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Ortiz, Brown, Klaravitch Stables Win Spring/Summer Meet Titles At Belmont

Chad Brown registered 32 victories to finish as the leading trainer at Belmont Park's spring/summer meet for the sixth consecutive year, while Jose Ortiz won the riding the title with 59 victories during the 48-day meet that commenced on April 22 and concluded on Sunday at the Elmont, N.Y. racetrakc. Klaravich Stables led all owners with 11 wins.

Brown continued his dominance of this meet, extending his run as the top conditioner every year since 2016. The four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer was 32-29-30 in 155 starts with earnings of $3.68 million. His win total was five more than second-place finisher Christophe Clement. Rob Atras was third with 19 wins, while Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and Mike Maker each finished with 18 victories.

Among Brown's accomplishments was a pair of Grade 1 wins on the Belmont Stakes Day undercard June 5, as Domestic Spending captured the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/4 miles on the turf and Search Results won the $500,000 Acorn for sophomore fillies going a one-turn mile. Klaravich Stables owns both of those winners.

“It takes a lot of good horses, loyal and patient owners, and, of course, the team,” Brown said. “This meet wasn't easy. We had a bad virus run through the barn and that really hampered us from winning more races, but we were able to overcome it. We really just focused on getting through the meet and getting the horses healthy. Exiting the meet now, we were able to still win a lot of meaningful races, and it looks like the horses are nice and healthy heading up to Saratoga, so I'm really proud of the job they did of just persevering through a turbulent couple of months.”

NYRA's year-ending leading trainer six years running saw his starters finish in the money 58.71 percent of the time during the spring/summer meet. The success continued the 42-year-old's excellence at Belmont, as Brown has also earned a share of every Belmont fall meet title since 2012.

Ortiz, who entered Closing Day in a tie with his brother, Irad Ortiz, Jr. [who was serving a three-day suspension to conclude the meet] won twice on Sunday to earn his first Belmont spring/summer riding crown since 2017. He piloted Spectatorless to victory in Sunday's opener and guided Bella Sofia to a win in Race 7.

Like Brown, Ortiz also was successful during June's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, winning both the $500,000 Grade 1 Ogden Phipps aboard Letruska and with Drain the Clock in the $400,000 Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency on Belmont Stakes Day June 5. The previous day, Ortiz won aboard Firenze Fire in the $300,000 Grade 2 True North.

For the meet, Ortiz compiled a 59-47-46 record in 279 mounts, finishing with a 21.22 winning percentage while tallying earnings of $4.93 million. Following Irad Ortiz, Jr. [57 wins] was Manny Franco, who ended the meet with 52 wins. Joel Rosario [43] was the only other rider to crack 40.

Among Ortiz's other highlights were victories with First Captain [$250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer]; Robin Sparkles [$125,000 Mount Vernon]; River Dog [$125,000 Mike Lee]; and Sadie Lady [$100,000 Dancin Renee].

“It's always great to win a meet,” Ortiz said. “We all know Irad was out for some time; I wanted to win it, but I can only control what I can control. But it's always good to have success here to get that momentum for Saratoga. If you are winning or running second or third with good horses here, they come back in races up there and you're going to ride them. Hopefully, you get a good head start on the meet.”

Klaravich Stables won its third consecutive Belmont spring/summer meet, posting a record of 11-10-12 with 57 starters while also leading all owners with earnings of $1.39 million. Headed by Seth Klarman, Klaravich Stables teamed with Brown for a pair of Grade 1 wins with both Domestic Spending and Search Results, marking the ownership group's two stakes victories for the meet.

Michael Dubb finished second with nine wins, while West Point Thoroughbreds was third with seven victories.

Thoroughbred action moves to historic Saratoga Race Course for the 40-day summer meet from Thursday, July 15 through Labor Day, September 6. Highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 and the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 7, the 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses.

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Caldwell, Asmussen, Cabrera On Top Of Final Remington Park Standings

It took all but the last six races of the 66-day season at Remington Park to determine the top owner race, but Danny Caldwell of Poteau, Okla., won his 11th crown when Steve Asmussen's Don't Forget ran third in the fourth race Tuesday.

Asmussen, as an owner this meet, was three behind Caldwell, going into the final day and needed to win with all three of his horses, and for Caldwell to lose with all five of his entrants, in order to gain a tie. Each won one race on closing day, giving Caldwell his top-end 28th victory of the meet to Asmussen's 25. Caldwell, the all-time winningest owner in Remington Park history, has won 371 thoroughbred races here.

In the past 11 years, it was the 10th finish on top (at least tied for most wins) for Caldwell. End Zone Athletics (Karl Broberg and Matt Johanson), ended the Caldwell runaway train last year or the streak would have been 11 seasons in a row, dating back to 2010. Caldwell also was top owner in 2008 by himself. His biggest year at Remington Park was 2016 when he won 50 times and earned the most money during his title run with $862,830.

