Q: will the real Steve M. Asmussen please identify himself?

[The_Knight_Sky]

http://i51.tinypic.com/fuduf.jpg (http://theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/2011/02/will-real-steve-m-asmussen-please.html)

read full post here (http://theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/2011/02/will-real-steve-m-asmussen-please.html)

[Robert Goren]

Just think what his transporter bill must be.:lol:

Not listing the real person in charge of a horse at a particular track is problem these days. It is yet another thing that shows no respect for the better.

[lamboguy]

steve is part of a great family they are all ethical, and his dad keith, is the best human being that i have ever met that wears a cowboy hat. his mother marylyn has a heart made of solid gold. all his horses train under the same program whether he is at the track or not. steve has a photographic memory and if things haven't changed, he enters all his horses every day everywhere. he also travels every week to every venue that he runs his horses in.

[Mineshaft]

He does know every horse under his name and does enter every horse and also tracks every workout every day of every horse. But hes a hard man to work for.

[MPRanger]

Just think what his transporter bill must be.:lol:

Not listing the real person in charge of a horse at a particular track is problem these days. It is yet another thing that shows no respect for the better.


Hello Robert Goren. I agree it's another thing that shows no respect for the player. I'm not too worried about it though.

I look at it as part of an evolving game. It's the last bastion of pure capitalism where everybody is out for themselves (as it should be).

PLAYERS - Picks and chooses where and how much money to put in play.

OWNERS - The biggest Win Place and Show bettors of all. They don't get paid for being part of an exotic. Low level owners with few horses are the biggest losers in the game. A Smarty Jones only comes along once in a lifetime and only one low level owner gets him. Most of them aren't going to cash in as breeders. These poor guys are being ground out by the day. They have to love the game 'cause they ain't getting anywhere. Their biggest dream is to win part of enough purses to cover expenses.

The big time owners are playing the breeding or Triple Crown game. Most of these are big losers too on the bottom line. They start three years out with huge investments they never know they can recoup. I admire them greatly for the money games they are willing to play.

TRAINERS - I don't think there is much difference in talent between your average super trainer and the low level guy with only nine horses. They are Win Place and Show players too. Of course I don't mean betting.

The big trainers who have never seen their horses are just using their owners to cover their spread plays. The more high quality horses entered to race the higher the probability of cashing in. Having the resources to ship their better prospects to different tracks to target races gives them a huge advantage in making money over the small trainer who is stuck at the same track for the whole meet.

Of them all, the player is the one who can show up or not or walk away without a concern in the world. I don't see it as a customer getting shafted thing.

I do understand player frustrations though with take outs and handicapping info. I certainly don't mean to minimize it. I think it's great that an org like H.A.N.A. is there to represent the player at the table. All parties contribute to the great equalization of things. Though inefficiecies always exist like waves in the ocean though the water is striving for a common level. It is in these waves and troughs where opportunity lies. This is true in the stock market, money market, gold market and the tote board.

If trainer data is buried under an overarching big name for you. Then it is certainly as difficult for everyone else to find. And it's everyone else we are playing against. This might be an opportunity to find a nugget of inside info you might benefit from. At the very least you have already identified a point of handicapping others may not have considered.

I'm not lecturing here. I'm just having fun brainstorming the point you raised.

[precocity]

steve is part of a great family they are all ethical, and his dad keith, is the best human being that i have ever met that wears a cowboy hat. his mother marylyn has a heart made of solid gold. all his horses train under the same program whether he is at the track or not. steve has a photographic memory and if things haven't changed, he enters all his horses every day everywhere. he also travels every week to every venue that he runs his horses in.
when lone star park fist opened he ran the majority of his horses there, hes a very nice guy would even walk around the simulcast area and talk to horse players, its funny back in the day their man operation was in laredo Texas right by the border all the Mexicans would bet on his horses because his family was so well liked in Laredo.....true story stood behind him at the tote he had a 75 gee voucher on him..... :eek:

