Timeline: Story of Asmussen's record-breaking career

Here are milestones, highlights and significant developments in the Hall of Fame training career of Steve Asmussen, according to biographical and contemporaneous reporting and a reconstruction of his racing record from Equibase.

Nov. 18, 1965. Steven Mark Asmussen was born in Gettysburg, S.D., the youngest son of Keith and Marilyn Asmussen.

March 27, 1982. Made his debut as a professional Thoroughbred jockey at age 16, riding 2-year-old colt Canadian Laredoan to a third-place finish in a $2,100 maiden race at Sunland Park.

April 4, 1982. Rode his first winner, Canadian Laredoan, in a $2,100 maiden race at Sunland Park.

April 29, 1984. Got the last of his 63 victories as a jockey when 4-year-old colt Vagabond Peg wins an $1,875 allowance race at Nuevo Laredo.

June 8, 1984. Competed for the last time as a Thoroughbred jockey with 3-year-old colt Cotulla Cowboy coming in second in a $3,600 claiming race at Ruidoso Downs. He finished his Thoroughbred riding career with a record of 721: 63-83-73 and purse earnings of $687,224.

Spring 1985. Graduated from United High School in Laredo, Texas.

June 5, 1986. On his own as a Thoroughbred trainer at age 20, Asmussen entered his first starter, 3-year-old colt Track Ambassador, who finished ninth in a $2,100 special-weight race at Ruidoso Downs.

July 19, 1986. Finishing first in a $2,600 maiden special weight race at Ruidoso Downs, 3-year-old mare Victory’s Halo became the first winning Thoroughbred of Asmussen’s training career.

March 4, 1987. Finally got his second Thoroughbred training victory with Rock Finder winning a $6,500 maiden-claiming race at Birmingham.

Dec. 17, 2000. 1,000th win. The 11-10 favorite at post time with jockey Buck Harris, 2-year-old filly Terrizing Jones won by 4 3/4 lengths in a $12,500 maiden race at Sam Houston Race Park. The Sunday night victory was the last of three that Asmussen enjoyed at two tracks that day.

[Related: Asmussen stands alone with North American record]

Sept. 6, 2003. 2,000th win. With Lonnie Meche riding, 3-year-old filly Sly Secrets carried odds of 9-2 and led from gate to wire for a six-length victory in a $23,000 maiden sprint at Louisiana Downs.

Nov. 20, 2004. Coronado Rose’s triumph in the $40,000 Delta Blue Stakes at Delta Downs lifted Asmussen to his 497th win of 2004, breaking the single-year record of 496 established by Jack Van Berg in 1976. Asmussen had 30 starters across the country that Saturday. He would finish the year with 555 wins.

Aug. 5, 2005. 3,000th win. Forest Music, a 4-year-old filly who went off at 7-2 odds, carried jockey John Velázquez to a front-running score in the $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) at Saratoga.

May 19, 2007. In the 132nd Preakness, Curlin finished first by a head in a photo finish with Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, giving Asmussen his first classic victory.

Feb. 17, 2008. 4,000th win. J J’s Bud, a 3-year-old gelding ridden by Luis Quiñónez, broke his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion and paid off at 4-1 at Oaklawn. The win came only five minutes after Asmussen got to 3,999 with a victory at Fair Grounds, where he spent that Sunday.

Jan. 26, 2009. After breaking his own record by winning 621 times in 2008, Asmussen won his first Eclipse Award as trainer of the year. The same night at Miami Beach, Fla., Curlin won his second consecutive Horse of the Year award.

May 16, 2009. Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra became the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness. It was her first race for Asmussen after she had been sold to Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables following the Oaks.

Sept. 11, 2009. 5,000th win. With Luis Contreras in the irons, 6-5 favorite Passion Rules finished first in a $32,000 maiden claiming race for 2-year-olds racing five furlongs on the synthetic track at Woodbine. Assistant Hank Gensler handled the race for Asmussen, who had 14 entries at five tracks that Friday.

Dec. 31, 2009. Candescent, a 1-10 favorite in a maiden race at Sam Houston, won by 7 1/4 lengths to give Asmussen his 650th win of 2009. That remains the single-year record.

Jan. 18, 2010. At a ceremony in Beverly Hills, Calif., Asmussen won his second consecutive Eclipse Award, this time as the champion trainer of 2009. That was the year he led Rachel Alexandra through her Horse of the Year campaign.

Nov. 18, 2011. 6,000th win. On his 46th birthday, Asmussen won with 2-year-old Basalt in the seven-furlong opener on a Friday night at Remington Park. Lindey Wade was the victorious jockey in the $28,000 maiden special weight race.

March 20, 2014. After posting an undercover video recorded in 2013, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals accused Asmussen of abusing racehorses, according to a report in The New York Times. That led to Asmussen being temporarily removed from consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Jan. 15, 2015. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission cleared Asmussen of PETA’s abuse allegations.

April 1, 2015. 7,000th win. Drama Coach, a 9-10 favorite, took the lead in the turn and went on to a 4 1/4-length victory in an $8,000 claiming race at Oaklawn. Ricardo Santana Jr., who has ridden more of Asmussen’s winners than any other jockey, had the assignment on the 5-year-old horse.

Nov. 23, 2015. The New York State Gaming Commission fined Asmussen $10,000 for medication violations but threw out 10 of 14 allegations PETA made against him.

April 25, 2016. Asmussen was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

June 11, 2016. As a 16-1 long shot, Creator beat Destin by a nose in the Belmont Stakes, giving Asmussen his third victory in a Triple Crown race.

Jan. 25, 2018. After winning the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic under Asmussen’s care, Gun Runner was named Horse of the Year.

May 5, 2018. 8,000th win. Although he remains winless with his 23 Kentucky Derby starters, Asmussen reached a milestone on the Derby day undercard. With Santana up, 4-year-old colt Lookin At Lee carried odds of 6-1 and won by 2 1/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles in a $76,000 allowance race.

Jan. 18, 2020. Finite won the $150,000 Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds, giving Asmussen his 1,000th stakes triumph.

Sept. 18, 2020. 9,000th win. Troy Ounce, a 4-year-old colt ridden by Stewart Elliott, led the whole way as the 4-5 favorite in a $9,680 claiming race at Remington Park.

Aug. 6, 2021. A little more than an hour after saddling a winner at Saratoga, Asmussen watched on TV as Shanghai’s Dream won a $19,500 claiming race at Ellis Park. Rafael Bejarano had the ride on the 4-year-old colt who was sent off at odds of 2-1. That brought Asmussen even with the late Dale Baird for most training wins in North America.

Aug. 7, 2021. Stellar Tap, a 2-year-old colt, finished first with Santana at odds of 5-1 in a $100,000 maiden race at Saratoga. That gave Asmussen the victory that broke the tie with Baird and stood him alone as North America’s winningest trainer.

[Credit: Dan Heary/Eclipse Sportswire]