Caldwell also was top owner by earnings in 2009 and from 2013-2018. He had a huge lead in earnings going into the final day of racing Tuesday – $603,386 to Asmussen's $303,217, and finished the meet with $612,751, earning $9,365 on closing day.

“I want to thank Remington Park for its hospitality and the six different trainers I've used to win all over the country this year and it doesn't stop there,” said Caldwell, a former high school coach. “It's a big team effort with everyone in the barn and I still use my coaching philosophy to recruit the talent (in claiming horses). A lot goes into the formula.”

Caldwell's biggest win of the season came in the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup on Oct. 16 with Dont Tell Noobody.

Caldwell earned the Ran Ricks, Jr. Award, as the leading owner. The award is named in honor of the track's all-time leading owner at the time of his passing in late 1996. Ricks was the first owner to stable a horse at Remington Park in 1988.

The top five Remington Park owners by wins: 1) Danny Caldwell, 28; 2) Steve Asmussen, 25; 3) Bryan Hawk, 14; 4) Clark Brewster, 12, and 5) End Zone Athletics, 11.

Top five by earnings: 1) Danny Caldwell, $612,751; 2) Steve Asmussen, $312,938; 3) Bryan Hawk, $292,811; 4) C.R. Trout, $265,343; 5) End Zone Athletics, $261,229

Jockey David Cabrera won his third riding title in a row, improving off his two previous seasons with his most victories in a meet yet – 96.

Cabrera won 95 races in 2018 and 83 last year. His horses also won the most money during his three-year streak – $2,377,944 in 2018; $2,159,916 last year, and this season he finished with $2,033,449. His mounts brought home $6,595 on closing day.

“I want to thank God for the opportunity he has given me here and in life,” Cabrera said. “Thank you to every person, my wife, my kid and trainers who have helped me. I love my job. And especially one person who got me started at Remington, (trainer) Marti Rodriguez (his aunt).”

The top jockey at Remington Park earns the Pat Steinberg Award, named after the track's all-time leading jockey at the time of his passing in 1993.

The top five Remington Park Jockeys by wins: 1) David Cabrera, 96; 2) Stewart Elliott, 66; 3) Ramon Vazquez, 62; 4) Sophie Doyle, 47, and 5) Richard Eramia, 43.

The top six jockeys by seasonal mount earnings: 1) David Cabrera, $2,033,449; 2) Stewart Elliott, $1,431,759; 3) Richard Eramia, $1,303,806; 4) Ramon Vazquez, $1,081,297; 5) Luis Quinonez, $1,064,201; 6) Sophie Doyle, $1,016,877.

The trainer standings race was a much easier one for National and Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, taking his 16th conditioning crown and fifth in a row. He had three wins Tuesday, taking the early daily double, winning race one with Princess Asya ($2.40 to win), the second race with Salaciousacusation ($5.80) and Dixie Mo ($4.60) in the eighth. That gave Asmussen 75 trips to the winner's circle this meet, far below his all-time best here of 104 in 2018. He also surpassed 100 in 2009 with 102. He was an amazing 48 wins ahead of second-place trainers Austin Gustafson and Scott Young, who had 27 wins each.

Asmussen won training titles in the fall of 1991-92, fall of 1995, and then when the Thoroughbreds went to one meet a year, from 2007-2014. Karl Broberg won in 2015, followed by Asmussen taking the crown from 2016-2020. It was also the 10th year Asmussen-trained horses have been leading money earners for a season. His top year was 2018 when they brought in $2,994,719. This year, Asmussen's horses banked $1,529,824. His horses earned $40,767 on closing day.

It was the fifth meet in a row that Asmussen has led in horse earnings at Remington Park.

Asmussen earned the Chuck Taliaferro Award, named in honor of one of Remington Park's top trainers in its formative years until his passing in 1994.

The top five trainers by wins: 1) Steve Asmussen, 76; 2) Austin Gustafson, 27; 2) Scott Young, 27; 4) Bret Calhoun, 25, and Danny Pish, 25.

Top five trainers by stable earnings: 1) Steve Asmussen, $1,529,824; 2) Donnie Von Hemel, $540,741; 3) Danny Pish, $527,021; 4) Scott Young, $523,191; 5) Bret Calhoun, $491,922.

Welder, owned by Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash of Claremore, Okla.) was the top earning horse for the season. The 7-year-old gray millionaire gelding, trained by Teri Luneack, and ridden by Cabrera, won the most money at the meet with $187,024. He won three stakes races – the Remington Park Turf Sprint, the Oklahoma Classics Sprint, the Silver Goblin (all for Oklahoma-breds) and then scored against stakes-quality rivals in an open-company allowance, beating Share the Upside, who had defeated Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Whitmore in this year's King Cotton Stakes in February at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Tracked by more than 164,000 fans on Facebook and 10,500 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $254 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park is open daily for casino gaming and simulcast horse racing. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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Remington: Owner Danny Caldwell Celebrates 1,000th Career Victory At ‘Home Track’

Remington Park's all-time winningest owner, Danny Caldwell of Poteau, Okla., hit all kinds of milestones on Monday evening, including clinching at least a tie for top owner of the meet.

