Horsemen honor ‘trackman’; Asmussen, Lanerie, Thomas take trainer, jockey, owner titles

New Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, jockey Corey Lanerie and owner Chester Thomas’ Allied Racing came away as the 2016 Ellis Park meet champions. But stealing the show as far as size of the crowd for Monday’s closing-day trophy presentations was track superintendent Glenn Thompson, who was honored by the Kentucky division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association for a half-century of caring for and sweating over the track surface.

Trainers, jockeys, officials and Thompson’s family poured into the winner’s circle, with HBPA board member Mike Bruder saying, “You spent endless hours working on the track to ensure a safe surface for horses and jockeys. We thank you Glenn for all you have done.”

The 80-year-old Thompson started at Ellis Park at age 15 selling programs and has spent at least 50 years as the “trackman.”

“Now this is not a retirement party, I want you to know,” Bruder told Thompson. “This is recognition. Not retirement. Don’t start that stuff.”
Said Thompson: “I appreciate it very much. I love them all, I always did. It’s the horses and the game.”

“Glenn is one of the best trackmen around,” said trainer Jeff Barkley. “I don’t think you’re going to see too many trackman working at 1 in the morning to get a track ready to race — or even train. I come in at 4:30 every morning, and he’s out there working that track. And he’s already been out there two or three hours. Sometimes it’s longer than that. You can’t beat Glenn.”

Asmussen, who made a last-minute decision to move his Indiana string to Ellis Park shortly before the meet began, won the trainer’s title with 16 victories out of 73 races. That was five more than second-place Ian Wilkes, who had a huge meet in going 11 for 40. Dale Romans got hot late to be third with 10 wins out of 42 starters.

“You couldn’t do it without the owners, without Steve having faith in me to run the barn,” said Christy Hamilton, who this spring was promoted to an assistant trainer in the wide-spread Asmussen operation. “It means a lot that Steve knew that the job was going to get done, and it’s going get done right and win races. That’s what we’re here for.”

Hamilton heaped praise on barn foreman Hugo Morales and the entire crew. “If it wasn’t for him, my job would be a million times harder,” she said. “He has everything on point. He’s the one getting the horses ready for the races and sending them over when I’m on the front side. Everybody talks about how pretty our horses’ braids look. I have (Morales) thank for that. He braids all their manes. He cares so much about these horses, and makes sure everything is running smoothly. It takes a team.

“The leading trainer never even came into play. It was something I hadn’t even thought about, didn’t even think about it until this week when someone congratulated me earlier. I said, ‘We’re only three wins ahead.’ And they said, ‘No, you wrapped it up.’ I grabbed an overnight (entries sheet) and saw Ian Wilkes had only two in (the last two days). That’s when it set in. It’s very rewarding.”

Allied Racing went 6 for 25, its wins and starts both topping the meet, while also having four seconds and a pair of thirds. Midwest Thoroughbreds had four wins out of 20 starts to be second. Allied Racing tied Jack Frost, with four wins apiece, for the 2015 title.

“This is a tribute to Marshall Godsey and his hard work and Buff Bradley and their dedication to running here at Ellis Park,” Thomas said, referring to his trainers who were part of the presentation, along with the owner’s father, Phil. “They did a great job with these horses. I also dedicate this to my dad, who will be 92 in October.

“We’re just blessed to be here. This is a tough game. It takes a lot of luck. You get hooked up with good people. The riders did a nice job. (Track owner) Ron Geary did a fabulous job. The credit goes around. We ran everything we had here — and then some. I mean, literally. This is a fun meet. We live 40 minutes from here in Madisonville, so this is our home. This is pretty cool.”

Lanerie captured his third Ellis Park riding title, which was awarded in absentia as he was riding at Parx near Philadelphia. His pal Robby Albarado accepted the award, getting their mutual friend, Dr. J.P. Morgan, to put a cardboard picture of Lanerie’s face in front his for the trophy presentation.

Lanerie won 26 out of 125 starters. James Graham rallied late, including two wins Monday, to go 23 for 142, with two more victories than Miguel Mena (out of 142 mounts) and Brian Hernandez Jr. (80 mounts).

Arturo Aparicio was the winningest apprentice with four victories.