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Steve Asmussen - Trainer
As the son of two renowned trainers (Keith and Marilyn), and brother to one of the most successful jockeys in the world (Cash), Steve Asmussen certainly had the lineage to be a horseman. And he's delivered big time.
Steve began training both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses in 1986. He won his first Grade 1 in 1999 (the Mother Goose), and by 2002, led all Thoroughbred trainers in America by number of victories (407). In 2004, he set a new record for wins by a trainer (555). Four times he would set the single-season record for wins (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009); five times he was the nation's leading trainer by wins.
In 2007-2008, Steve won back-to-back Eclipse Awards as the nation's champion trainer. In 2009, he sent the filly Rachel Alexandra to the Preakness, where she became the first of her sex in 85 years to win the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Steve has trained four Breeders' Cup winners and four Eclipse Award Champions, including two Preakness winners and two Horses of the Year in a three-year span.
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Bob Baffert - Trainer
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is widely recognized as one of the most successful trainers in the history of racing. After rising to the top in the Quarter Horse game, by 1991 Baffert focused his talents on Thoroughbreds full-time. And it would not be long before he also reached the pinnacle in this industry.
After winning his first Breeders' Cup race (1992) and running second by a nose with his first Kentucky Derby starter (1996), Baffert became the first trainer to win the Derby and Preakness in consecutive years (1997-'98, Silver Charm and Real Quiet). Both these champions would also run second in the Belmont, and Real Quiet's nose loss gave Baffert the dubious distinction as trainer with the narrowest near-miss for the Triple Crown.
Baffert has trained nine Champions, won the Eclipse Award as America's champion trainer three times, and been America's leading money-winner four times. He has won four Kentucky Derbys, five Preakness Stakes, and one Belmont. He has saddled seven Breeders' Cup winners, two Dubai World Cup winners, and two Kentucky Oaks winners. He also has a record number of wins in prestigious races, including six in the Santa Anita Derby, six in the Haskell Invitational Handicap, and 11 in the Del Mar Futurity. In 2012, Baffert trainees ran second in all three U.S. Triple Crown events.
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Simon Callaghan - Trainer
Since arriving in California from Newmarket, England in 2009, Simon has quickly established himself as a rising star with a bright future in the U.S. in the training ranks. In a short period of time, Simon has developed a stable of stakes horses at his Santa Anita base that have competed at the highest levels. Known for his expertise with turf horses, Simon has already campaigned such top horses in America as multiple Grade 1 winner Dubawi Heights, Grade 1 winners Belle Royale and Slim Shadey, and graded winners Rhythm of Light, Qaraaba and Up In Time.
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D. Wayne Lukas
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Zayat Stables is proud to announce legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas will begin training two-year-olds for them in 2013. We are excited to have this accomplished trainer continue his distinguished career in American Thoroughbred racing for our racing operation. The Antigo, Wis., native is the leading trainer in Breeders' Cup history with 19 victories and more than $20 million in purses; is tied with Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons for the most victories in the Triple Crown series, 13, four of them in the Kentucky Derby ; was the first trainer to reach $100 million and $200 million in earnings; has trained 24 champions, three of them Horse of the Year (Lady's Secret in 1986, Criminal Type in 1990 and Charismatic in 1999); led North American trainers in earnings 14 times; and was elected to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 1999.
Lukas earned a master's degree in education at the University of Wisconsin, where he worked as an assistant basketball coach for two years. He became a teacher and head basketball coach in high school for nine years, including a seven-year stint in LaCrosse, Wis. During the summers, he trained and raced horses in South Dakota before turning to training Quarter Horses full time. He trained some Thoroughbreds during the years he was principally involved with Quarter Horses. Before turning to Thoroughbreds in 1978, he developed 23 Quarter Horse champions.
Along with his remarkable success at the races, Lukas has been known for the many fine young assistant trainers he has mentored and have gone on to become great successes in their own right: Todd Pletcher, Kiaran McLaughlin, Dallas Stewart, Mark Hennig, Randy Bradshaw, Mike Maker, George Weaver and Bobby Barnett.
He won the 2012 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint with Hightail to extend his record-setting mark to 19 wins in the championship event. In 2013, Lukas qualified two horses for the Kentucky Derby and had a 1-2 finish in the Rebel Stakes with Will Take Charge and Oxbow, his two Derby entries. Lukas is also sending Pure Fun forward in the Kentucky Oaks.
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Todd Pletcher - Trainer
Todd Pletcher is a leading American thoroughbred horse trainer. He has won four consecutive Eclipse Awards as outstanding Trainer of the Year, while topping the leader board in purse earnings in 2004, 2005, and 2006. His horse Super Saver won the 2010 Kentucky Derby, the first of his 24 horses entered in his career to win the Run for the Roses. He also won the 2007 Belmont Stakes with filly Rags to Riches. |
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Rudy Rodriguez - Trainer
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A native of Mexico, Rudy Rodriguez is one of America's rising training stars.
Rodriguez rode for 18 years, as both a jockey and exercise rider, winning 221 races from 3,900 mounts before hanging up his tack in January 2010. Rodriguez’s riding career was highlighted by a 40-1 upset victory in the 2008 Grade 1 Suburban Handicap aboard Frost Giant. As a reinsman, Rodriguez rode for--and learned from--some of the nation's best conditioners, including Bobby Frankel, Richard Dutrow, Sr., and Rick Dutrow, Jr.
It's no surprise then, that as a trainer, Rodriguez wins at a very high clip--22%. With three years of training now under his belt, Rodriguez is also starting to produce stakes horses, including one of 2013's top Kentucky Derby prospects, Vyjack.
A staple on the New York circuit, Rodriguez lives in West Hempstead, NY with his wife Evangelina, and children Rudy, Jr., Arianna, and Megan.
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Dale Romans - Trainer
A licensed trainer since age 18, reigning Eclipse Award winner Dale Romans literally grew up around Thoroughbred racehorses. Son of well known Kentucky-based conditioner Jerry Romans, Dale was born and raised in the shadow of Churchill Downs, and began working in his father's shedrow from the time he could walk.
Dale saddled his first winner in 1987 at Turfway Park, and perfected his craft through the decades, working mostly with allowance level and claiming horses. By the 2000s, Dale's work with better class horses served notice. In 2004, Kitten's Joy won the Eclipse Award as Champion Turf Horse; in 2005, Roses in May won the Dubai World Cup; in 2009, Dale won his first Breeders' Cup race (with Tapitsfly); in 2011, he won the Preakness (with Shackleford) and the Breeders' Cup Mile (with Court Vision); and in 2012, his Championship year, he sent out victors of 27 stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Turf, Blue Grass Stakes, Met Mile, Arlington Million, and Pacific Classic.
Dale is also committed to the betterment of the Thoroughbred industry, and currently serves as 2nd Vice President of the Kentucky chapter of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
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