Trainer Bios

Steve Asmussen

Born: Nov. 18, 1965, in Gettysburg, South Dakota

Record at Keeneland

Total Wins: 173

Stakes Wins: 14

Career Firsts

First Grade 1 Win: 1999 Mother Goose at Belmont Park with Dreams Gallore

First Stakes Win: 1987 Bessemer Stakes at Birmingham Race Course with Scout Command

First Graded Stakes Win: 1996 Derby Trial (G3) at Churchill Downs with Valid Expectations

First Career Win: July 19, 1986, at Ruidoso Downs with Victory's Halo

Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Year	Horse	Finish
2020	Basin	10th
2018	Zing Zang	9th
2008	Pyro	10th
2008	Big Truck	11th
2006	Storm Treasure	2nd
2007	Zanjero	3rd

At Keeneland

Three-time leading trainer: 2015 Fall (tie), 2004 Spring and Fall meets (latter in a tie).

First Keeneland win came during the 1999 Spring Meet.

First Keeneland stakes win was the 2003 Lafayette (G3) with Posse.

Won three stakes during the 2022 Fall Meet: the Lexus Raven Run (G2) with Wicked Halo, the Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select with Private Creed and the Perryville (L) with Gunite.

During the 2024 Fall Meet, he won the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) with Zeitlos.

Career

Became the winningest trainer in North America when he sent out Stellar Tap to win the fifth race at Saratoga on Aug. 7, 2021. With the win, he had 9,446 wins to surpass the late Dale Baird.

Recorded his 10,000th North American victory Feb. 20, 2023, at Oaklawn Park when Bet He's Ready won the fifth race.

Has 10,740 North American wins with earnings nearing $460 million through Dec. 16, 2024.

2016 inductee into the Racing Hall of Fame.

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer (2008-2009).

Triple Crown wins (3): Preakness with Rachel Alexandra (2009) and Curlin (2007); 2016 Belmont with Creator;

Breeders’ Cup wins (8): 2007 Classic with Curlin; 2011 Juvenile Fillies with My Miss Aurelia and Turf Sprint with Regally Ready; 2012 Dirt Mile with Tapizar; 2014 Distaff with Untapable; 2016 Classic with Gun Runner; 2019 Sprint with Mitole; 2021 Juvenile Fillies with Echo Zulu.

Received 2021 Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award.

Received 2020 Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award. The honor recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion exemplified by Jones, a legendary Thoroughbred racing leader.

Recorded 9,000th win Sept. 19, 2020, when Troy Ounce won the second race at Remington Park.

Scored 8,000th win May 5, 2018, when Lookin At Lee won the third race at Churchill Downs.

Click here for his Equibase career record.

Background

The Asmussen family has long been involved in racing. Steve’s parents, Keith and Marilyn, operate El Primero Training Center in Laredo, Texas. Keith is a former jockey who rode the American Quarter Horse Vespero to win the 1978 Kansas Futurity at Ruidoso Downs. Marilyn trained Vespero and became the first woman to train the winner of a major race for the sprinters. Steve’s brother, Cash, is an Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey who became a champion rider in Europe.

Working on the farm while growing up, Steve was a jockey for a little over two years. “No one would believe me if I didn’t have the pictures to prove it,” he told Daily Racing Form. “My parents were 5’5” and 5’2”. I don’t know what happened.” He grew to be more than six feet tall. Steve returned to the family training center to break yearlings and in 1986 began training on his own in New Mexico with some of his family’s horses.

Asmussen's sons, Keith J. and Erik, are currently riding.