Kip Elser
Kip Elser is a leading expert in breaking and training Thoroughbred yearlings and two-year-olds, with a thirty year plus proven track record of developing grade I stakes winners. Under his meticulous eye, Elser prepared arguably two of the best three-year-old fillies competing today, 2011 Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty and G1 winner Winter Memories, who has earned almost $700,000 with six wins and a second from eight career starts. Sharp Cat, Smoke Glacken, Alphabet Soup, Royal Anthem, Memories of Silver, 1998 Kentucky Oaks winner Keeper Hill, and ‘95 Oaks winner Gal in a Ruckus are just some of the notable G1 horses prepped by Elser throughout his career.
As principal of Kirkwood Stables, a full service breaking, training, and rehab facility in Camden, South Carolina, he is a consistent presence at all the major training sales, regularly consigning horses at Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, and Tattersalls. Elser was the first major U.S. consignor to sell at the Tattersalls breeze-up sale in 1998, and has been consigning horses there ever since.
He believes a young horse’s mental education to create a willing athletic participant, combined with tailored physical training programs specific to each horse under his care are the vital components to his success. Leveraging the expansive, multi surface Springdale Race Course and mild climate in Camden, Elser deploys a variety of training regimens to educate his young athletes and rehab experienced racehorses year-round.
Terry on Kip:
"Kip's customized approach to treat each horse as an individual and his philosophy on the importance of a horse's mental development plays a significant role in successfully developing a young horse. His vast institutional knowledge is a tremendous asset to our clients' horses, and he is an important contributor to the West Point team."
Kip on West Point Thoroughbreds:
"I've known Terry a long time, and I am eager to play a pivotal role in the future success of West Point Thoroughbreds by preparing their young racing prospects to perform on the racetrack."
