Less than two years after setting the record for most North American wins for a coach, Racing Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen is about to hit another major career milestone.
Asmussen entered the week with 9,997 wins in North America. He set the standard for North American victories when he sent faucet to win the fifth race at Racecourse Saratoga August 7, 2021, surpassing the record set by the late Dale Baird. Asmussen is now poised to claim his 10,000th career win this week.
In addition to those 9,997 wins in North America, Asmussen has two wins overseas — including make for curly His win at the 2008 Dubai World Cup (G1) brings him to a total of 9,999 career wins.
Asmussen moves within three wins of 10,000 in North America when spoiler finished in the first special weight class race on February 12 at Sam Houston Racecourse. Campaigned by Curtis Green, 3-year-old son of First Samurai completed 1 1/16 miles on hard courts at 1:45.69 to win by 2 3/4 of the distance.
Although the chase will have a slight pause as Asmussen has no horses participating on Monday, February 13 or Tuesday, February 14, he will resume the chase on Wednesday when he has a pair of horses participating in At Race Park and one entered at plain down. At Turfway, he has Therefore I in the fifth race, a special maiden weight; And Proud performer in the race Friday, a girly book lover. At Delta, he has thoughts and prayers entered the race Friday, an event claimed.
As of Monday morning, Asmussen had no horses entered on Thursday but he had 13 entered on Friday, 17: seven o’clock at Oaklawn Parkthree times Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slotsand three at Sam Houston Race Park.
At Oaklawn Asmussen there are sweet truffles in the second race, Ottoman Empire In the third time, Doodling King in the fourth, dark matter in friday, discussed in the seventh, and Sky and sand And Morelo in eighth.
At Fair Grounds he has Colourful in the second, Fight in the fifth, and Interflow in friday.
At Sam Houston, he has Dream vacation And vivacious in the third and kazan in Thursday.
The closest active coach to Asmussen in North American wins is Jerry Hollendorfer with 7,757. Asmussen won the Eclipse Award as outstanding coach in 2008 and 2009. He won the Preakness Stakes (G1) in 2007 with Curlin and again in 2009 with the dirty game. Rachel Alexandra . In 2016 he was quiet Creator to win Belmont Stakes (G1).
Asmussen-trained horses have won eight Breeders’ Cup races: Curlin in the 2007 Classic (G1) and gunman in Classic 2017, Echo of Zulu in 2021 Juvenile Fillies (G1) and My Miss Aurelia in the 2011 version of that race, Mitole during Sprint 2019 (G1), Unable to mine in 2014 Distaff (G1), French fries in 2012 Dirt Mile (G1), and The king is ready in the 2011 Turf Sprint (G2T).
