Asmussen sets new record
Trainer Steve Asmussen earned his 497th win this season when
CORONADO ROSE (Coronado’s Quest) captured the $40,000 Delta Belle
S. at Delta Downs on Saturday. In the process, he broke the
28-year-old record set by Jack Van Berg for wins in a single
season.
“This has been quite emotional,” Asmussen said.
“I’m very happy to get over the record; it means a lot to
me. I appreciate everything that everyone who works for me does.
None of this would have happened without everyone’s help.”
The 39-year-old conditioner entered the day four wins shy of
the record set by Van Berg in 1976. He scored with SHAKE THE DICE
(Boundary) in the 2ND race at Aqueduct and followed that up with
victories in the 4TH at Churchill Downs with SANIBEL SUNSET
(Islefaxyou) and the 1ST at Hawthorne Park with YANKEE TRAIL
(Yankee Victor).
Asmussen was at Sam Houston for the track’s Texas Champions
Day so he saddled EXPECT WILL (Valid Expectations) to tie the
record in the $50,000 Groovy S. The record-setting win came in
the 9TH at Delta Downs at approximately 11:15 p.m. (EST).
“It has been a long day,” Asmussen said from Sam
Houston’s winner’s circle following the track’s final race
Saturday evening. “I think our first horse ran at 11:40
Central Time and I finally got the record after 29 starters
today. The filly that put us over
the top belonged to my father and Oceanfront Properties so it was
very fitting.”