Juan Mosca was described as a genius by two of his closest friends, former jockey Buxo Potts and owner of many horses, Courtney Dookie.
Mosca, who passed quietly on April 7, was referred to in the racing fraternity as the "People's Trainer' and the "Small Man Trainer".
Mosca whose first job as a teenager was as a "Papers Boy", elevated himself to becoming a banker. He was also a top insurance salesman, an insurance consultant, a trainer, an owner and breeder, a restaurant owner (King Creole), and a horse farm owner. Such is the resume of the man.
The likeable trainer was a family man and Mosca gave his wife, Patricia, the best birthday gift that she ever received, marrying her on her birthday, February 16, 1969. She stayed with her husband until death and their union bore four children Dennis, Myra, Sara and Kirk.
And just as at home, he flourished in both racing industry and the insurance business.
In the latter, the "Problem Solver' worked for Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited where he became a legend in the industry by winning many of the top awards in an astonishing 51 years of dedicated service.
His contribution to the financial institution will not go unnoticed as they were significant in the development and growth of Guardian Life.
In the "Sport of Kings," he carved his mark indelibly and no one in the racing fraternity could forget the trainer with the sombrero, who was friends with Potts and Dookie from an early age.
"We had great times and he was a wonderful friend who would give you good advice and stand with you. He was a character and though boisterous, wanted the best for you. He made everyone around laugh," said Potts of his late friend.
"When I met Juan, he was more interested in football and pigeons. When he began to come to races, he was trying to handicap races. Then, one day at the 'Big Yard,' the Queen's Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, he began talking about his knowledge in the racing game.
"That day he played a bet at the racing pool for one dollar which consisted of eight horses on the bet. No need to say, all eight horses won and he was paid the 'Princely Sum' at that time by the pool owner of $5,000. Courtney and myself never expected this from Juan who stated he 'Thrives on knowledge.'
It was thereafter this experience that Mosca became more involved in horse racing, buying a horse called Grand Prix with Val Mahabir and Harry Nunes.
"Grand Prix was son of Prescience by Red Curls and Mosca stated that he was too fashionably bred not to be good. Mosca has always said that horse racing has to be about bloodlines. If you don't breed wisely, you could well get a 'runt.'
We began taking Mosca seriously and I remember at the Queen's Park Savannah
I was my way out of the game and I was getting heavy. I asked Juan to ride Grand Prix in a six furlong race. In the race I was shuffled back at the three furlong marker and by the time I got him settled I allowed him to come home in his own time. Had I ridden him out he may have finished fourth. But the winner had gone beyond recall when I was impeded."
"Well if you know Juan who has such a good eye and knowledge of racing, you would know what he came to the parade ring to tell me! He was about to tell me I pulled his horse. He was ready to curse, that was how Juan would behave in such a circumstance. I explained myself and told him that we will win next week. It is a mile race and with two furlongs more to race, he will win."
The race the following week was in a higher class of horses where Bobby Hardwidge who had a 100 per cent record when he prepared a horse for a race. Hardwidge had Spitz in the race with Audie Mueller aboard and the late Venice 'Pappy' Richards was aboard the talented Comet for Joe Hadeed.
"The rest is history and with one furlong to race I asked Grand Prix for his all that he had and he quickened up nicely to catch both Spitz and the leader Comet close home. I was happy for Juan as the gamble was landed, Grand Prix paid $8.00 to win and the forecast paid $46.00. Juan landed a good bet."
Mosca's training method was revolutionary and he was the first trainer to begin breezing horses on a Thursday.
"Juan said the horses need 48 hours to recuperate. He was the first trainer to do this and he was ridiculed for it and criticised for it but that did not bend him as he was a visionary. He believed that the horse would be fitter and better."
Mosca was a meticulous individual and he was very technical.
"He always told me 'Don't doubt my knowledge!'" said Potts, pointing out another training feat of Mosca, which went against all reason, except that of the late champion trainer
"We bought a horse called Sargeant Yorke from Barbados and he was a son of King's Bench and as you are aware he was fashionably bred. He was being trained for a race and he came to win and blew up. "Juan came to the parade ring and we both agreed that the horse was short. What happened next shocked me. He took the horse from Port-of-Spain that night and drove him up to Santa Rosa Park (Arima). "Guess what happened on Sunday morning? Mosca galloped Sargeant Yorke over six furlongs. I was furious and of course I told him what I thought in my unique way. Juan calmly responded, 'You training this horse or me?'Yesterday he was short but next week he will be long. It is better I gallop him today than Wednesday or Thursday next week. What I have to say now will not come as surprise to anyone, Sargeant Yorke won well the following week. He landed yet another good Mosca gamble."
Potts complimented Mosca, saying, "There was a method to the madness. He did his research. He found the fault in many horses and fixed them and that was the hallmark of a good trainer. In his career, he would take outcast from top trainers and turn them into very good horses."
A sentiment agreed to by Dookie, strengthening his and Potts' point that Mosca was real genius.
"He did the same sort of magic with a horse called Funny Money which won but came back lame. After the race he was blistered and left in the stall. Funny Money came out the next week and won," said Dookie.
Mosca has waved his magic wand on many occasions thereafter as he landed Exploiteur to beat the "A" class horses, a feat which he repeated with Tumbel Dancer to prove how good he was as a trainer.
"Attie Joseph had a horse called Edward George in Barbados and it had problems and broke down. This horse was by Gallivanter and Joseph sold the horse to us for $25,000," said Potts. "Edward George turned out to be one of the best horses that he trained. Edward George was brought back to rude health by Mosca and won more than eight races."
According to his friends Mosca was "a wonderful human being". May he rest in peace.