Megan Fadlovich forged her own path to the trainers' ranks with her determination to excel in every equine discipline she has faced. Now, she's a stakes-winning trainer of Thoroughbreds.
On Saturday, under a challenging trip, Lofty Cowtown bullied her way to capture the $75,000 Dr. T. F. Classen Memorial at Thistledown while making her first start of the season.
"She was the first horse sent to me from the HMDC partnership and she was...," Megan paused while searching for the kindest of words. "Quirky, not very personable, let's just say. I got on her exclusively in the mornings." Megan limits her time in the saddle since her retirement from it, as she has a shedrow of horses to train each morning. That personal touch paid immediate benefits, though, as Lofty Cowtown reeled off three straight wins at Thistledown and a third-place finish trying the turf in the Ms. Southern Ohio Stakes at Belterra Park. "She got a little sour at the end of the season going long."
The entire Fadlovich stable had to hit the brakes early in the season when they were located in an area of the backstretch that had to quarantine at Mahoning Valley. With limited training and unable to ship to race elsewhere, it was a welcome return to Thistledown. "Dr. Sikora with HDMC called and reminded me that the Classen was the last accredited sprint on the state stakes schedule. She'd been back to training very well, so I told him that I was all for it."
Being a former jockey, Megan extended the opportunity to ride her in the stake to her regular jockey, but he had already committed himself to take another mount. She then asked David Haldar who obligingly showed up to work with the moody filly. Dismissed at 17-1 Lofty Cowtown didn't break briskly from the gate in the 6-furlong event and was trapped along the rail in the early going. Not liking the set-up, Haldar appeared to quickly hop the hooves of a rival while finding room to the outside. Lady Cowtown willingly responded to his urging around the turn and they moved quickly towards a wall of leaders. Once there, there was little room to advance. "He made room and rode her with confidence" exclaimed Fadlovich post-race. "I was so happy to see that filly go up into the hole, I'm proud of her tenacity." Lofty Cowtown passed her main rival in the final strides to win by half-length.
The $75,000 Dr. T.F. Classen was part 2 of a winning day for Fadlovich. She captured the 8th race, a $28,000 allowance event for non-winners of two with a maiden New York-bred ... that she owns! Named Redwineandwhiskey, the 3-year-old filly came into the race with two second-place finishes in a state-bred maiden and a $103,000 stakes race. Coming off a series of solid workouts and a bullet 4 furlongs into the race, she broke cleanly and kept within two lengths of the leader for most of the race. Haldar took her four-wide and in a three-horse photo finish, she prevailed in a head bob.
Most of her horses come with a story and Redwinandwhiskey has a good one. "I used to ride her dam, U of Tequila, and her breeder knew I loved her, she was all mare," Megan said enthusiastically. "Business got in the way of his breeding ventures and he asked if I'd take her and her foals. We have a Cloud Computing 2-year-old and a Good Samaritan weanling. Sadly, we lost U of Tequila two weeks ago."
Starting with experience on hunter/jumpers, Megan she entered that facet of the sport through her dogged determination, not because her family gifted her a horse for her birthday. Her next life adventure with horses saw her learn to become a Polo player and eventually she ran her own string of polo horses in Northern California. Deciding to take on another discipline, Megan was drawn to the unique challenge of the sport of Mounted Shooting. A sport where you are required to fire your guns accurately at targets while riding. Competition accepted -- she ascended to become a World Champion in her division.
Megan earned the title of professional jockey through tough days riding in bush races in Utah and numerous tracks on the western circuit. Her talents in the saddle brought her to Ohio where she was the regular rider for state champions Mound and Jac's Fact.
It was four years ago when Megan was faced with a life-changing situation she had no immediate control over. While driving north from Florida in the early hours of Valentine's Day, she and her beloved boyfriend Coty Davidson were in a tragic car accident. Coty did not survive. Megan was to be in stable condition in an Ocala hospital. She had two surgeries to stabilize a badly broken leg. Megan also had broken ribs and numerous contusions. Again, she persevered.
"From all of lessons I have learned—Patience is #1," Fadlovich stated. "You have to let the horse figure it out—you can't put them in a box and shouldn't need to force them. I love being well rounded and I'm hands-on. While we have a great crew, I personally feed lunch and dinner to each horse every day, a trainer is a project manager and equine engineer. I have an excellent relationship with the HMDC group based on honesty."
So, the stage is set for the next act in her role as trainer. Megan has never shied away from playing a new and difficult role and continually thrusts herself into lead positions that demand intensity and accuracy in the craft of horsemanship. Her co-star in these public performances is a well-muscled 1,000 lb. equine performer that possess strength, can withstand physical demands, and has inherent agility that must be prepared to the second for a demanding role. Whether in a controlled arena, a mallet-swinging melee, a pistol-packing challenge or an all-out run to the wire, Megan Fadlovich finds a comfort zone taking center stage with her equine stars.
Despite her starring role in her own life's adventure, the 34-year-old Megan may now have to take a step back from her lead. There's a new kid in town, quite literally. Posing with Lofty Cowtown in the winner's circle, Megan had her arm wrapped around this new addition to the stable—her eight-week-old daughter Vaida.
"We're already calling her our Good Luck Charm!" she said.
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