Asmussen Grabs Milestone Win at Oaklawn Park

Blood-Horse

Six-time leading Oaklawn Park trainer Steve Asmussen earned his 7,000th North American victory April 1, when Drama Coach won the second race at Oaklawn to also give the trainer the sweep of the early Daily Double (VIDEO).

Asmussen is just the second trainer ever to reach 7,000 career wins in North America, following the late Dale Baird who finished with 9,445.

“I’m extremely proud for the whole barn; Darren (Fleming) being here at Oaklawn, Scott (Blasi), the job that everybody’s done,” Asmussen said. “Everybody’s stuck together. It’s an extremely significant milestone that we’re extremely proud of and, hopefully, we can continue.

“Last week, we kind of had a slow week, I think—six seconds and stuff,” Asmussen continued. “It’s very nice to start off the week for the second race, just get it out of the way and get on and do some winning.”

Asmussen moved within a victory of the milestone win in the first race when Our Adieu, a horse he co-owns with Keith Asmussen, won the maiden-claiming race by 4 1/2 lengths. Clark Brewster’s Drama Coach then won the second race, a six-furlong claiming race, by 4 1/4 lengths to give the trainer North American win 7,000. Ricardo Santana Jr. guided home both winners.

The two-time Eclipse Award winning trainer also holds two wins in Dubai from 2008, when Curlin won the Jaguar Trophy and the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).

Asmussen is currently ranked fifth all-time among North American trainers in career earnings with $226,714,081.

Among Asmussen’s most notable accomplishments was training the Horse of the Year for three straight years between 2007 and 2009 with Curlin, twice, and Rachel Alexandra.