By US Racing Team
Will Steve Asmussen make history this weekend?
The Hall of Famer won two races Friday to move within six victories of tying the late Dale Baird for the record for a North American thoroughbred trainer.
Asmussen has 9,439 wins after Bad Boy ($6.40) took the opener at Ellis Park and American Xperiment ($6.60) finished first in the sixth at Saratoga. His other two starters, one at Ellis and one at the Spa, finished out of the money.
The 55-year-old native of South Dakota won four races this week after breaking an 0-for-20 slump.
Asmussen has amassed an astounding record since sending out his first starter in 1986. Entering races on July 31, Asmussen has sent out 48,875 starters. In addition to his 9,439 winners, he’s saddled 7,651 runners-up and 6,528 thirds for career earnings of $361,033,734.
He was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top trainer in 2008 and 2009. Among his top champions are two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, winner of the 2007 Preakness, the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and the 2008 Dubai World Cup; 2009 Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra; 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator; and 2017 BC Classic winner Gun Runner.
Most recently, his champions include Midnight Bisou and Mitole.