He was extremely close to clinching the owner title for himself, needing one more win to eliminate Steve Asmussen going into the ninth race. Caldwell's horse Hansens Mischief crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for bumping the runner-up Euromantic in the stretch. Now, Asmussen at 24 wins, must win with all three of his starters on closing day Tuesday, and Caldwell would have to lose with all five of his entrants for there to be a tie. If one Asmussen-owned horse loses, Caldwell, who already has 27 wins, would be the solo winner.

Caldwell has entered Popfly Two Six (9-2 morning line odds) in the third, Off Sixes (6-1) in the fourth, Touching Rainbows (9-2) in the seventh, Beauty Day (5-1) in the eighth and Something Super (6-1) in the ninth. Asmussen has horses in race one with Princess Asya (2-1), race four with Don't Forget (2-1) and race eight with Upgrade Me (5-2).

Caldwell, who has won 370 times at Remington Park, also won his 1,000th career race as a Thoroughbred owner on Monday afternoon, according to Equibase stats. That came with his first win of the day, taking the fifth with Unlawful Assembly (7-5) with jockey Ramon Vazquez riding for trainer Federico Villafranco. Vazquez has won for Caldwell 216 times at Remington, by far the most of any jockeys. Sophie Doyle was the winning rider aboard Forty Nine Model (3-1) in the eighth, Caldwell's 370th and 1,001st, respectively in those categories. Caldwell's Thoroughbred horses in his career have earned $19,714,997 from 4,904 starts.

“I really appreciate Remington Park for everything they've done for me and the horsemen,” said Caldwell. “I'm so glad I got 1,000 here. It's a pleasure to do it at my home track.”

Leading rider David Cabrera also had a stellar day, winning four times to surpass his all-time best mark at Remington Park. He now is four wins away from 100 for the meet with eight mounts remaining Tuesday. His 96 wins this meet also is a personal best in winning his last three titles here. He had 95 in 2018 and 83 last year when he was top jock.

Cabrera's horse's earnings surpassed the $2 million mark for the third year in a row. He had a best $2,377,944 in 2018; $2,159,916 for 2019, and stands at $2,026,684 for 2020 going into Tuesday's races. His four winners Monday, Martz's Mae ($4.40 to win) in the second, Absaroka ($5) in the sixth, Shifty Henry ($3.60) in the seventh and Tell Me Boo Boo ($3.40) in the 10th, and a fifth place horse in another race gave his mounts $28,104 for the day.

Also Tuesday, Jearl “Ace” Hare hung up his tack as a trainer, sending out the final horse of his career – Sandy Crest in the 10th. In his racing career, the trainer, since 1991, had 2,142 starters, 228 winners, 249 seconds and 279 thirds for earnings of $2.96 million.

The final race date of the 2020 Thoroughbred Season takes place Tuesday, Dec. 22, with the first of 10 races underway at Noon-Central.

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Kyle Frey, Jonathan Wong, Irvin Racing Take Summer Meet Titles At Golden Gate Fields

Jockey Kyle Frey, trainer Jonathan Wong and owner Irvin Racing Stable sat atop their respective divisions' standings at the recently concluded Golden Gate Fields summer meet.

Twenty-eight-year-old journeyman rider Kyle Frey won the most races out of any jockey with 47 victories from 205 mounts, equating to a strong 23 percent. Represented by agent Fernando “Shoes” Navarro, Frey tallied $803,264 in purse earnings and finished in-the-money with 54 percent of his rides. Apprentice jockey Santos Rivera finished second in the jockey standings with 27 wins while Irving Orozco and Evin Roman tied for third with 25 wins apiece. Frank Alvarado completed the top five with 23 first place finishes.

Trainer Jonathan Wong picked up his ninth training title at Golden Gate Fields when saddling 40 winners from 159 starters at the 6-week summer meet. Wong earned $764,062 in purse money and hit the board with 58 percent of his starters. Isidro Tamayo, the conditioner with the second most wins at the summer meet, visited the winner's circle 21 times. Steve Sherman, who finished third in the trainer standings with 17 wins, had the highest win percentage of any trainer who saddled more than 50 starters, tallying a 27 percent win rate.

Owners Betty and Diane Irvin, who race under the name “Irvin Racing Stable,” won more races than any other owner with 6 victories from their 21 entrants. They campaigned 5 additional second place finishers and 4 horses who hit the wire third, finishing in the money with 71 percent of their starters. Irvin Racing Stables has horses with trainers Greg James and Bill McLean in Northern California and Carla Gaines in Southern California.

Betty and Diane Irvin, a mother-daughter team, are strong supporters of California racing. Betty resides in Los Angeles while Diane has residences in Colorado and Nevada. They own C-Punch Ranch in Lovelock, Nevada, and all of their racehorses are Irvin family homebreds.

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