'American Pharoah' success story quite a ride for Santa Rosa native Jim Barnes

From cleaning stalls in the stables at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds to the apex of the sports world, it’s been quite a ride for Santa Rosa native Jim Barnes.

Barnes, a 1977 graduate of Montgomery High, is the assistant trainer and traveling companion of American Pharoah. Sunday, the two will have the sports world’s attention as the Triple Crown winner competes in the $1.75 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

As assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, Barnes has been American Pharoah’s escort through the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The colt is the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1977.

“Pharoah’s doing great and he’s going to run his race,” Barnes said before boarding the Wednesday plane that took him and the horse to the East Coast.

Barnes learned his trade at the Sonoma County Fair where he began mucking out stalls while attending Slater Middle School in the early 1970s.

Back then, horses could stable and train at the fairgrounds nearly all year. His parents, Vern and Barbara, owned thoroughbreds, and young Jim was hooked at an early age.

“I’d go over to the fairgrounds and work before going to school at Slater,” Barnes recalled. “I did the same thing while at Montgomery. I knew what I wanted to do at a young age and being around the horses was all I wanted to do in life.”

Trainer Jack Scott was his first employer. The Barnes family, along with Matt Sylvia and Mike Franchetti, owned several horses in Scott’s care.

“I started galloping horses when I was 16 and a few years later took out my trainer’s license,” Barnes said.

“It was a tough go. I never had more than six horses and had trouble making a living.”

Seeking steadier employment, Barnes signed on as assistant to trainer Allen Severinsen.

It turned out to be a life-changing move.

It was at Bay Meadows that Barnes met his future wife, Dana. She was an exercise rider in Southern California for Hall of Fame trainer Charles Whittingham and came to Bay Meadows with several of his horses.

Barnes followed Dana south and after working for several other trainers, he hooked up with Baffert in 1998.

“Dana was exercising horses for Bob and told me there might be an opening for an assistant’s job,” Barnes said. “After we talked, Bob offered me the job and I took it.”

Baffert, who had transitioned from quarter-horses to thoroughbreds, has had no shortage of quality horses through the years and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Baffert gives Barnes plenty of credit for the barn’s success through the years.

“Jimmy, he’s my drone,” Baffert told the New York Times recently. “I load the drone and he goes out. And I’m constantly changing my mind. So it drives him nuts.”

Barnes is perfectly content in his role as assistant and says of Baffert: “He’s got a great personality; he’s very easy to work for. You just got to be upfront and forward with him and tell him everything. Don’t leave anything out. He wants all the information. As long as I supply him with all the information, he reads between the lines and can tell by my body language or my voice if I have a problem or something is going wrong.

“We’re like brothers. We always get along.”

Does Barnes have a desire to have a stable of his own after years working in one of the most successful barns in the world?

“Every morning I’m blessed to wake up and come to a barn like this,” said Barnes, 55.

“I’ve been with other stables. I’ve worked for other trainers. I like this level. Bob takes care of me very well, so I don’t even think about it.”