Midwest Thoroughbreds splits with Autrey

Trainer Cody Autrey returned to Lone Star Park for the first time in three years this meet, poised to have one of his strongest seasons ever after claiming about 30 horses for Midwest Thoroughbreds over the winter. But less than a month into the meet, the pair has parted company. Autrey is now in a rebuilding mode after losing about 40 horses owned by Midwest.

“It’s a big bite out of your stable,” said Autrey, 31. “I think a lot of the horses were sitting on wins.”

Autrey said Richard Papiese, who owns Midwest Thoroughbreds with his wife, Karen, called him in the middle of February about training a division for the stable. Autrey had about 20 horses at the time, and the new client helped him eventually expand to more than 50 head. The numbers put Autrey back in the ballpark of what he carried when his stable won the training title at Delaware Park in 2009.