[lamboguy]

one of the things that i think is wrong with horseracing is giving certain trainers 50 stalls and others only 5. i think 15 is a perfect number and other rules should be put in place, like the amount of horses that any one particular owner can have at a track, and the amount of claims a trainer can put in for in 1 meet. by placing these limits would have an evening off effect and probably bring more owners into the game. more owners mean more friends and more bettors and more handles. instead the big trainers now rule the condition book, and its their game on an unlevel playing field. i often wonder why they give these trainers so many stalls. i see guys that base in philadelphia park running in races in new york where they have the exact same race in philly. i see bruce levine shipping horses that are stabled in new york running 2 or 3 horses in philly on a daily basis. i have no idea how racing secretary's allow this. if he wants to run in philly, let him get stalls there. the track is paying for the maintenance and not charging any rent, and when it comes time for the entertainment they go someplace else.

the other thing that racing secretary's are doing now is promising that they are going to get their 2 yo programs started in may and you don't see the first 2 yo race until the end of june. this is a killer for developing horses when they have to sit in the barn waiting for a race, and if the horse happens to win right away he sits in a stall waiting for his next race. horseracing pays the price for this once the horses turn 3 and run in big races. they just don't hold up anymore due to all the drugs that are pumped into them and the sporatic races that they run. and now the horses don't make it into their 4 year old career and often can't finish their 3 yo races.

i have often called for structural changes in the game, these are just a few of them and the reasons why i think they need them.

[Grits]

steve is part of a great family they are all ethical, and his dad keith, is the best human being that i have ever met that wears a cowboy hat. his mother marylyn has a heart made of solid gold. all his horses train under the same program whether he is at the track or not. steve has a photographic memory and if things haven't changed, he enters all his horses every day everywhere. he also travels every week to every venue that he runs his horses in.

Lambo--glad you spoke of Steve A, and of his family. Obviously, you're more familiar with the Asmussen family than TKS is--who may simply need hits on his blog this a.m. I obliged him, unfortunately.

Asmussen's photographic memory has been noted before in print. It has a good deal to do with how and why he's able to be so organized. Also noted in print has been his schedule--he, as Lambo states, travels every week. The man spends as much time on an airplane as he spends on the ground. His schedule is grueling, and he's stated it, often, when interviewed. He's spoken of the time missed, away from his family as well.

Last year, as I've noted before, several of us were sitting beside him at breakfast in Hot Springs. The server brought us coffee, and we all ordered our breakfasts. It was some time after 10 a.m. Asmussen was sitting alone, just as dirty and nasty as hell in a short sleeve tshirt, khaki work pants, and paddock boots. This man was eating his LUNCH at this hour; the biggest plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes I've ever seen, and answering his phone.

TKS, what time you figure he got to his barn with lunch at 10am? While you, myself, and others were still in bed at 4 am., this guy was in his barn.

He has admitted he's got a bad temper, so one needn't be fooled by the soft spokeness--all the time. But then again, as they say, its those quiet ones we have to pay the most attention to--they're the one's that'll go off like a rocket when angered. I digress.

As far as "the bettor's right to know", I'd love for you to explain how you think bettors would benefit by knowing who hired the grooms, the hotwalkers, whose paying the monthly bills and whose reading the condition book? 60% or more of the grooms and hotwalkers aren't even able to speak English, so what's your point with this?

Because someone may know how to train horses, manage the day to day operation of their care, hire and manage the employees in their barns, walking, grooming, exercising, etc.--it doesn't mean those individuals are capable of running a "business operation". Herein lies what can mean the monumental difference in one's success. Managers and laborers, if one can't delegate, if one can't trust, or if one is unsure of the skill level of those they employee--they will not be successful. Not training horses, not running a restaurant, not making investments for others. Not doing anything.

As far as assistants go, I have seen in the NYRA programs--and not anywhere else in the country--two trainers whose assistants have been included in the program along with the trainer of record. Those two trainers are:

(1) Steven M.Asmussen/Toby Sheets

(2) Saeed Bin Suroor/Rick Mettee

I've not ever read one of Pletcher's assistant's names in print in a program. EVER. He's thanked them, he's mentioned them often, though not indivually, They've never been included in a printed program that I have had in my hand. Also, I've never seen a speck of dirt on Pletcher in all the years I've watched him train horses. I've seen Asmussen, as I said, looking like he's been on his knees wrapping legs, walking hots, and mucking stalls since before daybreak.

