THE Americans have survived several British invasions over the years – but I’m not sure they were prepared for the de’Lemos family.
To describe the owners of Live In The Dream as excitable would be to do them a disservice — this is the trip of their lives and they are loving every minute of it.
Why the hell wouldn’t they?
Not only has their horse, who cost just £24,000, already banked a big Group 1, but he has brought them to the sport’s biggest stage.
And what a stage — with the jaw-dropping San Gabriel mountains, groves of towering palm trees and historic, sprawling Santa Anita grandstand offering up the best backdrop in racing.
Steve and Jolene de’Lemos and the six members of their family intend to make the most of it. Who knows if they or their horse will be back?
The whole clan, including their kids Rhys, 18, and Aimee, 16, were at Santa Anita early, early doors on Monday.
The sun was just poking its nose above the horizon when Live In The Dream and his work rider, Shoshana ‘Lils’ Cooksley, came winging around the bend on the turf track.
It can be hard to pick out the horse you want to see during trackwork here, with dozens of four-legged beasts exercising in every conceivable direction. It’s the definition of organised chaos.
But you can’t miss Live In The Dream, the rocket disguised as a chestnut horse with a big flash of white on his face.
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Jolene, 44, wearing a jumper in the same colours as the four-year-old’s silks, was the one to cut across the early morning chatter: “Look, look, here he comes!”
The whole family turned to face the track, watched their horse whizz past before turning to each other with huge smiles on their faces.
Steve, 54, said: “I feel like Charlie Bucket at the Wonka Factory and we’re going to sample every bit of candy that Santa Anita has got to offer. Look at it. It’s just incredible.”
He has been good to his word. The draw ceremony — usually a dull and mundane affair — was lit up by their whooping and hollering as Live In The Dream was drawn in box five for the Turf Sprint.
They have been to every cocktail party, every dinner function and every social event, and they’re staying in the swankiest hotel Pasadena has to offer.
Though getting here was another matter.
Sure, they are well-off, but by no means ultra-rich. The whole family flew out to Los Angeles in ‘cattle class’ from Heathrow — there wasn’t a premium economy seat in sight, let alone a private jet.
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Steve said: “We are just normal people and a normal family. I’ve done alright in business, I own my own insurance brokers in Surrey.
“But to have something like this happen to us is out of this world, which is why we wanted the whole family to come out and enjoy the experience together.”
If Steve feels like Charlie Bucket, then winning the Nunthorpe at York was his golden ticket. That Group 1 is a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the Breeders’ Cup.
Though that doesn’t mean it’s all expenses paid. This trip is still going to cost them tens of thousands, so they could do with winning the £500,000 first prize on Saturday night.
Though the bulk of that would go towards covering their hotel bar bill, which is now about as long as the Walk of Fame in nearby Hollywood.
Steve said: “The money we would win if he could do it on Saturday would be life changing — or maybe it would just about cover the drinks tab at our hotel!
“It all started at York which was an amazing day — we have actually won the Nunthorpe about 400,000 times because our lad Rhys has watched it on repeat at home.
“Stall five is great, we just didn’t want to be stuck on the inside in stall one, and as long as he can break well he will have a massive chance. We are feeling pretty confident. The horse has settled in well and has everything in his favour.
“Adam has always said round a sharp five furlongs and around a bend it would take a hell of a horse to beat him, and he knows what he is talking about.”
Of course, he is talking about Adam West, the quirky, punk concert-going, ferret-owning Epsom trainer who has almost taken on cult hero status this year.
The trainer will tell you himself he is more a horse person than a people person, and the initial days of the Breeders’ Cup experience was pretty overwhelming for him.
But Steve and Jolene are in no doubt that he is underrated and a trainer who deserves the praise he is getting.
Jolene said: “Adam is great, we get on really well with him and he has said for a long time that America would suit this horse.”
Steve added: “He is a real horseman, he is so gifted at dealing with them and knowing what they want and what they need.
“The horses always come first with him and I think you see that in his results. He has done a brilliant job with Live In The Dream.”
And so has young jockey Sean Kirrane. A host of veteran riders have been on the blower to West trying to nab the ride off the 23-year-old in recent weeks.
Was one of those jockeys Frankie Dettori, I ask?
“No comment,” says Steve with a smile.
“Sean is young and learning and he will make mistakes, but he has a lot of talent and he has earned the opportunity.
“Hopefully those mistakes don’t happen this weekend but what will be will be and we have a lot of faith in him.
“He knows the horse better than anyone. Loyalty is important in all walks of life and there is not enough of it in this sport.
“It’s still incredible we are here. I have to pinch myself.
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“We are taking the Breeders’ Cup by storm and will make a lot of noise if he wins.”
Live In The Dream — has there ever been a better-named horse?
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