MILTON, May 6, 2025 – Once a week, throughout the Mohawk Park racing season, Woodbine will profile a horse who has had a life-changing impact on one of their closest connections. This week, the spotlight shines on trainer Carmen Auciello, and retired pacer Bugger Bruiser. Auciello, based out of Stouffville, Ontario, owns and operates Auciello Stables with his father and horseman of nearly 40 years, Rocco Auciello. Over the course of his 23-year training career, Carmen has coached his charges to over 2,100 wins and $35 million in prize money. “I started full time in 2002,” said Carmen. “My dad got into it full time in the late 80s, early 90s. I went to work for him in 2002 and I still get to work with him every day. He’s turning 78 this year and he continues to work hard to this day.” The second-generation conditioner first crossed paths with Bugger Bruiser in the summer of 2013. Bugger Bruiser (ON) Bio Foaled: February 1, 2011 Sire: Believeinbruiser Dam: How Is Carrie Wins-Seconds-Thirds: 36-40-49 Earnings: $673,082 Trainer: Cory Stratton (2021-22), Carmen Auciello (2013-2018) Owner: Cory Stratton, Victoria L Stratton, & Jodie Cerillo Breeder: Gerard L Mijal What were your first impressions of Bugger Bruiser? “When we first bought him, he had already shown some decent speed as a two-year-old – he had already paced in :52. He was a smaller horse, but you could tell he was really fast. I was already a fan of his sire, Believeinbruiser, so we took a shot on him. We hoped he had the speed that his sire had, and it turned out he did.” When did you realize Bugger Bruiser was special? “The first time I trained him. We got him only about four days before his first race, and I didn’t want to train him too fast of a mile. I wanted to let him settle in a bit, but the day before his race, I took him out, and I was just going to go a nice easy half-mile, and he took off and went a half in about :58 in a jog cart around my track. “I thought, ‘Holy cow, this horse is fast.’ No other two-year-olds have done that at my farm. I knew that he had a motor, and it was just a matter of keeping him relaxed and calm and using the speed when you wanted him to. At the time, Anthony MacDonald was driving him. He drove him really well and it worked great.” What do you recall from his most impressive win? “He got used hard about three times in that race, and still held off three horses coming down the lane. He only won by a neck, and the third-place horse was only half-length behind. I still have a big, framed picture in my office, and every time I look at it, I think ‘Oh, man, I can’t believe he won that race.’ “I remember when my family and a bunch of us were up in the dining room – my son was only about a month old – and we weren’t quite sure that he won the race from upstairs, but we headed down to the winner circle, just in case. I remember going down the stairs holding my son up in the air like he was the Stanley Cup because he was only about a month old. We were so excited because it was my first Super Final, and the co-owner, it was his first experience too. It was just a lot of fun.” Bugger Bruiser and connections in the winner’s circle for the 2013 OSS Gold Super Finals (New Image Media) Three words to describe him? “Sleek. Smart. Fast.” How has he changed your life? “For me, he kind of put me on the map. My dad and I have been working together for 35 years now, but at the time, we were still a smaller stable trying to grow and expand. I think that did attract a couple more opportunities for me from other owners and outside investors, just seeing what we did with him, and winning a Super Final. It definitely moved us on to bigger and better things.” Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
