Winning Ponies

Midwest trainer Mike Nance “blames” his family for his successful 25-year career in horse racing. But it wasn’t because they bought him a pony. One of the favorite weekend destinations of the Nance family was an afternoon at Ellis Park Racetrack, so the seed was firmly planted in young Michael. By the ripe age of five, the Evansville, Ind. native was fairly adept at interpreting the racing form. The racetrack was his heaven, and he loved every minute of it. When he was 8-years old, Nance was hopping on city buses by himself to catch Ellis’ weekend cards. Instead of “playing baseball as I told my Mom,” he was armed with a pocket full of money earned from doing odd jobs and ready for a run to the track. “Of course I couldn’t bet (legally),” recalls Nance. But I hung around with these old guys who’d place bets for me. I’d have five dollars, and if I didn’t win, I was out for the day.” He won more often than not, and the races, the horses, and the excitement were in his blood. Horse racing remained a constant int