If Kristin Mullholl has a horse running at Penn National. Its quite possible, she's trying to unload him for the owner who may not have wanted to do so in SoCal.

[lamboguy]

good post grits. you spelled it out better than i could have. as we all know steve has served 2 length suspensions for drugs to close to a race, or an illegal substance. the man has to be tough because his name is on the line and his license. if there were about 100 others like steve racing would not be in the mess that its in now. he is truly one of a kind. that being said if you are an owner of his you will have a tough time making money no matter how many races he wins for you. steve only knows how to win, he will have chiropracters, accupunture, hypobarick chambers and high priced vets. his dayrate is reasonable, but the other things get you. and the barn stake is pretty high as well. but you will win if your horse has some type of ability. if he doesn't think your horse doesn't have what it takes, he tells you straight.

[socantra]

Lambo--glad you spoke of Steve A, and of his family. Obviously, you're more familiar with the Asmussen family than TKS is--who may simply need hits on his blog this a.m. I obliged him, unfortunately.


I couldn't bring myself to oblige him. If TKS weren't so busy trying to generate controversy in his blog and promoting it AND HIMSELF, he might well be able to find some of the information he thinks he so desperately needs.

Assistant trainers are hardly a rarity in today's racing and haven't been for a long time. I don't keep close track of Asmussen's assistants, but its hardly a deep dark secret. Can you say Scott Blasi, Darren Fleming, Toby Sheets, Hank Gensler and who knows who else.

At Remington Park its been Darren Fleming the last few years. I believe he also is the main assistant at Lone Star and on the Louisiana circuit. He talks to Steve A. on the phone numerous times a day and goes over every horse's training regimen with him daily. Apparently, Mr. Asmussen can walk, chew gum and do several other things at the same time.

Steve Asmussen is listed as the trainer because he is the lead trainer and it is his ass and reputation on the line. As was mentioned, he served several suspensions for positives a few years ago. HE served the suspensions and did not try to blame any of his assistant trainers, because HE is the one responsible.

I hesitate to cause any undue distress to TKS, but I suspect that even some of Steve Asmussen's assistant trainers have unnamed assistants, so there may be no end to the layers of duplicity you have uncovered.

Possibly, if you were to devote some time to doing a bit of research instead of trying to generate personal publicity, you might be able to find some of this information that is being so carefully hidden from you. Sone folks call it an edge. Others just say its being willing to do the work.

[The_Knight_Sky]

I couldn't bring myself to oblige him. If TKS weren't so busy trying to generate controversy in his blog and promoting it AND HIMSELF, he might well be able to find some of the information he thinks he so desperately needs.



There is no controversy. Simply offering a suggestion in the post.
If you came over to read the entire post you could have actually
construed my suggestion, which was this.....

Thoroughbred owners have long used a nom-de-course for their horses. Names like Team Valor, West Point Thoroughbreds, The Very Un-stable give instant brand recognition and their horses are fun to follow throughout the year. Perhaps the same should be done for the trainers this sport. The industrialization of the training ranks became a factor long before Team Lukas took the nation by storm in the 1980's. It is time to address that reality.

I did not want to post the biography of Mr. Asmussen.
And for the record, I do not make a dime off my blog.
I do it for the love of the game. Carry on my wayward sons. ;-)

[Hanover1]

This whole deal is really no big deal. Sheds have ben run this way for decades. In the context of this thread, it matters none who works in the shed when its the horse you are betting on......perhaps gathering information such as where the first string vs second string is stabled is of some help, and has been for me at times. Horses can/will switch between strings when variables warrant, and this IS good info.......

[Hanover1]

Just think what his transporter bill must be.:lol:

Not listing the real person in charge of a horse at a particular track is problem these days. It is yet another thing that shows no respect for the better.

Rest assure that the horse won't see a van unless someone feels he can pay his way. Just curious: Would it matter what my name was if I couldn't train a lick? Just sayin........

