Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hall Of Famer Asmussen Prepares To Defend His Title At Sam Houston

Ushering 2020 out the door was a welcome relief for pretty much everyone in the universe. The challenges from COVID-19 had a monumental impact on all sports and horseracing was affected greatly. However, Steve Asmussen, who will return to defend his training title at Sam Houston Race Park when the 2021 season begins on Friday, Jan. 8, had an amazingly good year amid the chaos.

Texas has always been important to the conditioner, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2016. His parents, Keith and Marilyn, operate a training center in Laredo; Asmussen and his family reside in Arlington and many of Asmussen's longtime owners are Texans. He has won the training title at Sam Houston 12 times and topped the owner standings in six seasons. On Friday's opening night card, Asmussen has entered nine runners and another six will run Saturday evening.

Sam Houston Race Park will kick off the 2021 meet with its highest purse structure since it opened in 1994. A total of $12 million will be offered for the 46-day season which runs through Saturday, April 3. House Bill 2463, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, will contribute $25 million annually to the Texas horse racing industry, split equally between Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse interests.

“The supplement to the purses gives us a wonderful product,” stated Asmussen. “The Bill allocates tax revenue from equine sales in Texas to support Texas racing. We need to promote this as a viable alternative to depending on casino revenue. The substantial purse increases have attracted new horsemen, which is great.”

Asmussen won 422 races in 2020 topping all North American Thoroughbred trainers in both wins and earnings. His horses earned $20,204,064 with Brad Cox ranking second with earnings of $18,983,832. Karl Broberg, who will also be prominent this season at Sam Houston Race Park, was the second-leading trainer by wins with 327 victories throughout 2020.

“Obviously, we were very proud to lead our sport by both money and wins,” said Asmussen. “The closures and purse cuts were tough on everyone. Our success is based on our motto that “everything matters” and we adhered to that with every member of our team. Our approach and consistency did not waver in 2020.”

Asmussen has won the past two editions of the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic. In 2019, the victory went to Bloom Racing Stable's Midnight Bisou, who was honored as the 2019 Eclipse Award winning female and earned $7.4 million in her illustrious career. Last year's champion, Lady Apple, is on target to defend her title for owners Phoenix Thoroughbred III and KatieRich Stables.

“It's hard to put into words how much I appreciate the loyalty of my owners,” said Asmussen.

Asmussen is off to his usual fast start in the New Year, currently running horses at Turfway Park, Delta Downs and Fair Grounds in New Orleans. He will have a full barn at Oaklawn Park when it opens on January 22. The 55-year-old horseman counts on longtime assistant, Pablo Ocampo, to oversee the day-to-day operation in Houston.

“I'm looking forward to the 2021 meet at Sam Houston,” said Asmussen. “I have always been pleased with their track surfaces.”

Sam Houston Race Park will welcome back a solid core of horsemen including Karl Broberg, Danny Pish, Kari Craddock, Mindy Willis, Bret Calhoun, Ronnie Cravens, Mike Neatherlin, Allen Dupuy and Robertino Diodoro. New conditioners for the 2021 Thoroughbred meet include Todd Fincher, Frank Lucarelli and Jonathan Wong.

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Boldor Rallies From Last To Capture Monday’s Sam’s Town Stakes

Delta Downs hosted the $60,000 Sam's Town Stakes on Monday afternoon and it was the Steve Asmussen trainee Boldor who proved best in the five-furlong affair for sprinters. Boldor used a last-to-first move in the homestretch under jockey Joel Dominguez to snare the win.

Breaking from post six in a field of eight, Boldor let the speed develop up front as Firecrow, Secular Nation and Shangroyal battled for the lead while setting fractional times of 22.05 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 45.44 for the half. As the field turned for home it was 59-1 longshot Shangroyal who forged a narrow lead and appeared to be home free, but that's when Boldor kicked it into high gear and mowed down his rivals, reaching the finish line ¾ of a length to the good of Secular Nation who finished second, and Shangroyal who faded to third, another neck behind the top pair.

Boldor, who is owned by Ed Orr and Susie Orr, covered the distance over a fast track in a time of 58.26 seconds.

The win by Boldor marked the fourth of his 13-race career. He earned $36,000 for the effort and now has a career bankroll of $245,197.

Bred in Virginia by Carlos S. E. Moore & Gillian Gordon-Moore, Boldor is a 5-year-old bay horse by Munnings, out of the Siphon mare Senate Caucus.

Sent to the gate at odds of 7-1, Boldor paid $16.20 to win, $7.60 to place and $6.20 to show. Secular Nation was worth $9.40 to place and $6.40 to show. Shangroyal returned $19.20 to show.

Delta Downs continues its race week on Tuesday with another nine-race program starting at 12:55 pm. The featured race is the $60,000 Orleans Stakes going as the eight event on the card.

For more information about the current season visit the track's website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about the track through Facebook by visiting the page 'Delta Downs Racing'. The track's Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

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Team Authentic Leading No. American Money Winner of 2020

By virtue of victories in the GI Kentucky Derby and in the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and combined with a third seven-figure success in the GI Haskell Invitational S., the ownership group that campaigned leading Horse of the Year hopeful Authentic (Into Mischief)–Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing–finished 2020 as the leading owner by earnings with a total of $6,790,000. The partnership raced Authentic for his final four races.

