NEWS
Asmussen wins champion trainer award
Posted: Monday, January 26, 2009 9:29 PM
STEVE ASMUSSEN
NTRA photo
by Mike Curry
Steve Asmussen, who set a North American record last year with 622 victories, credits opportunities and great help as the foundation for his success in 2008.
He credited assistants Scott Blasi, Darren Fleming, Toby Sheets, Tony Mathiason, Pablo Ocampo, Hank Gensler, and Pat Devereaux for helping maintain the level of excellence among multiple divisions across the country that led to his Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer.
Asmussen maintains stables in New York, Chicago, Kentucky, Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico as well as in Canada for the first time this year. With such a far-reaching operation, he spends much of the year on the road and relies heavily upon his assistants to make sure his horses are performing at peak levels.
Of course, great teams begin with leadership at the top and Asmussen has built one of the most dominant operations in the world, leading all North American trainers by wins five times. He also is the trainer of 2007-'08 Horse of the Year Curlin.
Asmussen was introduced to racing by his father, Keith, a former jockey and trainer, and his mother, Marilyn, a trainer. Asmussen took out a jockey license at age 16 and rode for three years before switching to training due to weight issues. His brother, Cash, won the 1979 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice.
“It would be quite an accomplishment and quite a feat for my parents: to have two kids and both of them be Eclipse Award winners,” Steve Asmussen said.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