[5k-claim]

There is no controversy. Simply offering a suggestion in the post.
If you came over to read the entire post you could have actually
construed my suggestion, which was this.....

Thoroughbred owners have long used a nom-de-course for their horses. Names like Team Valor, West Point Thoroughbreds, The Very Un-stable give instant brand recognition and their horses are fun to follow throughout the year. Perhaps the same should be done for the trainers this sport. The industrialization of the training ranks became a factor long before Team Lukas took the nation by storm in the 1980's. It is time to address that reality. The nom-de-course for the Steven M. Asmussen group is "Steven M. Asmussen"

Problem solved.


Not listing the real person in charge of a horse at a particular track is problem these days. It is yet another thing that shows no respect for the better.

Good grief.

[Robert Goren]

Why not just list the name of the asst trainer on site along with the trainer of record's name? I don't think it is a major problem, but still what would it hurt?

[The_Knight_Sky]

The nom-de-course for the Steven M. Asmussen group is "Steven M. Asmussen"

Problem solved.



No sir. That is the problem.

The way thoroughbred racing does business is that it tabulates all statistics to credit one person. That isn't the right way to go. I believe that any Super Trainer will have assistants, blacksmiths, exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers of varying skill levels around the country.

I actually like Mr. Asmussen he was a gentleman the when he came over with Rachel Alexandra for The Lady's Secret Stakes. His kids are great too. :ThmbUp: I coul d have used a Mr. Pletcher for an example, but I couldn't find his pic on my camera. :D

I just wanted to point out that trainers cannot possibly in various location training horses - yet the public is led to believe he is. The local contingent should get more limelight as well as credit for the stats in the record book.

[garyscpa]

when lone star park fist opened he ran the majority of his horses there, hes a very nice guy would even walk around the simulcast area and talk to horse players, its funny back in the day their man operation was in laredo Texas right by the border all the Mexicans would bet on his horses because his family was so well liked in Laredo.....true story stood behind him at the tote he had a 75 gee voucher on him..... :eek:

Boy, I'd hate to leave that one in the machine. :confused:

[Grits]

I just wanted to point out that trainers cannot possibly in various location training horses - yet the public is led to believe he is. The local contingent should get more limelight as well as credit for the stats in the record book.

TKS, you know, common sense tells me, and I can't understand why it hasn't occurred to you--if the assistants of Steve Asmussen, wanted to walk, they could do so at any time. Funny, though, all seem pleased with their positions and their responsibilities. Otherwise, they'd be hanging up their own shingle. Aside from Lukas and the many trainers who worked under him--Mott, Pletcher, Frankel--all have had assistants do so.

Asmussen's assistants seem pretty dedicated to him, I'm not sure how one can figure this to be a bad thing. But then, I don't think this is what you were getting at to begin with.

[5k-claim]

No sir. That is the problem.

.... I believe that any Super Trainer will have assistants, blacksmiths, exercise riders, grooms and hotwalkers of varying skill levels around the country

That would be true.

Would you like all of their names, as well... or will just the name of an assistant trainer suffice? Is there a minimum standard for how much time the assistant has to have personally spent on the horse's legs? Or does this have nothing to do with horsemanship, but is rather just a desire to note the name of someone in middle management?

How long would a horse have to be on the grounds to get placed under this name? A day? A week? Three weeks? For that matter, how long does the assistant have to be on the grounds? Would you like the name of the management at the barn where it was training and shipped from, just in case? What if that name is the trainer?

Ultimately, you already have the name of someone in the horse's management. You have the trainer's name.

I just wanted to point out that trainers cannot possibly in various location training horses - yet the public is led to believe he is.

Are you sure the public thinks that? Now I know why some of you guys are making lots of money betting against them.

I guess I see the spirit of what you are going after, and do not actually hate it, but instead of printing some name that may or may not be of any benefit to anyone, why not just invent a symbol to go next to the horse's name in the program that the public can see, that means "as with all humans, the trainer of this horse cannot possibly be in more than one place at a time. But he is ultimately responsible. Handicap accordingly."

