Asmussen could set Derby record

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Setting a record is not an unusual feat for Steve Asmussen. But the 42-year-old conditioner could be in the midst of a standard-setting year unmatched in the annals of thoroughbred racing.

Through July 23, horses trained by Asmussen had achieved 369 victories this season, while accumulating purse earnings of $17.47 million. He is therefore on pace to break one record he already owns, the single-season mark for wins, 555, which Asmussen set in 2004; along with the single-season mark for purse earnings, $28.11 million, achieved by Todd Pletcher in 2007.

And there's another record that might soon belong to Asmussen - on August 2, he could become the first trainer to thrice win the Grade 3, $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. This possibility, though, requires further explanation.

If you look at West Virginia Derby record books, you will see that Patsy Santo was listed as the winning trainer for four consecutive renewals of the race, from 1963-'66. This was back when Mountaineer was known as Waterford Park and the 'Derby offered only a four-figure purse.

The horses saddled by Santo were (in chronological order) named Etimota, Peter Le Grand, Pantuity and Kerensa. All four of them were ridden by the locally-based jockey Floyd Green, whose place in the record books cannot be disputed.

But, other than doing saddling chores, Santo, a local trainer, really didn't have anything to do with at least two of them. Etimota and Kerensa, a pair of ship-ins, were actually trained by Frank Merrill, Jr.

Asmussen, on the other hand, was the trainer of record for both Real Dandy, who won the West Virginia Derby in 2005, and of Zanjero, who won the event in 2007. Asmussen is expected to send Z Fortune to this year's edition of the 'Derby - and if the colt wins, a very sincere argument can be made that his trainer will become the record-holder among conditioners.

Z Fortune is a New York-bred. He was purchased for $80,000 at the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale, and campaigns for Zayat Stables, which is the nom de course of Ahmed Zayat. A native of Egypt Zayat has degrees from Boston and Harvard Universities, and also maintains residences in New Jersey, New York and London, England.

Zayat has become one of Asmussen's more prominent clients, and in Z Fortune they seem to have a well-bred and fairly talented racehorse. Z Fortune's sire, the Brazilian-bred Siphon, earned over $3.15 million during his own racing days. And Z Fortune began his career with three consecutive victories, in maiden company, allowance company and the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans on January 12 of this year.

Since then, Z Fortune has finished second in the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, second again in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and third in the Grade 2 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. He sports an overall career record that includes nine starts, three victories, three placings and purse earnings of $416,600.

Asmussen trainees have varied running styles. Real Dandy was what racing people refer to as a "deep closer." Eleven horses went postward in his West Virginia Derby, and Real Dandy was in last position through the opening half-mile.

But under jockey Mark Guidry, Real Dandy began circling the field on the far turn, surged towards the lead in the upper stretch and ultimately drew off to win by 1 p lengths. It was a powerful performance.

Zanjero stayed near the middle of the eight-horse field during the opening half-mile of his West Virginia Derby performance. Then, under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, he took a narrow lead on the far turn, and battled it out throughout the stretch run to prevail by a nose over a rival named Bwana Bull.

Z Fortune is a colt who has won both on the lead and after making a move from the middle of the pack. Bridgmohan was aboard for his Lecomte triumph, and may come to ride him at Mountaineer.

Asmussen is also the trainer of Curlin, who was North America's Horse of the Year in 2007, and whose accomplishments this year already include victories in the world's richest race, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, and the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

The Asmussen parade keeps marching along. This past Wednesday, he won the opening day feature at Saratoga, the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes, with the two-year-old filly Jardin.

And a week from Saturday, it appears the Asmussen parade will once again make an appearance at Mountaineer, for the richest race in West Virginia and a chance at a record.