The popular gelding Al Skywalker was based in Southern Pines during his entire steeplechasing career.

Owned and trained by Jennifer Majette, Al won the Grade I Carolina Cup twice (2001 and 2003) and went out a winner in his last race, the Marcellus Frost Hurdle (2004).

Now 17, Al is retired and living at a small farm in Moore County with two other geldings, Splendid Sprinter and John Justice (both 18). With his media liaison close by, Al recently spent a few minutes chatting with The Pilot.

Q: Your sire, Skywalker, won the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Was there pressure to follow in his footsteps?

A: No.

Q: You ran six times in California and only hit the board once, in an $8,500 maiden claiming race. Is it fair to say flat racing wasn’t your thing?

A: Hey, you’re good.

Q: What did they call you at the track?

A: Al Skywalker.

Q: No nickname?

A: Sometimes, when they were feeling creative, they’d call me “the bay horse.”

Q: How did you wind up in North Carolina?

A: My trainer in California, Jenine Sahadi, was a good woman. A patient woman. But I couldn’t make her happy. So she shipped me to North Carolina and told Jennifer I was hers for the price of the van ride.

Q: Did you take to steeplechasing right away?

A: The best part about steeplechase is that there’s no starting gate. Let me tell you, that thing is a menace.

Q: How so?

A: Imagine you’re sitting in the middle seat on a plane. Kirstie Alley sits in the seat on your left and Dom DeLuise sits in the one on your right. You’re old enough to remember Dom DeLuise, right? I knew that. Anyway, both of them are rattling their seatback trays until you want to shoot yourself. Kirstie keeps leaning over and trying to bite you, and Dom's not even making an effort to stay on his side of the armrest.

Q: Well, did you enjoy jumping?

A: Jumping was something I had never considered as a recreational pursuit, only as a way to get out of my stall at the racetrack. But boy-oh-boy, what a feeling.

Q: Were you good at it?

A: Well, Jennifer seemed to think so. She smiled a lot when she watched me train. That was the best part, seeing how proud she was of me.

Q: What do you remember most about being a steeplechase horse?

A: I remember that it was really a team effort to keep me fit and happy. Tom Daniel, my vet, did chiropractic work and acupuncture on me once a week. And I had bad ulcers, so I got Gastrogard every day. I was pretty claustrophobic. Sometimes I’d have flashbacks about the starting gate. So they couldn’t put me in a stall at the hunt meets. Poor Jennifer would have to walk me around the grounds until it was time for my race. And often my race would be the last one of the day, so she’d be walking me for nine hours or so. Kept us both dead fit!

Q: Are you in touch with any of your old friends from the track?

A: Most of my old rivals have gone on to firmer courses. My old jockey, Tom Foley, came to visit recently. I actually got a little teary-eyed when I saw him. Tom’s retired now, and he wrote a book called “The Simple Game” about his life on the track. There’s a chapter in it about me, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

Q: Which race do you think was your best?

A: I won two Grade Is, but I think my best race was my last one, the Marcellus Frost Hurdle. Jennifer wanted me to retire sound, and she didn’t tell Tom it was going to be my last race because she didn’t want him to ride me differently. But I’d heard her talking to Dr. Daniel, so I knew I was going to retire after the race. I think I won by 15 lengths that day.

Q: Anything you’d do differently?

A: I’d definitely make more of an effort to control my temper. Jennifer was a saint to put up with me. I don’t know how many scars I gave her. Once, I head-butted her and dislocated her jaw. I felt really bad about that. I wouldn’t have blamed her for calling the cops, but she didn’t even get mad at me.

Q: Have you mellowed with age?

A: Oh, no doubt. After my last race they tried to tack me up just to go out hacking with the youngsters, but I was not into it. I know a lot of those “workaholic” type horses like having a job after they’re done racing. Not me, man. Look how great Jennifer still treats me, and the only thing I have to do now is stand still while she hoses me down on a hot afternoon. I think I figured out how to beat the system.

Q: What are your fondest memories of your racing days?

A: I’ll always remember the first time I realized I was a pretty good steeplechase horse. That was something, to finally have people telling me I was good at something. I’ll never forget how great that felt. And I really can’t say enough good things about Gastrogard. That is some good stuff. (Note: Al did not use the word “stuff.”)