OSAS Pathways: KJ Owen

TORONTO, March 20, 2026 – Twice a month, Woodbine Mohawk Park will profile a Standardbred connected to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS).

This week’s installment belongs to KJ Owen, a recently retired war horse who made an incredible 297 starts over an iron-tough 10-year racing career.

The 12-year-old gelding is currently in the care of Bert and Susan Mollica, who train the majority of OSAS horses at their farm in Tottenham, Ontario.

Ahead of KJ Owen’s impending adoption, Susan walks us through his first days at her family’s farm, what she’s come to learn about him, and where he’s headed next.

“Lynn Cameron [KJ Owen’s former owner] brought him here, and there was a big love connection between the two. You could see that. It gave me a sense of his personality just by the way he interacted with Lynn. He was very well loved.”

Fun fact #1: KJ Owen’s barn name is Owen.

Fun fact #2: KJ Owen raced primarily in the United States, competing mainly at Hoosier Park, Monticello Raceway, and Tioga Downs. He made his first start in Canada on January 6, 2025, at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Fun fact #3: KJ Owen is the first foal of Winsmith Jess. He has two brothers who have earned over $200,000 for their racing careers: KJ Hunter and KJ Leo.

KJ Owen

Foaled: April 11, 2014

Sire: Roll With Joe

Dam: Winsmith Jess

Trainer: Mitchell Tierney

Owner: Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society

Breeder: Scott Woogen, Brenda Messenger, Philip Shapiro

OSAS Program Status: Pending adoption

What were your first impressions of KJ Owen? Tell us what you’ve learned about his personality and character.

“He was a little confused when he first arrived but settled right in. A lot of them are that way. His first few days here he spent with my mini [horse]. He still had shoes on, so we couldn’t put him out with anybody initially, but he could go with my mini because she’s the boss.

“I don’t like horses being alone and just thrown into a new situation, because they’ve been at training centres, racing, etc. He settled in and was really quiet.

“From there – it’s hard to describe but you could see that as soon as Bert was starting to ask something of him, he took to it very quickly. When Bert started working with him and riding him, he was learning in real time. It was very much like, ‘I’m understanding what you’re telling me to do, and I’m going to do it with you,’ and he did – he followed straight through.

“He is very easy to read, so that made it really easy to help him when training for a second career because he’s very open to what was going on. He was loving the attention, obviously, he had a lot of it, so even bringing him in out of the field or putting him in the stall or grooming him, he was very easy going.

“Once he learned the riding process inside and then started riding outside, he loved touring the farm. There are other horses, there’s trees, there’s dogs, there’s trucks going up the road, and he was ears up, really enjoying it.”

How did he take to the training process with you and Bert?

“The process is always the same. Bert starts them off on the ground – Owen progressed very quickly on the ground because he already had a lot of ground manners for leading and other things. Putting the saddle on, he was very accepting, too.

“We don’t ride with bits. We use a hackamore, so there’s nothing in their mouth, and Owen enjoyed it. Bert’s very loose on the reins with him and he just picked it up instantly.

“As part of the riding process, Bert slides his foot across their bums to get them used to if somebody were to get on and make contact on their bum. This helps them just stand there – they’re not afraid if that happens. So, he went to slide his foot over Owen’s bum as he was getting off, and Owen took him for a little ride.

“It was no big deal; it was actually quite funny. Bert is going to be 65 in another month and a half and he’s like a monkey, he can stay on anything.

“After getting off him, Bert said, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, I forgot, that’s the first time I’m getting off you.’ Owen was like, ‘It’s okay, dad, I just didn’t know what you were doing.’ Bert got back on him – you can’t leave them just the way it was –  rode him around a little bit, then got off him without touching his bum.

“Those situations will happen, and they’ll happen again but Owen was really cool with it. He’s been ridden about six times now and Owen is happy to do whatever you want him to. He tacks up, goes out, Bert gets on him, they do their riding inside, outside and then he gets off and everything’s great.”

He enjoyed a successful first career on the racetrack. What do you think awaits him in his next chapter?

“His adoption is pending already. The woman who is going to be adopting him wants him for a pleasure trail horse.

“She’s a very good rider. She’s adopted through OSAS, and she’s helped OSAS with all kinds of things, so she’s going to take him around the middle of May. I think she’s coming this weekend for her first meet and ride.

“Her other horse is in his late twenties – she’s keeping him, that’s her forever heart horse – but she needs something to get back out on trails and more. I don’t know if she’ll show, but if she did, it would be in the English discipline where she would be doing English riding, and he would suit that purpose.”

Founded in 1996, OSAS is an approved charitable organization committed to assisting in the adoption and relocation of retired and non-racing Standardbred horses within Ontario. A primary mandate of the program is to showcase the versatility of the breed to horse lovers unfamiliar with harness horses.

OSAS, which strives to educate and assist in the retraining and management of Standardbreds, relies heavily on volunteers and temporary foster homes to carry out its mission.

Those interested in getting involved with OSAS and its cause can reach out at osashorses@gmail.com or call 905-339-6748, for more information.

Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine