After 15 years, Broberg is getting out of the training game
Karl Broberg, 10th in career wins for trainers in U.S. and Canada, is turning in his training license but will remain involved in the racing industry.
He made the announcement Friday in an X post.
The decision has “been a long time in the making,” Broberg, 53, told Horse Racing Nation. “I see the handwriting on the wall for where the sport is headed, so you either have to adapt or or be done. And the game that I played for many years, that no longer exists with the horse population being what it is.”
In the past, he said, “you could regularly claim several horses a day at a couple different spots. So those those opportunities, they aren't there anymore. … And that's a problem that's only going to get worse, until ultimately we see many more race track closures, which is a lot sooner than what people realize.”
Broberg, who was the leading trainer by wins from 2014 to 2019, said he has about 80 horses in training now, down from a peak of about 180. Abel Ramirez, his assistant “since day 1,” already has begun taking over his stable.
“I turned in my license at Remington this week, so he's already the trainer of record there,” Broberg said. “And once the Delta Downs meet begins, he will be the trainer there. I'm finishing out Evangeline.”
As for his plans to break youngsters at his Toomey Training Center in Louisiana, he said, “I've got a beautiful five-eights track right there, close to Delta Downs, 85-stall barn. Might do some pinhooking, but just going to focus on that, as opposed to the training side of it.”
In his 15-year career, Broberg compiled a record of 20,977: 4,900-3,628-2,936 with earnings of $83,164,990.
Although he said the decision has been in the works, “the thing that actually prompted me to do it when I am is I'm 30 wins shy of catching D. Wayne Lukas, even though I've never won a meaningful race. He was my idol. I loved him. I grew up following him, and I'm like, I’ve got to gotta make sure I stop before I get his current number.”