[The_Knight_Sky]

TKS, you know, common sense tells me, and I can't understand why it hasn't occurred to you--if the assistants of Steve Asmussen, wanted to walk, they could do so at any time.




That is not the topic of the post, but I've read that Mr. Blasi is quite content working for the Asmussen industries. The same may hold true for other super trainers. More power to those forging a happy and productive relationships. :ThmbUp:

__________________________________________

5K-claim -

You got it pal.
I'd love to see something like this in the past performances:
trainer: Bobby Frankel (assistant: Humberto Ascanio 5: 2-1-0 )

Now if Mr. Frankel was in New York we'd know more about the work Mr. Ascanio does behind the scenes in California.

I am glad this has stimulated quite a bit of discussion.
Have a good day ladies and gentlemen. :)
It has been a pet peeve of mine to get the stats as correct as possible.

[5k-claim]

5K-claim -

You got it pal.
I'd love to see something like this in the past performances:
trainer: Bobby Frankel (assistant: Humberto Ascanio 5: 2-1-0 )

Now if Mr. Frankel was in New York we'd know more about the work Mr. Ascanio does behind the scenes in California.

I am glad this has stimulated quite a bit of discussion.
Have a good day ladies and gentlemen. :)
It has been a pet peeve of mine to get the stats as correct as possible.

Uh... yeah. :)

I think maybe your idea basically just ran around in a circle.

Trying to denote which person or persons should really get "credit" for every horse's training is not a horrible idea, but is pretty much beyond impractical- especially with horses that are moving around.

This is probably one of the reasons they wanted a single trainer's name to list a horse under in the first place. So the public has a name to hold ultimately responsible.

And that is the name that is published and recorded.

.

[Grits]

TKS, the deal here is now you're CYA; you were ragging on Steve Asmussen. This is more than obvious, particularly if one notes the last line of your blog entry:

If horse racing had any real leadership the question of "Will the real Steven Mark Asmussen please identify himself" would have been answered long ago.

This was neither about following racing partnerships which accounted for no more than two lines of the blog entry, nor was it about Todd Pletcher or any other trainer.

As far as all involved, assisting with the horse, the asst, particularly--BULL. These people are not the individuals finally responsible for the animal, as others have wisely reminded you. The assistants are also not held responsible to the owners.

Who did you see interviewed after the Packers won the SuperBowl a few days ago?

The defensive coordinator?

I don't think so, TKS, I don't think so.

[Stillriledup]

I remember going to a 5 star restaurant a few years ago in Vegas and the server was rolling his/her eyes and saying, 'the owner/head celebrity chef is here cracking the whip in the kitchen"

That made me feel much better about getting a great, healthy meal. I knew the main man was there, looking over everyone's shoulder.

I guess
that's the same thing with the listed trainer being at the barn, you can feel a little better you're betting on a horse who is being led out there ready to go.

[The_Knight_Sky]

Who did you see interviewed after the Packers won the SuperBowl a few days ago?

The defensive coordinator?

I don't think so, TKS, I don't think so.




LOL I think you're making too much out of this. ;)

For the record I'll trade you Brian Schottenheimer for LaMarr Woodley.
Let's hope the collective bargaining agreement gets done soon. :ThmbUp:

[Grits]

:lol: :lol: :lol: All's well that ends well.

[Hanover1]

I remember going to a 5 star restaurant a few years ago in Vegas and the server was rolling his/her eyes and saying, 'the owner/head celebrity chef is here cracking the whip in the kitchen"

That made me feel much better about getting a great, healthy meal. I knew the main man was there, looking over everyone's shoulder.

I guess
that's the same thing with the listed trainer being at the barn, you can feel a little better you're betting on a horse who is being led out there ready to go.


And that is exactly how it goes, except when the shed is divided up amongst several tracks, wich really means nothing. EVERY work, every leg treatment, ect, ect, ect......is discussed EVERY day via telephone. And if the head trainers program is not followed to the letter, heads roll. There are eyes and ears at every track to insure that the program is followed, and you seldom have to look beyond the same barn to find them......assistants, excercise riders and grooms delight in informing the man that something has been done wrong. After all, a bonus depends on the success of the horse, and better prospects often come to those that keep the man well informed........

