trainer

Finger Lakes-based trainer James Acquilano, who has been training at the Farmington, New York track since 1981, won the 2,000th race of his career Tuesday when Jersey Gregg (Uncaptured) captured the 4th race, a six-furlong maiden claimer. Acquilano not only trains, but also owns, the 4-year-old gelding, who won by five lengths. All but 39 of Acquilano's 2,000 wins have been at his home track.

Trainer Chad Brown joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss a stacked lineup of Breeders' Cup-bound trainees, from juvenile Chancer McPatrick to highly regarded older horses Carl Spackler and Domestic Product.

Legendary trainer Aidan O'Brien joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss City of Troy and other Breeders' Cup-bound trainees. Plus, we learn he moonlights as a dog sitter.

Chuck Simon, who retired from training in 2019 after a 20-year run in which he won 359 races, passed away Sunday at Saratoga Hospital after a bout with cancer. He was 57-years-old. Before going out on his own, Simon worked for Wayne Lukas, Pete Ferriola, Nick Zito and Tom Skiffington. His mentors included Allen Jerkens. He spent six years with Jerkens working as one of his assistants. He went out on his own in 1999 and five years later gave a job to a young newcomer to the track, Cherie...

Off to a fast start in Saratoga, trainer Phil Bauer joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss Too Sharp, Halina's Forte, Buchu and more.

The walls of David Donk's stable in Saratoga can't talk, but there are two horsemen spending their mornings there this summer who have plenty of memories to share about the barn at the top of the far turn that once housed five consecutive Belmont Stakes winners. Donk and Phil Gleaves, a former trainer who now runs a small racing partnership, were both assistant trainers to legendary Hall of Fame trainer Woody Stephens early on in their careers and they still have stories to tell from the barn where Woody once...

Trainer Mike Puype, whose accomplishments include two wins in the Breeders' Cup, has been provisionally suspended by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit after two banned substances, levothyroxine and isoxuprine, were allegedly found on his possession. The ruling against Puype was posted on the HIWU website Friday. The offense occurred Apr. 24. According to Equibase, Puype has not started a horse since June 16. When reached by phone Friday by the TDN, Puype said he would make a comment at a later date after he has had a chance to...

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is in the midst of yet another busy Saratoga season, but this weekend he will have a quick hiatus from the Spa as he pops over to Monmouth Park to saddle several leading contenders in the GI Haskell Stakes. To discuss Fierceness (City of Light), Mindframe (Constitution) and Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso)--and talk about whether or not we will see all three colts in New Jersey or if any will wait until the GII Jim Dandy Stakes--Pletcher joined this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast,...

According to a report by Kevin Modesti in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, trainer David Hofmans died Wednesday at his home near Santa Anita. He was 81. Hofmans's wife, Linda Murray Hofmans, confirmed the news to Modesti. She added that the Arcadia Police Department are investigating and an autopsy was pending. "We're devastated," Hofmans's widow told Modesti, requesting privacy for the family. The cause of death was not immediately known. According to Equibase, Hofmans began his career in 1974 and won 1,085 races for career earnings of $53,335,405. His biggest...

Ado McGuinness has described losing 11 horses owned by Shamrock Thoroughbreds as "a big blow" after the trainer parted ways with long-time assistant and cousin Stephen Thorne.  The split means that Thorne, who has ambitions to train in his own right, will manage the horses belonging to the syndicate alongside County Meath-based handler Jack Davison until he is granted a licence of his own.  A Godolphin Flying Start graduate who has spent time working for some of the top trainers all over the world, Thorne returned home to Dublin to...

Dornoch (Good Magic) had not been running particularly well. He was a badly beaten fourth in the GI Blue Grass S. and followed that up with a 10th place showing in the GI Kentucky Derby. But trainer Danny Gargan never gave up on his colt, and was brimming with confidence in the days leading up to the GI Belmont S., contested this year at Saratoga. He was proven right as the bay colt won the final leg of the Triple Crown by a half-length at odds of 17-1. "We were...

After getting his first career Grade I in the Belmont S. with Dornoch and then celebrating another victory with GII Matt Winn S. winner Society Man the following day, trainer Danny Gargan had a lot to talk about on this week's TDN Writers' Room.