Herrick returns to Del Mar

Trainer Joe Herrick's 4-year-old gelding Achieved finished seventh among the eight horses in the fifth race July 25 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, but the race was significant for Herrick in that it marked his first start at Del Mar since he was burned during the Lilac fire.

Herrick had left the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall after completing his morning work with his horses Dec. 7. The Lilac fire began that morning and was spreading in the direction of San Luis Rey, so Herrick returned to help rescue the horses.

"When we came back the fire was bearing down on the facility," said Herrick. "We watered everything down as much as we could."

Tall palm trees became fuel for the blaze.

"They blew up like Roman candles," Herrick said. "It was like shooting flaming arrows at 60 miles an hour. It was like hell came to town."

The horses at San Luis Rey had been let out of their stalls, which in the human mindset would prevent them from being trapped. The horses had other emergency protocol.

"They were running all around the stable area," Herrick said. "The stall is their sanctuary. That's their home. That's where they feel safe."

Approximately 250 stalls at San Luis Rey were spared while 200 were destroyed. Herrick's stalls were ravaged by the fire. "It seemed to make a beeline for my barn," he said.

Herrick had eight horses, not including a lead horse who was on loan from San Diego County trainer and owner Mick Ruis. Six of Herrick's eight racehorses died in the fire (the lead horse survived).

"One horse that I did manage to get out ran back in," Herrick said. "I had already been burned. I had to hose myself off."

Herrick's attempt to save the horse who returned to the barn led to the more severe burns.

The fire killed 46 horses at San Luis Rey. Herrick had second-degree burns on between 20 and 25 percent of his body including his arms, his face, and the back of his head. Trainer Martine Bellocq was also severely burned.

Herrick and Bellocq were transported to the Burn Center at UCSD Hospital in San Diego. "They told me I was going to be in there for months," Herrick said.

Herrick had some complications from the burns. "There was one point where my blood pressure was 275 over 125," he said.

The initial measurement was taken when the cuff was on Herrick's leg. The cuff was placed on his arm in case that would produce a different reading, but the same reading resulted.

Herrick was released from the hospital after 12 days. Bellocq, who had third-degree as well as second-degree burns, was still in the hospital. "That was the hard part," Herrick said.

Bellocq has since been released from the Burn Center.

Herrick is still recovering from his burns.

"The scar tissue wants to contract, so you're always fighting the contraction," said Herrick. "You've just got to keep stretching the scar tissue back out."

Recovering full function has been part of the process. "It took me a long time just to be able to make a fist," Herrick said.

Achieved came to Herrick's stable after the fire. His first workout on the San Luis Rey track was a three-furlong run April 28, and he had 11 workouts at San Luis Rey before the July 25 race, which was the first of his career.

One of Herrick's other horses is Cheyenne Dancer. Herrick's first race since the fire was with Cheyenne Dancer on the Santa Anita track May 13.

"It was special to be back and felt good to run a horse again," Herrick said.

Cheyenne Dancer had two subsequent races at Santa Anita, including a third-place finish, and one additional race during the Los Alamitos meet. Herrick's horse Within the Law also ran once during the Los Alamitos meet.

Achieved made his racing debut in a six-furlong race. "He was moving back when the gate opened," Herrick said. "He just got left behind and he didn't like eating all that dirt."

Achieved was the longest shot in the race at odds of 27-1, and for many what mattered is not where Achieved finished, but that Herrick was back at Del Mar after his Lilac fire injuries.

"Del Mar's always special," Herrick said.