Trainer Don Von Hemel

BORN: 5/14/34, Manter, Kansas

 

RESIDES: Hot Springs, Arkansas

 

FAMILY: Roylynn, wife; Pam, daughter; Donnie K. and Kelly, sons 

 

When Oaklawn ushers in its 54-day 2010 meeting January 15, Don, the patriarch of the training clan, will have his usual sizeable stable of horses on the grounds. 

 

Von Hemel finished the 2009 season with nine winners from 73 starters while earning more than $242,000 in purse money. 

 

“Where did it all start?” reflected Don Von Hemel to a question. “I won my first race at a pari-mutuel meeting in 1956. That was at La Mesa Park. Little did I know then that the family name would some day be so well established in horse racing.”           

 

Don and his wife Roylynn are the parents of three. A Daughter, Pam, isn’t connected to racing.                

 

Donnie K., born at Syracuse, Kansas on September 10, 1961, resides in Piedmont, Oklahoma with wife Robin and daughter Tess. The all-time leading trainer at Remington Park, he is a regular at Oaklawn and Remington. 

 

Kelly was born February 5, 1965 in Syracuse, Kansas. Today, he and wife Pam live in Pleasant Hill, Iowa with children Kelsey, Kylie and Kelby. At one time he was a regular at Fonner Park, but today he starts out at Oaklawn, moves on to Prairie Meadows and later into the Chicago tracks.             

 

Fifteen years ago, Don was inducted into the Nebraska Racing Hall of Fame. He taught his two sons to become accomplished horsemen.           

 

“I’ve traveled a lot of roads in this business,” the father grinned, “and back in those early years, not a lot of them were paved.” 

 

Don was born in Manter, Kansas on May 14, 1934. Today he and Roylynn make their home in Hot Springs. In addition to Oaklawn, he is a regular at Prairie Meadows and Arlington with forays into Kentucky.           

 

Don Von Hemel, himself the son of a trainer, was briefly a jockey, but got interested in training while still a teenager. He learned the horse business under Guy Rorick and L.O. “Spec” Lane, who had extensive ranching interests near Manter.    

 

His first made racing headlines with the filly Pam’s Dream. 

 

On September 20, 1967, Pam's Dream sprinted home In 1.15 2/5 at the New Mexico State Fair – the fastest six and a half furlongs in North America that year. 

 

On March 7, 1984 he sent out Win Stat in a mile and 70 yards feature at Oaklawn. Win Stat won in 1.38 2/5, setting world, American and local track records. 

 

In recent years, his barn has been headed by Sand Ridge, Cowboy Stuff and Battle Mountain. 

 

A few seasons earlier Don trained No Spend No Glow to win the Essex, Razorback, Fifth Season Breeders' Cup and Promised City at at the Hot Springs track. In 1981, Don won the Oaklawn training title.            

 

When asked about other stakes winners over the years, he tossed out the names of Evansville Slew, Burn Brightly, Dixie Wolf. Earlier, he developed and trained the added-money winners Guitarzan, Rare Ruby, Bold Trap, Lucky Salvation, Dee Fondy, Mighty Classy, Portrait Of A Boy and Chance To Dance. 

 

“We have certainly told Dad that he ought to slow down,” Donnie K. avowed. “But, he insists he enjoys doing what he’s doing, so he’s going to keep on doing it.”           

 

“When I was young, dad advised me not to become a trainer,” mused Donnie K.           

 

So the son went to Fort Hays State where he earned a degree in business. Donnie K. and Kelly were good high school athletes, the later taking part at sports at Bethel College.           

 

“After college, I still wanted to train so dad told me to go for it, to give it all I had,” recalls the son.           

 

Besides the three millionaires, Donnie K. has trained many stakes winners, a few of them See How She Runs, Bedanken, Mariah’s Storm, Queen’s Gray Bee, Zeerullah, Burbank, Hollow Miss and Slewance.           

 

So as the father and son not to be confused by name similarity, this son grew up as Donnie K., the initial being for Kyle.