By Randy Monk
sports.desk@theindependent.com

The M-L-H Stables actually stands for Martinez, Lopez, and Hans (Lloyd and Carla who are Kelli and Jodi's parents), but the Martinezes joke that it stands for something else.

"More Long Hours," Kelli Martinez said. "To be successful in this business, you really have to put in some long quality hours."

Kelli and Jodi help each other with their horses, as both train not only for their family, but have 10 owners they also train for.

"Our owners have been great to us," Kelli Martinez said. "They've stuck by us and showed a great deal of confidence in our work."

Hard work that Armando knows quite well from not only working 16-hour days around the M-L-H barn, but still being one of the leading riders on the Nebraska circuit.

"I try to work out our horses early in the morning," Armando Martinez said. "Then, I have horses to work for other trainers and on race days, I have a number of races to ride. It's a busy schedule."

Although Armando knows the horses in the M-L-H Stable quite well and lets Kelli know which horses are training well, Kelli takes care of all training procedures.

"Jodi and I and our grooms take care of the training area and the business processes including entering," Kelli said. "Even running the horses, we sit down with Armando the night before with the racing form, and look at possible plans according to the pace of the race, but when the gate opens, Armando is in charge."

Armando has ridden on the Nebraska circuit for more than 20 years now and is looked upon as one of the leaders in the Fonner jockey's room.

"I started riding horses in Mexico at age 12," Armando said. "When I saw, Steve Cauthen's picture in a magazine (winning the Triple Crown on

Affirmed), I told my mom I wanted to become a jockey."

Armando made his way to California at an early age and started to work on a horse farm where he caught the eye of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

"D. Wayne really helped me a lot getting started," Martinez said. "I had a chance to work for him and gallop horses like Capote and Lady's Secret."

Martinez wanted to ride, but knew that the California scene would be tough to break into for a young rider.

"David Flores told me to get my jockey license and go to a smaller track to learn," Martinez said. "I started out at Wyoming Downs, then Billings, Mont., when trainer Ardell Saylor asked me if I wanted to go to Nebraska with him. I said yes, even though I didn't know where Nebraska was."

It was in Nebraska where Armando and Kelli met in 1987 and wed in 1988.

"She told me I had to stay," Armando said with a laugh.

Armando's career as a rider took off, as he became very popular with trainers on the Nebraska circuit. Although having great success in his career, the veteran rider easily can identify his favorite horse.

"Other than our own horses, my favorite horse to ride was Buzz Bar for Herb Riecken," Armando said. "He won 13 races in his career, and I rode him in every one.

"When we won the Omaha Handicap it was the first $100,000 race Herb ever won in his great career."

Martinez has been on some top horses from the M-L-H barn in the last few years, including First Class Brass, the runner-up in this year's Grasmick Stakes and the third-place finisher in last week's Budweiser-Tondi Stakes.

"He runs his heart out for us every time," Kelli said. "He's really performed well for us time and time again."

First Class Brass has some company in the M-L-H barn as Another Brother has won two races in easy fashion this year, and could soon see the Fonner racing surface again.

"We'd like to find a non-winners of four for him going long," Kelli said. "But, we might have to step up with him and try the Dowd Mile."

Kelli and Jodi have worked hard getting Another Brother to such a high level of performance.

"When we got him, he was kind of beaten down," Kelli said. "We worked hard with him, got him healthy, and he seems to be a happy horse now, we're happy with him."

Kelli said that a horse that has yet to see the racetrack may have a chance to be as good if not better than Another Brother. The horse's name is Maybeyou'veheardofme.

He has a lot of talent, but he's very green," Kelly said. "Hopefully we can get him in a race soon."

The Martinezes plans for the future include more long hours with more help on the way, plus another endeavor.

"Our daughter Victoria (age 16) just got her groom's license and our son Damien (age 10) loves to help," Kelli said. "They really help out a lot at home on our farm, where we've started a nice breeding operation."

The M-L-H Stable has three well-bred stallions on its Shelby farm. The stallions standing in Shelby are March Time by Deputy Minister, Quest for the King by Coronado's Quest, and Sexy Cowboy by Breeders Cup Sprint Champion, Orientate.

"You have to put out money to get quality to make quality, and we have." Kelli said.

Armando said he's confident that the success they've found at the racetrack will continue with their breeding operation.

"We hope to be one of the top five breeding operations in the state in the next five years," Armando said.

Certainly, putting in more long hours has been the key to the success of the stable.