Better Every Day a horse with a cause, and a message
Highlights owner’s hope and determination
Nick Hahn
July 2, 2026
When the time came for trainer Phil Schoenthal to ask owner Dr. Doug Daniels, DVM, to name a horse, the choice was clear: Better Every Day was the choice for a young filly stepping into a hopeful role, a concept very familiar to Schoenthal.
“There are a lot of bad names out here where people don’t name horses very well,” observed Schoenthal. “When it came time to talk about picking a name, I had asked, is there any kind of motivational catchphrase?”
On Aug. 29, 2024, Daniels, who had owned horses with Schoenthal previously, was sitting on a chair swing at a lake dock when he suffered a completely unexpected accident: the support for the swing collapsed.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra charge to you.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
“No more had I sat down than I woke up in the water, face down, looking at the muddy creek bottom with my hands out in front of me realizing I couldn’t move,” recalled Daniels.
Daniels’ wife, Lindsay, took charge of getting medical help. A neighbor whose son was an EMT heard the call on the police scanner, realized how close it was to her house, and called her son, who arrived within minutes. Alongside Lindsay, he got Daniels to shore and stabilized him.
“The next thing I know, I woke up in the trauma center in Fredericksburg and that told me what happened,” Daniels said. “It’s been a long journey since then.”
Progress has come slowly. Sensation and some movement have returned, but Daniels still requires around-the-clock care while spending long portions of each day in physical therapy.
“Better Every Day” is the phrase Daniels repeats regularly, according to Stephanie Nixon, who breaks horses for Schoenthal and has partnered with Daniels in horse ownership for decades. She credits Karen Fowler, the Farm and Clinic Barn Manager at Daniels’ Virginia Equine PLLC veterinary practice, for coming up with the name.
“It’s something that he says when he’s going to therapy and working out and getting stronger,” Nixon explained. “Karen heard him say that quite a bit. Karen came up with the name, but Doug is the one that says it.”
And lives it.
Schoenthal has been involved in horses with a cause before. After his son Emerson successfully recovered from a heart transplant, several horses were named in recognition of that journey, including Gifted Heart, Heart Hero and Donate Life. All three reached the winner’s circle.
“There were a lot of people in the industry that prayed pretty hard for that kid,” observed Daniels. “I think that was a really nice gesture, so for Phil to turn around and do that same thing for me, I’ve appreciated it immensely.”
Daniels has taken to heart something Schoenthal learned from that experience.
“I wouldn’t have cared if this filly didn’t run until she was three or that she doesn’t win until she’s four,” Daniels said. “It’s just nice to know that she’s there and I have a special reason for rooting for her.”
Better Every Day is by Central Banker out of Ask Around, by War Dancer, and was purchased for $25,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale at Timonium.
“She’s a pretty straightforward horse,” Schoenthal said. “She’s never really had a bad day. The name fits her because she’s just got better every day. She’s never had a setback.”
Schoenthal credits her progression to her attitude.
“She’s a pleasant horse to be around,” he said. “She really likes her barley fodder that I give her. She devours that like a Hoover vacuum. She’s the kind of horse anybody could train because she does everything right and doesn’t really need a lot of supervision or correction. So far, she’s been a pretty easy pupil.”
Better Every Day made her racing debut June 28 at Colonial Downs, rallying to finish second in a maiden optional claiming race to runaway winner Go New York Go.
“We were happy she picked herself up and rallied on to get a nice chunk,” Schoenthal said.
“We’re excited about her next start and how she’ll run,” Daniels added.
Daniels’ role in racing extends beyond ownership and his veterinary practice. He is serving his second term as president of the national Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), which represents horsemen around the nation.
“I’ve had overwhelming support for my position,” Daniels said. “They’ve been very gracious and kind and helpful. I’ve carried on and not left my position open.”
He credits HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback for “carrying the water” on Capitol Hill in the organization’s lobbying on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and other matters, though Daniels has made several trips himself since the accident. Daniels, who was appointed to the Virginia Board of Health by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin and reappointed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, says he has been fortunate to have strong support.
“I’ve been lucky to have people around me that have supported me,” Daniels said. “I have a tremendous support system. I have a business that is continuing to thrive. I could be in so much worse condition and that’s what I try to focus on.”
Nixon first met Daniels in the mid-1990s at a meeting discussing the formation of Colonial Downs. Along with Schoenthal, they have owned horses together at times ever since.
“We’ve always gotten along and it’s just one of those partnerships,” Nixon said. “There are times when I have a situation at the farm and I just want to pick his brain, and I’ll call him up. His wife will take X-rays and send them to his computer. He is very active mentally and has gotten stronger since the accident.”
Meanwhile, Daniels has found ways to fill the voids left by the accident. Whether professionally through Virginia Equine or personally through racehorse ownership, horses occupy an even larger place in his life.
“With the position and condition that I’m in, there are many things that I don’t do for fun anymore,” Daniels said. “I can’t hunt. I can’t shoot. I can’t draw my bow. I can’t build things in my garage or mow my yard. The only thing I can still do that makes me happy is owning racehorses.”
It didn’t take long for Daniels to decide how he would approach life after the accident.
“I can lay in bed and feel sorry for myself and grow a long scratchy, smelly beard, just be totally unkempt, and I can decide it’s not worth it and I can end it, neither of which are appealing to me,” Daniels said. “Or, I can soldier on and say, ‘All right, what’s the next day?'”
For Schoenthal, Better Every Day represents another chance to train with a purpose.
“I don’t feel any kind of pressure at all,” he said. “Doug is a seasoned racehorse owner who’s been in the business his whole life. I think the pressure is the same as it always is. We’ve bought a yearling. We’ve brought it along and we’re hoping that she can run a little bit and hoping that we have some fun. From my standpoint it’s just a bigger, better motivation.”
Better Every Day is a racehorse with a cause, and a message about the hope and determination that inspired her name.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
LATEST NEWS
- Better Every Day a horse with a cause, and a message
- Monmouth Park to receive $10 million state aid in 2027
- Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs, July 2, 2026
- Charles Town announces changes to wagering menu
- Colonial Capsule: Recapping the racing weekend
- State purchase of Laurel Park approved for second time
