No matter their level of involvement, owners of Thoroughbreds are always in search of their horse of a lifetime, the one they will shout about with pride to anyone who will listen, "That is my horse!"
Michael Foster has found that horse in Next.
"He's a Seabiscuit-type story," Foster said.
Like Seabiscuit, Next exhibited early flashes of talent but has seen a career renaissance since switching barns.
When the 6-year-old son of Not This Time became available for claim at a $62,500 tag at Keeneland in April 2022 during a string of defeats, Foster took notice of the running lines in Next's past performances that featured an appearance in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and a victory in the 2021 War Chant Stakes at Churchill Downs.
"That triggered my mind," Foster said. "We read between the lines and there was a lot of racehorse there. People thought a lot of this horse at one point."
Foster and his longtime friend and trainer Doug Cowans submitted the only claim on Next that day and came away with a superstar.
"Doug did a great job getting him after the claim and developing this horse," Foster said. "He truly developed this horse. He didn't just luck out and get a great horse, Doug saw what this horse had."
What Cowans saw, an innate ability for stamina, turned Next into the undisputed modern-day king of marathon dirt racing. That brilliance was on display again Aug. 4 as Next streaked to the wire 22 1/4 lengths clear of competition in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
The crowd cheered enthusiastically down the stretch at his breathtaking display. For Foster, witnessing the fans' reaction to the gelding carrying his silks means the world. He recalled a similar reaction of the grandstand's roar when Next did the same thing in the Isaac Murphy Marathon Stakes at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week.
"Everybody in the stands wanted to jump into the picture, I wish they would have," Foster said.
With the joy of fandom also comes the burden of desiring more. As Next continues to crush foes with surprising ease, supporters of the generational talent want to see just how much he can widen his reign. While in the Saratoga winner's circle, the Next team heard the loud voices of the fans calling for a run in the Classic, to which Cowans yelled back, "Breeders' Cup or Charles Town?"
Next has dominated his last six races, all marathons, by an average of nearly 14 lengths. To this point, Cowans has remained firm in keeping Next at those distances, saying he has found what the horse loves doing and doesn't want to push him into more strenuous races that could impact his longevity. Foster said he backs his trainer "100%."
"Doug's going to make the final call. I'm an owner, not a trainer," Foster said. "My concern is the well-being of Next. His health and his longevity is number one."
Foster and Cowans have built their faith in each other through nearly two decades of partnership. Upon retiring early from Wall Street at age 56, Foster was interested in taking his love for horse racing and handicapping one step further by entering the game of ownership. Asking a breeder he trusted who would be the best young, up-and-coming trainer to use, he was referred to Cowans.
"I drove over to Beulah Park, met Doug, and we hit it right off. We started claiming horses and buying babies and the rest is history," Foster said. "He's the only trainer I've ever had and the only trainer I ever will have."
That trust and friendship have shined in Next's spotlight as Foster has allowed Cowans to make the decisions that are right for the horse, not being swayed by larger purses at shorter distances such as the $7 million offered in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
"It's not about ego or money," Foster said. "We're doing it because we're regular guys with a great racehorse having fun, enjoying it, and doing it the right way. That's what racing is all about.
"We're running at the top level we can run this horse at. Sorry that there's not enough marathon horses to make the competition a little tougher, but that's not our fault."
Foster said that the competitor in him would love to take on the likes of Whitney Stakes (G1) winner Arthur's Ride and runner-up Crupi, the latter of whom Next defeated soundly in the Brooklyn Stakes (G2), but he'd rather enjoy riding the wave his gelding has taken them on for as many years as they can.
"We only want to run four or five good races a year, keep the horse healthy, give him a nice layoff to let him recoup," Foster said.
Should there be a change in Next's race plan, the most likely reason would be from a lack of competition wanting to see the gray tail waving goodbye from the horizon. Should that be the case, Foster, like Cowans, sees a move to 1 1/2-mile turf racing more likely than 1 1/4-mile dirt racing.
When they claimed Next, he had been primarily focused on grass and had even entered his first turf marathon in the 2022 Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park. Rain pushed the race off the turf and thus began Next's love story with America's primary racing surface.
"We are confident he could do turf as well," Foster said. "I'd rather do that than go the mile and a quarter (on dirt)."
The well-being of the horse is something Foster values deeply. He has gone the extra distance to save horses he was advised to euthanize, several of whom are still alive.
"You do the right thing for the horse," Foster said. "If you're committed to do it right, you do it all the way."
Foster's retired racehorses enjoy second careers being leased out as show, jumping, or dressage horses at a training center in Batavia, Ohio, perhaps a future Next can look forward to.
"When I get a horse, our plan is to own him until I pass away or he passes away," Foster said. "That's the way you should take ownership of a horse.
"They're happy because they have a job; these horses want to work. Next can't wait to go to work every day. He's like the horse who's found the greatest job in the world and he can't wait to go to work. That's rare."
