1. Steven Mark Asmussen was born on November 18,1965 and is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
23 Facts About Steve Asmussen
1. 2.
Steve Asmussen's horses have won the Breeders' Cup Classic, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Breeders' Cup Distaff, Kentucky Oaks and Dubai World Cup.
3.
Steve Asmussen's father, Keith, is a retired jockey and his mother Marilyn is a trainer who became the first woman to win a major quarter horse race with Vespero in the 1978 Kansas Futurity.
4.
Steve Asmussen attended her funeral instead of going to the post position draw for the Preakness Stakes that he later won with Curlin.
5.
Steve Asmussen's older brother, Cash Asmussen, currently a trainer himself, is a retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey with championships in Europe as well.
6.
Steve Asmussen began riding as a jockey at age sixteen, competing for two years at racetracks in New Mexico, California, and New York until his height and weight ended his riding career.
7.
Steve Asmussen graduated from United High School in Laredo in 1985.
8.
Steve Asmussen won his first race as a trainer in 1986 at Ruidoso Downs.
9.
Steve Asmussen's first graded stakes win did not come until 1996 when he took the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs with Valid Expectations.
10.
Some of Steve Asmussen's top horses came about as a result of his partnership with the late Jess Jackson, a wine entrepreneur who was a horse owner and breeder; Jackson's racing operation was Stonestreet Stables.
11.
Three Steve Asmussen-trained horses have won individual American Triple Crown races.
12.
Steve Asmussen was acquired by Stonestreet after her win and transferred to the barn of Asmussen.
13.
Steve Asmussen would beat colts again in the Haskell Invitational and win over older males in the Woodward Stakes en route to American Horse of the Year honors for 2009.
14.
In 2002, Steve Asmussen was the leading North American trainer by number of wins with 407 wins, a title he has since repeated eight times.
15.
Steve Asmussen broke that record in 2008 with 622 wins, then broke it again in 2009 with 650.
16.
In 2008, Steve Asmussen received the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Trainer.
17.
Steve Asmussen's horses won 81 black-type races, including 19 graded stakes races.
18.
In 2009, Steve Asmussen received his second Eclipse Award after again leading the earnings list and setting a record for number of wins.
19.
On March 28,2013, Steve Asmussen became the second-winningest trainer in North American history with his 6,418th career win behind only Dale Baird, who had 9,445 career wins.
20.
Steve Asmussen gave credit to his assistant trainers Scott Blasi, Darren Fleming and Toby Sheets, who allow him to maintain divisions in Arkansas, Louisiana, New York, and Texas.
21.
On May 5,2018, Steve Asmussen earned his 8,000th win with Lookin At Lee at Churchill Downs.
22.
On February 20,2023, at Oaklawn Park, Steve Asmussen earned his 10,000th win with Bet He's Ready in Race five on the card.
23.
On 2014 Kentucky Derby weekend in early May, Steve Asmussen responded to charges in an interview with Bob Costas of NBC.