Brueggemann earned his first training title at Hawthorne in 2007, and began working for Midwest Thoroughbreds in 2010. Both Work All Week, winner of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Sprint, and 2015 Arlington Million winner The Pizza Man are owned by Midwest. The Pizza Man's marquee victory made him the first Illinois-bred to win the state's premier race.

“He was so important in jump-starting (jockey) Florent (Geroux)'s career, and that win in Arlington Million—since I grew up in Chicago—was as special as any win,” Geroux's agent Doug Bredar told bloodhorse.com. “To see a small-time guy have the opportunity to train a Breeders' Cup winner and then an Arlington Million winner was nothing short of amazing. Now that's he gone, it breaks my heart.”

I'm sad to report that we lost a good man and a man I consider a good friend as Roger Brueggemann passed today from Covid. He was a BC winning trainer, Arlington Million winning trainer and one of the most down the Earth people you could ever meet. This one is tough….

— Jim Miller (@HawthorneJim) December 15, 2020

It is our sad task of reporting the passing of our friend , Trainer Roger Brueggemann . Roger trained many winners for us including 2014 Breeders Cup Sprint Winner Work All Week. pic.twitter.com/UnZLu9uN62

— Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc (@MidwestTbreds) December 15, 2020

R.I.P to a great person, excellent horsemen and a really good friend Roger Brueggemann. So many amazing memories with you. I owe you a lot for what you have done for my career! Until we meet again… pic.twitter.com/Dhj7925Zjg

— Florent Geroux (@flothejock) December 15, 2020

Very sad to hear of the passing of Trainer Roger Brueggemann – a wonderful horseman and a lovely man inside and out. RIP #COVIDSUCKS

— zoecadman (@zoecadman) December 15, 2020

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Work All Week, a seven-time stakes winner, was owned and bred by Richard and Karen Papiese and campaigned by trainer Roger Brueggemann. The Illinois-bred son of City Zip was the champion male sprinter of 2014 after capturing the 2014 GR 1 Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint. Work all Week was retired from racing in 2015 at the age of six due to a stress fracture in his right knee with a 13-4-1 record from 19 starts and earnings of $1,511,071. In addition to his Eclipse Award as outstanding male sprinter, Work All Week is a two-time Illinois Horse of the Year.

Syndergaard, owned by the partnership of Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris Fein, Guri Singh, and Jerry Walia, was named after New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard. The New York-bred son of Majesticperfection – Magic Belle, Magical Thinking, was a dazzling 2-year-old under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher, cinching his maiden outing at Saratoga and going on to capture the Funny Cide Stakes over the same oval. That same year he was second in the GR1 Champagne, which led to a start in the 2016 GR1 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he ended up 5th. He later moved to the barn of trainer John P. Terranova II. This year, the chestnut gelding was retired after his last start June 6 at Belmont Park with 17 Starts, 3 Wins, 4 places, 2 shows and earnings: $477, 269.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. “I wish everyone could see the absolute joy expressed by The Pizza Man and Work All Week as they celebrate in their paddock. And Syndergaard is just gorgeous. Thanks to their owners for trusting us and their fans for all their support.”

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