In total, Authentic won five of his seven starts in 2020 and led all horses by North American earnings with $7,170,000 ahead of the recently retired Tiz The Law (Constitution, $2,388,300), GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf victress Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Eclipse Award candidate Improbable (City Zip).

Godolphin was second among leading money winners, with $5,703,770 (80 wins from 361 starts), followed by Klaravich Stables Inc., which earned $5,323,398 (70/272). End Zone Athletics Inc. was the leading owner by wins, with 163 trips to winner’s circle from 801 starters (20.3%), good for earnings of $2,867,917.

After finishing second in 2018 and 2019, Steve Asmussen topped all trainers by money won, sending out the winners of 422 races from 2,278 starts and earnings of $20,204,064. He outdistanced Brad Cox (216 wins/903 starts, $18,983,832) and Bob Baffert (94 wins/323 starts, $18,983,832).

Irad Ortiz, Jr. topped all jockeys by money won, with an even 300 winners from 1,266 mounts for earnings of $21,050,726. Joel Rosario was second (194/1,052, $18,235,197) and Luis Saez (268/1,398, $16,511,372). Ortiz was also the nation’s winningest jockey of 2020, finishing 29 winners clear of Tyler Gaffalione and Saez.

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Authentic Owners, Irad Ortiz Jr., Steve Asmussen Top National Earnings Standings

Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing – the ownership group that campaigned Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Gr. 1) and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. 1) winner Authentic – finished the year as the leading owner by earnings, according to final statistics released today by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry's official database for racing information. Irad Ortiz Jr. repeated as the top earner for jockeys and Steve Asmussen was the top money-earning trainer after finishing second the two previous years.

The year-end compilations are distributed annually by Equibase and include results from Thoroughbred racing in North America from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Expanded North American racing leaders' lists that include all trainers, jockeys, owners, and horses are available within the statistical section at equibase.com. These lists include the ability to look at leaders in a variety of categories, including age, sex, surface, graded races, foaling year for horses, and the inclusion of designated foreign races.

Authentic, who won five of his seven races, led all Thoroughbreds in North American earnings with $7,170,000. In addition to his wins in the Derby and Classic, Authentic won the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (Gr. 1), the San Felipe Stakes (Gr. 2), and Sham Stakes (Gr. 3) and finished second in the Preakness Stakes (Gr. 1) and RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1).

Completing the list of top 10 horses by North American earnings were Tiz the Law with $2,388,300, Tarnawa (IRE) with $2,080,000, Improbable with $1,810,000, Swiss Skydiver with $1,791,820, Mucho Gusto with $1,674,000, Monomoy Girl with $1,472,068, Whitmore with $1,426,500, Essential Quality with $1,335,144, and Vequist with $1,235,500.

Some of the leading horses also were the top earners from their respective foal crops. The leading earners by foaling year from the past five years were Essential Quality (by Tapit, 2018 foal crop), Authentic (by Into Mischief, 2017), Improbable (by City Zip, 2016), Vino Rosso (by Curlin, 2015), and Bricks and Mortar (by Giant's Causeway, 2014).

The partnership of Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, which campaigned Authentic for the colt's final four races, earned $6,790,000 in North America in 2020 to lead all owners. Completing the list of top 10 owners by North American earnings in 2020 were Godolphin LLC, $5,703,770 (80 wins, 361 starts); Klaravich Stables, Inc., $5,323,398 (70/272); Gary Barber, $4,010,838 (59/377); Three Diamonds Farm, $3,869,111 (51/282); Calumet Farm, $3,657,128 (59/531); Juddmonte Farms, Inc., $3,387,810 (30/122); End Zone Athletics, $2,867,917 (163/801); Sackatoga Stable, $2,510,400 (6/18); and Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (Bob Lothenbach), $2,469,686 (54/388).

Asmussen, who also led all trainers in earnings in 2008 and 2009, sent out the winners of 422 races from 630 starters with 2,278 starts for earnings of $20,204,064 in 2020. Brad H. Cox finished second with his horses having won 216 races from 328 starters with 903 starts for earnings of $18,983,832.

Completing the list of top 10 trainers by North American earnings in 2020 were Bob Baffert, $18,923,887 (94 wins / 323 starts / 118 starters); Chad C. Brown, $16,596,956 (174/746/288); Michael J. Maker, $14,215,671 (270/1,428/431); Mark E. Casse, $11,393,960 (183/1,185/351); Todd Pletcher, $11,200,790 (190/ 870/ 310);William I. Mott, $9,467,346 (92/589/184); Christophe Clement, $6,227,813 (101/499/175); and Peter Miller, $6,134,655 (106/500/148).

Ortiz Jr., who last year set a single season earnings record, reached the winner's circle 300 times from 1,266 mounts in 2020 and earned $21,050,726. Finishing second was Joel Rosario with 194 wins from 1,052 mounts and earnings of $18,235,197.

Rounding out the list of top 10 jockeys by North American earnings in 2020 were Luis Saez, $16,511,372 (268 wins / 1,398 starts); Tyler Gaffalione, $15,612,262 (271/1,408); John R. Velazquez, $15,420,515 (101/662);Florent Geroux, $14,766,563 (160/861); Jose L. Ortiz, $13,811,296 (190/1,027); Ricardo Santana Jr., $12,793,803 (176/1,057); Javier Castellano, $12,461,620 (108/640); and Manuel Franco, $12,278,857 (140/1,011).

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