Tag: People

Trainer Michael Biehler was 25 years old in 1989 when he sent out his first winner, and now at age 59 he won for the 1,000th time in his career when Medalla Match captured the eighth race on Friday night at Remington Park.

Biehler's first trip to a winner's circle was July 1, 1989 with Raise a Wolf in a $5,000 maiden claiming race at Canterbury Park in Minnesota. His first win at Remington Park was on April 9, 1994 with Gato Macho.

Friday night's milestone victory was in a 7 1/2-furlong turf allowance race for fillies and mares. Medalla Match covered trip in 1:30.83 and led from the half-mile pole on with Stewart Elliott aboard.

“This is really exciting for me,” Biehler said of his 1,000th win. “I never had a number like this in mind when I first started. I've had some big wins at Remington Park. This was great and I'll never forget this, but it's hard to top winning the Oklahoma Derby with Wally's Choice in 2004. He was the longest shot on the board (33-1 odds) and I really didn't think he had a chance that day. He came from dead last with Quinonez up. That was my only graded stakes win. I'll never forget that one or this one.”

Biehler watched Medalla Match provide the milestone victory from his travel trailer on lake in Minnesota with coverage from the RTN network. He didn't have much choice because he has horses entered at Canterbury on Saturday. The milestone celebrations will have to be postponed as well.

“Yeah, I have to get up at 4 a.m.,” said Biehler, said with a laugh. Medalla Match, a 5-year-old mare by Summer Front out of the Bernardini mare Channel of Gold, went off as the prohibitive favorite at 1-2 odds. She took all the suspense out of the milestone, pulling away in the stretch to win by three lengths, but Biehler enjoyed his sixth win over the past two nights.

“She's a nice mare,” said Biehler, “and I think they picked her up for about $7,500. Bought her sight unseen.”

Medalla Match ($3) is owned by Twisted Chaps Racing Stables (John Morris) of Edmond, Okla. They pocketed $22,749 from the $38,000 purse. The mare improved her record 6-3-1 from 18 career starts and earnings of $147,482. The winner was bred in Kentucky by Jane Wiggins.

The post Trainer Biehler Hits Milestone 1,000th Career Win At Remington appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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At the American Horse Council's most recent board meeting on August 17, 2023, the following former trustees were named as emeritus, joining existing emeriti ranks with Dr. Jerry Black and Dr. G. Marvin Beeman.

James L. “Jim” Gagliano – President/COO of The Jockey Club, Jim served on the AHC Board of Trustees for 10 years (2012-2022) including three years as Vice Chair, three years as Chair and one year as Past Chair. Gagliano also served on numerous committees, working groups and task forces during this tenure.

Dr. Tom Lenz – Dr. Lenz was the AAEP representative on the AHC Board of Trustees for 13 years (2009 – 2022), serving as Welfare committee Chair and United Horse Coalition Chair.

Alex Waldrop – Former CEO of National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Waldrop joined the AHC Board of Trustees in 2006 and served for 15 years, retiring in 2021. During his tenure, Waldrop served as Chair of the AHC Racing Committee, and as Board Treasurer for many years.

Dr. Glenn Blodgett (posthumously) – Dr. Blodgett joined the AHC Board of Trustees in 2015 as the American Quarter Horse Association representative. He served on the Health & Regulatory Committee, Equine Welfare Committee and Racing Committee. Sadly Dr. Blodget, passed on Nov 20, 2022.

“These distinguished individuals have made invaluable contributions to the success of the Council and the Equine Industry,” stated Dr. Rick Mitchell, current AHC Board Chair. “They brought great insights and were visionaries in expanding AHC's footprint in Washington, D.C., and firmly establishing AHC as the industry's unified voice on Capitol Hill. We are indebted to them for their many years of service and countless contributions.”

About the American Horse Council

As the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council works daily to represent equine interests and opportunities.

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Trainer Brian Koriner reached a career milestone on Thursday at Del Mar when his horse Diamond Bar Gal got up to win under jockey Juan Hernandez in the second race. It was victory number 1,000 for the 57-year-old conditioner who's been training Thoroughbreds since 1988.

“It's nice to get it out of the way,” Koriner says, “because people make a big deal out of it. I think it was only four starts after 999, so at least it didn't linger on for a long time. Only five days.”

Koriner's career as a trainer actually started with Quarter Horses, which he worked with for over 10 years, much of which was at Los Alamitos. He dabbled in Thoroughbreds during that time and made a fulltime commitment in 1997 up at Golden Gate Fields. At the time he wasn't thinking about 1,000 wins.

“Never thought about it,” Koriner says. “If you're in it long enough, I guess you can get there. You hope you can get to a thousand if you have any success at all.”

He's had plenty, posting annual earnings over $1 million 13 times.

“I've had good people behind me,” Koriner notes. “A lot of it was in Northern California. The last few years here have been slow. I don't know how many wins I have in a year. I think it's 50 and above so that's what got me there.

“That and playing hard ball claiming horses,” he continues. “I don't claim anymore, so it's slowed down. Most of our horses are straight maidens and we just run them through their conditions. When they run out of conditions it gets tough. You can drop them in and unload them but if you're not playing the claiming game it's hard to win a lot of races, I think.”

Koriner has 28 horses here at Del Mar.

“We're not overly stocked with big dollar horses,” he states.

He had one back in 2009 when he trained California Flag, a Cal-bred that won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. It earned him the California Thoroughbred and Breeders Association's Trainer of the Year honors. Ask Koriner his favorite win of the 1,000 and he doesn't hesitate with his answer.

“The Breeders' Cup with California Flag,” Koriner says. “I won the Vosburgh (at Belmont Park in New York) with Black Seventeen. That was pretty exciting. He was midstream in his career and loved an 'off' racetrack and ran his eyeballs out that day.”

That was in 2008, a few years after he shifted his base down to Southern California.

“Every win is fun,” Koriner continues. “I won that race yesterday and it was great but then I ran five through the day and that's how quick your day can turn around. You're excited and then the next few don't run that good; it ruins the whole day. I woke up this morning and said 'Wow, I won a race yesterday' then in the back of my mind I'm thinking 'That filly did that and that filly did that.' Now I have to go to the barn to see why it happened.”

It's that kind of dedication that has earned Koriner this special milestone and it's what will get him many more trips to the winners circle before he's done.

The post ‘I’ve Had Good People Behind Me’: Brian Koriner Celebrates 1,000th Training Victory At Del Mar appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Gherson (Jason) Huayas was taken to Monmouth Medical Center for X-rays and orthopedic evaluation for a possible fractured right leg following a gate mishap in Friday's second race at Monmouth Park, according to track medical director Dr. Angelo Chinnici.

Huayas was injured when Moneyslot, a first-time starter trained by Juan Avila, flipped in the gate and landed on the rider.

The horse was uninjured.

Huayas, in his first year riding at Monmouth Park, is winless from 47 mounts at the meet.

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