would have run early on as a 2-year-old, I don't think he would have excelled the way he has now. I've noticed just between his last two races (the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby), he's changed a lot physically for the better. BH: How are your grandparents viewing their grandson saddling a Derby starter? EW: Well, they're all excited. I actually spoke to my grandma this morning, you know, just to see if we've come back down to reality yet... but still on cloud nine.