Asmussen Picks Up Win 10,000

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen reached another personal milestone in his career on Monday at Oaklawn Park, winning his 10,000th race. The first North American trainer ever to reach that number, Asmussen recorded the historic win in the fifth race on the card with $40,000 maiden claimer Bet He's Ready (More Than Ready), an easy winner under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

“This is very hard to put into words,” Asmussen said from the Oaklawn winner's circle. “There's all the support that we have continually gotten. This is a family affair for me with my mom and dad and my coming from a racing family. I got so many well wishes since we got close. This is a wonderful thing and I'm blessed to have my family here and to have all the continuing support that I get.”

The win ended an uncharacteristically cold streak for Asmussen. He picked up win 9,999 in the first race on Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park with maiden claiming winner Noble Honor (Distorted Humor). From there, Asmussen had 29 straight losers before the win with Bet He's Ready.

“We were stuck on 9,999 for quite enough time,” Asmussen said. “I guess we wanted to make it a little bit dramatic.”

The win at Oaklawn was also the 700th at that track for Santanta.

“We've hit some significant milestones with Ricardo and I am sure we will continue to do so,” Asmussen said.

To honor Asmussen's win, Oaklawn donated $5,000 in his name to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and another $5,000 to the Arkansas Thoroughbred Retirement & Rehabilitation Foundation.

Monday's feat was just the latest for a trainer who, when it comes to winning races, has no equal. Asmussen began his career in 1986, winning just one race that year with a horse at Ruidoso Downs. He consistently improved his numbers over the years and had a career-best 407 wins in 2002. In 2004, he set a single-season record for wins by a trainer with 555, surpassing the previous mark of 496 held since 1976 by Jack Van Berg. He topped his own record in 2008 with 621 wins and topped it again in 2009 with 650 victories. On August 7, 2021, Asmussen won his 9,446th race, surpassing the late Dale Baird to become the leading trainer in North America by wins when Stellar Tap (Tapit) won the fifth race at Saratoga.

Just 57 and in the prime of his career, Asmussen is likely to record several thousand more wins before he is done and further pull away from the pack. Jerry Hollendorfer is second all-time in North America with 7,757 wins, but has averaged just 35 wins per year since 2020.

Asmussen's next target will be the Peruvian trainer Juan Suarez Villarroel, who has the most career wins of any trainer in the sport. Suarez Villarroel entered Monday's action with 10,336 career wins.

The post Asmussen Picks Up Win 10,000 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Santa Anita’s Traditional Wall Calendar Giveaway Returns On Opening Day

A decades-long tradition, racing fans will again be treated to a magnificent Santa Anita Wall Calendar, beginning opening day, Sunday, Dec. 26. Free with paid admission, this year's calendar features many never-before publicized archival photos of The Great Race Place dating back to its opening on Dec. 25, 1934.

With first post time for a tremendous 11-race card on opening day set for 11 a.m., Santa Anita has also announced that it will be open for live racing on Monday, Dec. 27, with first post for a 10-race program at 11:30 a.m.

From crowd shots to photos of legendary racing figures such as George Woolf, Gordon Glisson, Johnny Longden and Bill Shoemaker, the calendar will also feature racing and architectural photos depicting technological advances offered in a “compare and contrast” format each month.

Following opening day, the Santa Anita Wall Calendar will be available for sale in the track's gift shop, Champions! Gifts & Apparel.

Following Dec. 27, Santa Anita will be idle for live racing on Dec. 28 and 29 and will reopen for a four-day racing week on Thursday, Dec. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 2.

First post time on Dec. 30, 31 & Jan. 2 will be at 12:30 p.m. First post time on New Year's Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, will be at 12 noon.

Free General Admission and parking will be offered on Dec. 30 & 31.

While post times will vary due to limited daylight over the first six racing days, first post with few exceptions, will be at 12:30 p.m. for most other racing days through April.

Santa Anita's 78-day Winter/Spring Meet will conclude on June 19.

For additional information regarding opening day Dec. 26 and the upcoming Winter/Spring Meeting, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita’s Traditional Wall Calendar Giveaway Returns On Opening Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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