Roger Brueggemann, the Illinois-based trainer of Breeders' Cup winner Work All Week and Arlington Million winner The Pizza Man, passed away on Tuesday after hospitalization due to COVID-19, reports bloodhorse.com.
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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