[FiveWide]

I'd love to see something like this in the past performances:
trainer: Bobby Frankel (assistant: Humberto Ascanio 5: 2-1-0 )

Now if Mr. Frankel was in New York we'd know more about the work Mr. Ascanio does behind the scenes in California.


The problem I see with the above is although 2 people are listed you still don't really know who is actually training. At least it doesn't tell me anything of substance.

Can you really be sure Mr. Frankel is/was in New York? Not really. He could be there one day then not the next.


-Five

[Hanover1]

The problem I see with the above is although 2 people are listed you still don't really know who is actually training. At least it doesn't tell me anything of substance.

Can you really be sure Mr. Frankel is/was in New York? Not really. He could be there one day then not the next.


-Five

His assistant won't be in New York if Mr. Frankels game plan is not executed, so who cares what appears in print?

[FiveWide]

His assistant won't be in New York if Mr. Frankels game plan is not executed, so who cares what appears in print?


Well there is that too. And it just emphasizes why you only need the trainer with the trainer's license listed in print. It's his game plan being executed.


-Five

[lamboguy]

when you walk into a mcdonalds that is a franchise, its not called willie the weeper mcdonald's, its just called mcdonalds. i don't even understand the discussion over different assistant trainers names. it would only confuse you.

[Hanover1]

when you walk into a mcdonalds that is a franchise, its not called willie the weeper mcdonald's, its just called mcdonalds. i don't even understand the discussion over different assistant trainers names. it would only confuse you.

:ThmbUp:

[5k-claim]

And that is exactly how it goes, except when the shed is divided up amongst several tracks, wich really means nothing. EVERY work, every leg treatment, ect, ect, ect......is discussed EVERY day via telephone. And if the head trainers program is not followed to the letter, heads roll. There are eyes and ears at every track to insure that the program is followed, and you seldom have to look beyond the same barn to find them......assistants, excercise riders and grooms delight in informing the man that something has been done wrong. After all, a bonus depends on the success of the horse, and better prospects often come to those that keep the man well informed........

Everything you say here is 100% true. Maybe more.

But as you are I am sure aware, there is more to the job of looking after a thoroughbred in training than just "running the boss' program", enormously important as the program is. Every one of these horses in training is at the mercy of the eyes, ears and hands that are actually on them consistently. The grooms, assistants, riders, vets, farriers... all of them.

It isn't a "program" that keeps a small problem from developing into a large one. It is a person, using whatever mixture of experience, skill and intuition they have. Reporting back to the boss is step 2.

So yeah, it does make a big difference who the handful of people around the horse are. And that is why the original poster's idea is not completely off the track. It is just an idea that is too impractical to implement.

Just listing the trainer's name is sufficient for the record keeping.

[sandpit]

For those who said Asmussen enters all his horses every day; I can tell you that for several years I took entries from his stable and I can count on two hands the number of times he made the entries: Blasi did it all the time. Steve may have told him who ran where and when, but as far as actually doing it, nope.

Side note: I've had a handful of trainers tell me over the years that entering their horses is the single most important thing they do on a daily basis. I guess it's no fun to call an owner after he sees an overnight and their horse isn't in when it should have been.

[Hanover1]

Everything you say here is 100% true. Maybe more.

But as you are I am sure aware, there is more to the job of looking after a thoroughbred in training than just "running the boss' program", enormously important as the program is. Every one of these horses in training is at the mercy of the eyes, ears and hands that are actually on them consistently. The grooms, assistants, riders, vets, farriers... all of them.

It isn't a "program" that keeps a small problem from developing into a large one. It is a person, using whatever mixture of experience, skill and intuition they have. Reporting back to the boss is step 2.

So yeah, it does make a big difference who the handful of people around the horse are. And that is why the original poster's idea is not completely off the track. It is just an idea that is too impractical to implement.

Just listing the trainer's name is sufficient for the record keeping.

