15 from tying record, Asmussen has 7 starters Sunday

After adding three wins Saturday, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen’s chase of the North American record for training victories resumes with eight horses entered Sunday at five tracks.

With 9,430 wins, Asmussen is 15 shy of the record 9,445 set between 1961 and 2007 by the late Dale Baird.

Asmussen’s entered starters Sunday (with morning-line odds) include:

Ten Gauge (7-2), 2-year-old colt in debut, 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight, second race at Monmouth Park (12:42 p.m. EDT).

Grendel (6-1), 3-year-old colt, six-furlong maiden claiming, Ellis Park’s second race (2:18 p.m. EDT).

Down Cold (9-2), 2-year-old colt, 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight, sixth race at Monmouth (2:32 p.m. EDT).

Hot Rod Rumble (7-2), 2-year-old colt in debut, 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight, Saratoga race 5 (3:21 p.m. EDT).

Alta’s Award (12-1), 4-year-old filly, 1 1/16-mile turf allowance, Ellis Park’s fifth race (3:42 p.m. EDT).

Bet (4-1), 2-year-old colt in debut, 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight, all weather, Woodbine race 6 (3:44 p.m.).

Midnight Karma (3-2 favorite), 5-year-old mare, 6 1/2-furlong claiming, race 4 at Louisiana Downs (5:03 p.m. EDT).

A possible starter for Asmussen at Louisiana Downs, Pickens, was scratched Sunday. He had been entered for the main track only as an also-eligible for race that stayed on the turf.

At his rate this year of 1.52 wins per day, Asmussen is on pace to break Baird’s record on or around July 27.

The world record is still about 1 1/2 years away for Asmussen. Peru-based trainer Juan Suárez Villarroel, who added one win Saturday, has 9,866 victories, according to the website Página de Turf. Since last fall Suárez Villarroel has averaged 0.75 wins per day, meaning Asmussen could close the gap by early 2023 if both maintain their current win rates.