LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One Kentucky Oaks trainer has made his name in Dubai and is in Louisville looking to claim his first title in the U.S. And he trains without something that most of his competition takes for granted.
Salem Bin Ghadayer trains Mimi Kakushi, who comes into the Kentucky Oaks off three consecutive wins, including the UAE Oaks on Feb. 17.
"She's shown improvement race by race," Bin Ghadayer said. "Each race, she has huge improvement. And I think she still has a lot in her bucket."
Bin Ghadayer grew up around horses and is an established endurance rider and trainer. He added the flat racing horses in 2014, an area in which he has trained numerous group winners. His success is all the more remarkable when you consider he barely sees his horses.
Mimi Kashuki trains at Churchill Downs on April 28, 2023. (WDRB Photo)
"Yeah, I have that thing," Bin Ghadayer said. "But don't worry. I deal well with that."
That "thing" that he has dealt with remarkably well is being born with only about 10% vision.
"He just knows," said Jennifer Reggio, secretary of Fazza Racing Stable. "He knows everything without seeing anything. He's more sighted than perfectly-visioned people. He can hear a lameness before you can see one. He can feel a horse is off their feet before you know they're off their feet. I can't really put another word to it other than incredible."
"God takes something and gives a lot of things," Bin Ghadayer added. "But at the end of the day, I'm not alone here. I have my team, and we're working as a unit."
"The gods decided to take the sight and give him so much more," Reggio said. "I mean, he's got a brain like a sponge. You ask him anything about any horse from any year, any racetrack, he knows when where how why what. I mean, he doesn't even save phone numbers in his phone. He memorizes everything. He's just a brilliant person. He's a very kind-hearted person as well. He loves his horses. He loves his staff, and we're just very proud to be here."
Mimi Kakushi is 20-1 in the morning line, starting from the rail in Friday's Kentucky Oaks.
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
