Rebecca Ancora’s passion for harness racing led to love
by Victoria Howard
There have been many children who were born and raised in our sport — whether they wanted to be or not — because if their entire family was involved, they didn’t have much of a choice. They would accompany their parent(s) to the barn at a very young age and grew up not knowing anything but a life of racetracks and horses.
Rebecca Ancora was born in British Columbia, just outside of Vancouver in a city called Langley. She was one of the ‘blessed ones’ for her mother trained a small stable at Fraser Downs, and her father was a race announcer for 30 plus years.
But it just wasn’t her parents who was involved in the sport, the passion for harness racing began with her maternal grandfather, Jim Todd, as an owner, trainer, and driver.
“My mom owned and trained her own stable and my dad was an announcer,” Ancora said. “Each worked in a different side of harness racing, but both shared the same passion; a passion that would continue with me starting at an early age.
“I grew up in the barn and started working for my mom as soon as she would let me. I consider myself very lucky to have been raised in harness racing for it has instilled the traits I value the most about me: my drive, work ethic, and love and appreciation for horses.”
Ancora got her first horse when she turned 18.
“I’ll never forget her,” Ancora said. “Her name was Becky’s Gifted Angel, and I claimed her for $5,000 [a lot of money for an 18-year-old girl].
“‘Becky’ won a few races before I sold her for $8,000. Although I loved the mare, and was sorry to let her go, I learned early on that this is a business, and I can’t fall in love with the horse. But I still have trouble every time one of my ‘kids’ leave my barn. I took the $8,000 I got from the sale and claimed my next horse.”
As far as working for trainers in the business, Ancora started out with her mom, who she said taught her everything she needed to learn about training.
Ancora now works with her husband Patrizio.
“In 2020 I met my husband, horseman Patrizio Ancora, at Hoosier Park in Indiana,” Rebecca said. “He is originally from Italy where he had his own barn of trotters [there are no pacers there]. He always jokes that I turned him into a pacing guy.
“When we met, Patrizio had just left a 10-year stint working for Lindy Farms in Connecticut. And if you’re in the business you would know that Lindy Farms is one of the top trainer stables for trotters.”
Rebecca said that while at Lindy, Patrizio helped break colts and had the opportunity to sit behind some very nice horses.
“After a decade he was looking for a change and moved to Indiana where he got a job with Trent Stohler, along with having one or two horses of his own,” she said. “We kept our stables separate for I had a hard time leaving my mom’s stable, which was all I had ever known.
“Change can be scary, but after Patrizio and I were together, we decided to sell the horses I owned with my mom; Patrizio left working for Trent, and he also sold his horses.
“With that money we claimed a few horses, bought a few yearlings, and decided to go all in.”
Presently, the Ancoras have anywhere from six to 10 horses in their stable at Hoosier Park.
“I know it can be challenging working with your spouse, but Patrizio and I share the same passion and drive so, it’s working out pretty well,” Rebecca said. “We are on the same page when it comes to our horses; their health, well-being and fitness comes before anything. Before date nights, before vacations, and before sleep, at times, our horses come first.”
Although Rebecca cares about all of her horses, she does admit to having some favorites.
“There have been many, but I can tell you the two that have made the biggest impact on me,” she said. “They are, Bitofbitterbutter and Galley’s Image. They were the first yearlings my husband and I bought and trained together. ‘Butter’ is a Freaky Feet Pete colt we paid $4,500 for. ‘Galley’ is a Rockin Image filly we purchased for $4,000. Together, they’ve made a combined total of $200,000.
“Coincidentally, they both are my fastest, as Galley took a mark of 1:50.1 this year, and Butter took a mark of 1:50.4 last year and race timed in 1:50 flat, finishing third in the Sire Stakes. Those two horses definitely changed my life. They taught me, and continue to teach me, what horses can give you when you give them all that you have. No matter their price tag and against all odds.”
Rebecca said that her most exciting time so far as a trainer is every time a horse of hers crosses the wire first.
“It’s a thrill like no other,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if it is a $5,000 claimer or an open. But when a horse we bought as a yearling and broke/train ourselves wins it’s almost indescribable.
She also owns a special broodmare.
“I have one, her name is Fox Valley Tinka, and she is my heart horse,” Rebecca said. “I purchased her as a 3-year-old and the minute I laid eyes on her I knew she was going to be mine.
“She is a massive, all chromed out, JK Endofanera. She’s the one horse that stayed with me through my transition from my mom’s stable to my own and has been all over the country with me, from Hoosier Park to Pompano Park to The Meadows to Chicago.
“She has a mark of 1:52, race timed in 1:51, and earned over $100,000 lifetime. She may not be a world beater, but, to me, she’s a champ. She was a tough racehorse and always came through when I needed it the most. She is currently in foal to Rockin Image and with her size, heart, and confirmation, I’m hoping she will make us a decent broodmare.”
When asked about her plans and goals in the sport, Rebecca said, “Patrizio and I have many goals, personal and business, but as long as we can keep doing what we love and doing it together, to me, that means we’ve succeeded.”