Having been a part of both the first and last string a few times myself, I understand what you are saying. It is a situation that comes with the type of operation we are discussing. However these "small problems" are what assistants/trainers are skilled in detecting and correcting. There is a series of checks and balances in place in most all sheds to detect/deal with these issues as they arise. From how he leaves the shed, grabs the bit, cools out, and leads to the blacksmith, and how the shoes are wearing while we contemplate his appetite of late are all things many pairs of eyes and hands are privy to each day. Bad teams disband themselves rather quickly, good teams communicate. It all passes by the podium via telephone......

[5k-claim]

Absolutely.

Everyone has their own opinion, of course, but getting a thoroughbred from Point A (just starting out galloping) to Point B (ready to race and win) while keeping as many "small problems" from blowing up into large ones as possible, and basically staying out of a talented horse's way and not screwing it up somehow is where the art of training truly lies. Or at least in my personal opinion it does.

Given that a thoroughbred racehorse is one big 1,100lb ball of self-destruction 24/7, the above is so much easier said than done. That's why I have a ton of respect for the men and women who do it the best. It takes years of time and dedication.


Having been a part of both the first and last string a few times myself, I understand what you are saying. It is a situation that comes with the type of operation we are discussing. However these "small problems" are what assistants/trainers are skilled in detecting and correcting. There is a series of checks and balances in place in most all sheds to detect/deal with these issues as they arise. From how he leaves the shed, grabs the bit, cools out, and leads to the blacksmith, and how the shoes are wearing while we contemplate his appetite of late are all things many pairs of eyes and hands are privy to each day. Bad teams disband themselves rather quickly, good teams communicate. It all passes by the podium via telephone......

[Hanover1]

Absolutely.

Everyone has their own opinion, of course, but getting a thoroughbred from Point A (just starting out galloping) to Point B (ready to race and win) while keeping as many "small problems" from blowing up into large ones as possible, and basically staying out of a talented horse's way and not screwing it up somehow is where the art of training truly lies. Or at least in my personal opinion it does.

Given that a thoroughbred racehorse is one big 1,100lb ball of self-destruction 24/7, the above is so much easier said than done. That's why I have a ton of respect for the men and women who do it the best. It takes years of time and dedication.

And once in awhile one comes along, and despite what you do, he makes you look good......

[The_Knight_Sky]

Q: Will the real Steve M. Asmussen please identify himself?


http://i52.tinypic.com/sdhekp.jpg (http://www.equidaily.com/)

A tip of the cap to EquiDaily (http://www.equidaily.com/) for spotting the first of many "clones" at large. :D

[Grits]

TKS, I thought Mark Spitz. Clicked, and I was wrong. Water sports, yes, but wrong athlete.

[Mineshaft]

looks like Greg Louganis

[joanied]

WOW...let me say this about who's name should aprear in the programs...I think that anyone that wagers on the races KNOWS that the trainers, Like Steve A., with large stables have assistants...so IMO, it's no big deal who's name is in the program, assistant trainers are so common that everyone knows they are doing some of the wrok...which is pretty much just doing what the trainer tells them to do...work so and so 1/2 in 50, gallop so and so a mile...
I don't think the betting public is getting ripped off at all.

[joanied]

Grits...

part of your post really caught me eye...from this quote:


"Last year, as I've noted before, several of us were sitting beside him at breakfast in Hot Springs. The server brought us coffee, and we all ordered our breakfasts. It was some time after 10 a.m. Asmussen was sitting alone, just as dirty and nasty as hell in a short sleeve tshirt, khaki work pants, and paddock boots. This man was eating his LUNCH at this hour; the biggest plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes I've ever seen, and answering his phone."

No wonder he has too much around his middle:lol:

[Grits]

No wonder he has too much around his middle:lol:

Joanie, he really is putting on the weight. I mean at some point, it starts to detract from the looks. There's a new video at YouTube. In the interview, he's discussing his moving a string to Santa Anita.

Maybe I'll talk to him.

"Steve, cut back on the groceries. Go back to walking, cooling out your own hots. Otherwise, you're coming up on a 42-44 inch waist."

I'll let you know how it goes next time I see him eating lunch at breakfast, Joanie.

Something tells me, I could possibly be on the receiving end of that temper he's known for. :lol: :faint: :lol: