On the Rise: Amelia Green Plots Her Course as Trainer

Amelia Green, 32, left her job last fall with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher to set up her own training operation. The native of England, who rode races for a short spell, worked as an exercise rider, foreman, and assistant during her seven years for Pletcher. She counts among her other mentors the legendary Sir Henry Cecil, one of the most prominent international trainers until his 2013 death. Green started with a handful of horses, including On Command, who provided her with her first career win (the Omaha Beach filly was also the first horse she started) Dec. 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack and her first stakes win in the May 4 License Fee Stakes. At the beginning of June, Green had 30 horses in her growing stable, including a fair number of 2-year-olds. She is based at Saratoga Race Course for the summer. Through June 30, Green had a record of 8-8-9 from 43 career starters while winning at a solid 19%. Green's answers are edited for clarity and space. BloodHorse: How much consideration went into the decision to leave the Pletcher barn, and how did you prepare yourself for that move? Amelia Green: I would say training is something I've always wanted to do. It was something that I had in the back of my mind. It was definitely something that I had to set a date on and stick to it; that was key for me. I was lucky (in Pletcher's barn)—I would get a good horse (to exercise) every year. You'd always want to stay for that next one. I officially spoke to Todd about two years before I actually left, not to tell him that I was leaving, but to ask his opinion about it. Todd is a great mentor to so many people. Before I left, he guided me on when and where to set up and basically how to (reach) that goal of training. (As part of that mentoring), he helped me with comparing condition books, and would (quiz) me on why I picked that (theoretical) spot. BH: Why did you decide to start your career in New York? AG: That was another conversation I had with Todd. It was more the timing of when I was setting up my stable. My plan was to set up in November. I didn't want to set up in March and just have 2-year-olds and no active runners. We discussed that November would be a good time to start with some older horses. Otherwise, I could go down to Florida and be running against Todd and Chad (Brown) and the other top guys that move to Florida for the winter, so I ultimately decided on New York in the wintertime. Although it's freezing cold and very expensive, it made sense. New York in the winter is still a prime-time circuit that gets attention. I would like to be in New York and Kentucky eventually. BH: What takeaways do you have from working for Pletcher and Cecil? AG: Work ethic. Be at the barn if this is what you want to do, which is all I want to do. I don't have any hobbies. Give it your all. Cleanliness in the barn. I'm big on the barn being spotless. When I have owners come, I want it to look spotless. Both Todd and Henry were very good at that. I remember my first week at Henry's yard, one of the head lads told me, 'If you see a (pitchfork) out of place, you've got to move it.' BH: Who was your favorite horse you rode for Pletcher? AG: There were probably two. Life Is Good and Malathaat. Obviously, I was lucky to travel everywhere with Life Is Good. If he went somewhere, I went there. So, I think he would probably be the standout in my mind. Malathaat was Adele (Bellinger's) horse in Saratoga and Florida, and I'd ride her at Belmont and Kentucky. BH: You said you have a fair amount of 2-year-olds in the barn. AG: It's definitely exciting, getting the 2-year-olds in and figuring out which ones are going to need a little more time, which ones are going to be (precocious), what surface they want to run on. I enjoy training horses of all ages, but when 2-year-olds first come in and you're figuring them out, it's all on you. Their careers are solely on you. BH: When you moved from Belmont Park to Saratoga for the summer, did you think back on your last time there and that you were an employee then and now you're the boss? AG: I didn't have time to think about it at first, because you have 30 horses arriving and you want to get them situated. But when I was driving in (two days later) at 4:30 in the morning, and I drove past and I looked at the track, I thought it was a very surreal feeling. I remember the first time I came to Belmont as an exercise rider for Todd, and thinking, 'Oh, my God, this is an amazing place.' And now knowing I'm here with a barn of 30 horses with my webbings hanging outside, is pretty amazing to me. I'm pretty proud of getting to this point. Someone asked me, 'How does it feel now that you're training?' I said, 'Honestly, it feels the same because I do the same thing as I did when I worked for Todd.' I (arrive) at the same time I did when I worked at Todd's. The only difference is that my webbings are outside the stalls. I don't do anything any different from when I was over there. You know, when you're an assistant there, you're kind of given free rein to run the barn, too. My morning is exactly the same, apart from now I'm the boss. BH: What has surprised you the most about being a trainer? AG: Checks. I used to love Fridays (payday), and now Fridays are my least favorite day of the week. All I feel like I do is write checks, checks, checks. It's obviously good you're running your own business, but you don't realize how many (outgoing payments) you have and how expensive everything is. But that comes with the job. BH: In the past several months, you've ticked a lot of boxes—first winner, first stakes winner, a full barn. What do you want to see for the remainder of 2025? AG: Keep winning races. Hopefully, the next step will be a graded stakes win. The dream would be to get one of my 2-year-olds to the Breeders' Cup this fall. That'd be a good goal. And, hopefully, have some nice 3-year-olds next year.