Phil Gleaves announces his retirement from training

Phil Gleaves, a charismatic native of England whose career is inextricably linked with Hall of Famer Woody Stephens and a magical summer in 1986, announced his retirement from training Sunday afternoon at Saratoga.

"I am retiring from my training career effective with this filly," Gleaves said on the "Saratoga Live" telecast before 2-year-old Li Li Bear finished sixth in a seven-furlong sprint. "I'm still going to be around. I'm general manager for Peter Vegso's farm, the owner and breeder of this filly, and I'm in partnership and ownership with Steven Crist and Ken deRegt, and I'm their racing manager."

While he moves into full-time administration, Gleaves, 64, will forever be remembered as having quickly graduated from being an assistant to Stevens to guiding Wise Times to Grade 1 wins in the 1986 Haskell at Monmouth Park, the Travers at Saratoga and the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

"It was great," Gleaves said. "It was my second year as a trainer. He was a horse that loved the mud. Jerry Bailey rode him. He came from last to win by a head (in the Travers). It was a very good start to my career."

He never had another horse as good as Wise Times or another year quite like 1986, but Gleaves maintained a steady presence in American racing. He won 588 of 4,178 starts with total earnings of $16,254,161, according to Equibase.

Not bad for a man who came from Liverpool to work as an exercise rider for Secretariat's trainer Lucien Laurin. Five years ago he told Thoroughbred Daily News that his proudest accomplishments were his family and his never having had a medication violation as a trainer.

"I'm retiring from training," Gleaves said. "I'm very happy with my decision."