Munger Thoroughbred Horse Racing Stables represents the life work of Don Munger.
Born in Iowa during the great depression in 1923, the second youngest of six siblings, he quickly learned how to apply his ambition, creativity and work ethic. His family moved to Washington State where he worked on the family farm and odd jobs through high school. Don enlisted in the Marines after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and served as a Scout Snipper in the Pacific campaign, participating in several legendary battles including the first landing on Iwo Jima.
After the war, Don enrolled at the University of Washington, found work, married and started a family. While content in the post war life, it was around that time that Don received some advice from a close acquaintance which he applied for the remainder of his life. “If you do what you love, it’s not work.” Don loved horses and dreamed of racing horses for a living. This is where he set his sights.
Don began this journey by horse shoeing and was one of the few in the area that could “hot shoe” using a mobile forge. With funds from shoeing and other odd jobs, Don purchased his first thoroughbred horse and slowly built upon that number. In the 1950s, Don and his wife purchased an old dairy (previously hop) farm in Enumclaw, Washington which was to become the home base for forming his racing operations.
Early on, he bred speedster Cold Steel, who raced in the Longacre Mile three consecutive years (1957-59). In the 1970s he purchased stallion prospect Barbaric Spirit and that stud greatly upgraded his own stock and Washington racing. According to Equibase, his top five horses, which included Stakes Winner Diamond Villa, ran a combination of 324 times averaging 64.8 starts each! Don bred horses for their durability and speed. Because of trademark characteristics, in Washington racing circles, his name is often used as an adjective when describing strong, structured, solid bone horses with incredible spirit. Looks like a “Munger” horse, needs no further description. Don’s passion never diminished with time and in his 80s, after securing Nacheezmo as a new farm sire, became the leading owner at Emerald Downs in 2012 and earned the track’s Top Training Achievement Award.
“Why retire? I’m already doing what I would want to do when retired.”
Don Munger
Don once said, “All of my troubles go away when I think about horses.” He vowed to train until he could no longer do it. Like a good Marine, he certainly was a man of his word. In 2017, at the age of 93, he was training 18 horses at Emerald Downs, in a career that spanned nearly 70 years. Don’s craft made him one of Washington’s racing industry’s most noteworthy members. Don passed away May 14, 2017.