Report: Tom Albertrani, trainer of Bernardini, retires

Trainer Tom Albertrani, who conditioned 2006 Preakness winner and champion 3-year-old male Bernardini, has retired.

The 66-year-old Albertrani cited the shrinking size of his stable to Daily Racing Form, whose Dave Grening reported the retirement. His near-term plans include travel according to the report, though he does not rule out returning to work with another trainer at Tampa Bay Downs at some point in the future. Albertrani also retains an interest in broodmare Itsakeyper, who he trained during her racing career.

In a career as a head trainer that dates back to 2003, Albertrani won 624 races in 4,665 starts, with $51,365,671 in earnings. Bernardini was his top earner at $3,060,480. He began his career in horse racing as a hot walker for his uncle Jack Abetemarco. He went on to become a jockey between 1977 and 1982, winning 49 races in that time. He went on to become an exercise rider for Bill Mott, and worked as an assistant for Mott and Saeed bin Suroor before striking out on his own.

Including Bernardini he trained a total of eight Grade 1 winners, with his most recent top-level performers including the turf routers Sadler's Joy and Twilight Eclipse. Each of them earned over $2 million, and each finished third in the Breeders' Cup Turf: Sadler's Joy in 2018 and Twilight Eclipse in 2014.

The final starter for Albertrani was likely Grade 2-placed Sterling Silver, who finished fourth in the in the Madison (G1) on Saturday. She finished fourth behind Alva Starr. Albertrani's most recent win came with the 5-year-old daughter of Cupid, who won a handicap at Tampa Bay Downs before contesting the Madison. Grening reported that Sterling Silver will move to the barn of Lance Rutledge.

Albertrani entered Embrace Me in a allowance Thursday at Keeneland. However, the 4-year-old Candy Ride filly is cross-entered in the Jenny Wiley (G1) on Saturday with Rutledge as her trainer.