Bill Kaplan, a highly successful Purebred owner and trainer in South Florida who won the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) with romantic music died May 19 at Coral Springs Medical Center of cancer, according to Susan Welton, his sister.
Kaplan, 77, took a break from training in the spring of 2016 after a career in which his horses won 615 races from 4,871 starts and earned more than $18.7 million. In addition to Musical Romance, who was honored with the Eclipse Award as the 2011 champion female sprinter, Kaplan has conditions for the winners of classified bets East Hall , Sea cliffs , Mr. Livingston , Ekati’s Phaeton And Other Romance .
He owns a number of horses he has trained, including the Musical Romance, the Breeders’ Cup win that earned him, and the Pinnacle Racing Stable, led by Adam Lazarus. Daughter of The melody of Concorde retired after finishing sixth in the Breeder’s Cup 2012 Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita . Park and was sold shortly thereafter to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.6 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
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According to Welton, Kaplan initially got into horse racing as an owner after developing a rewarding aviation business.
“He bought a racehorse and he didn’t like the way they trained him. And so he became a coach and became one of the top trainers at Calder,” Welton said. .
Originally from Brooklyn, Kaplan, a second lieutenant in the United States Army and recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, is a certified public accountant who earned a pilot’s license before arriving in South Florida in the early 1990s. 1970. His career in aviation led him to develop Air South, which eventually grew to 10 planes and 15 pilots. He sold the Air South in 1984 and then his stables began to grow.
“I fell in love with Thoroughbred racing the first time I got into it,” he said when announcing his retirement in 2016.
He started two horses in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs: Imawildandcrazyguy, fourth place, and Storm in May, 16th.
Kaplan is known for finding bargains when selling Thoroughbreds. Among other rewarding purchases, he advised on Musical Romance’s first purchase, a $22,000 purchase from the Ocala Breeders Spring Sale for 2-year-olds. are practicing. She will make over $1.6 million winning 12 of her 41 starts.
Bill Kaplan accepts Musical Romance’s award for champion female sprinter at the 2011 Eclipse Awards
In recent years after taking a break from training, Kaplan enjoyed working with radio-controlled aircraft and became friends with other large model aircraft enthusiasts at Markham Park in South Florida. Kaplan’s home is in Davie, where he has a stable and pasture.
“He is the most generous, humble man. He treats everyone equally,” his sister said. “Nobody has anything but kind things to say about him. I don’t think he has enemies on this planet. The word noble comes to mind. He’s really a good person. .”
Kaplan is survived by two siblings, Welton and his brother, Fred; polygamy; and five grandchildren.
In honor of Kaplan’s wishes, there are no immediate plans to serve the deceased trainer, who was cremated. Welton said she will “sit shiva,” a Jewish mourning tradition, by posting photos and tributes to her brother on Facebook.
The family has requested donations in memory of Kaplan on his behalf to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
