Profiles & Standings

Jockey Profiles

Tamay Alpander
Alpander has a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of Maine, but she ventured to the racetrack after graduation for a career in the saddle. She guided Courtly Kathy to victories in the 1998 Hoist The Flag and Lady Slipper Stakes at Canterbury Park in Minnesota. She raced at Delaware Park, Philadelphia Park and in New Jersey before returning to New England. Rode one winner during the 2007 meet.

David Amiss
Amiss is entering his fourth consecutive season at Suffolk Downs after a breakout meet in 2007. The New Hampshire native won 75 races last season, good for second in the jockey standings. Amiss was a two-time stakes winner last season, piloting Fifty Seven G in the John Kirby Stakes and two-year-old filly Considering in the Amelia Peabody. The New England Turf Writers Association honored Amiss for his 2007 accomplishments with a Special Achievement Award He cites a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables as a key to his performance. Amiss got his start in racing as a teenager with trainer John Rigattieri, working his way up on the farm from rubbing horses to eventually riding After having spent previous winters at Gulfstream Park, Amiss rode at Tampa Bay Downs for the second straight winter.

Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
Arroyo, a native of Puerto Rico, moved to the Boston area with his family at age 11. Always an athlete, Arroyo played varsity baseball and basketball at Somerville High School. His introduction to horse racing came in an interesting manner, as he was working in retail sales when a customer told him he was the perfect size for a jockey. Arroyo then showed up at Suffolk Downs and learned the trade, working his way up from stable hand for Raymond Bonilla. He rode his first winner at Rockingham Park in June of 1999 and had 54 wins at Suffolk Downs that year. He then moved his tack to New York in December of 1999 and had tremendous success, winning four stakes races as an apprentice and claiming the leading rider title in New York in 2000 with 188 wins from 1,165 mounts. He also received a Special Achievement Award from the New England Turf Writers Association in recognition of his achievements in 2000. He finished second in the 2000 Eclipse Awards as Top Apprentice Jockey. In 2003, Arroyo moved his tack to Delaware Park for a few months before going back to the NYRA circuit. He also had a successful stint at Del Mar in 2006, where he won three stakes races. Arroyo is the only jockey currently based at Suffolk Downs to have ridden in all three Triple Crown events and in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. He has won over 60 stakes races in his career, including 13 graded, but interestingly he has yet to win a black-type event at Suffolk Downs. His biggest win came in the $500,000 G2 Lane's End in 2003 aboard New York Hero.

Orlando Bocachica
Bocachica returned to the saddle on a full-time basis after two years out of racing in 2007 and quickly resumed his position as one of the most consistent riders in New England. The success he enjoyed towards the end of the local season carried over to Laurel Park in Maryland, where he has won races for New England horsemen and mid-Atlantic based trainers who remember his prowess in the saddle from his time at Philadelphia Park, where he was a regular contender for champion jockey honors. Bocachica attended the Eddie Belmonte jockey school in his native Puerto Rico before coming stateside in the late 1990s Bocachica was aboard mid-Atlantic based Night Caller in 2002-03 for seven victories, including black-type wins in the 2002 Donald Levine Memorial Stakes at Philadelphia Park and Bob Harding Stakes at Monmouth Park and the 2003 Mr. Nickerson Handicap at Philadelphia Park Bocachica has six total stakes wins, including a score in the 2004 Rise Jim Stakes aboard leading Massachusetts-bred Stylish Sultan He continues to ride on the mid-Atlantic circuit Was tied for tenth in the rider standings with 37 wins in 2007.

Alfredo Clemente
Clemente, a native of Puerto Rico, is a graduate of the Eddie Belmonte jockey school in his homeland that has produced many top riders. He came to the States in 1990, originally riding in Ohio, before moving his tack to West Virginia and eventually Florida and Tampa Bay Downs. In Florida, Clemente hooked up with trainer Ray Stifano in 2004, who encouraged him to try riding at Suffolk...Won the 1996 Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes at Thistledown with U.R. for Me finished seventh in the 2007 Suffolk standing with 48 wins. He led all local riders with 12 wins on the turf course.

Clifford Dooley
Dooley made a triumphant return to East Boston in 2007 after spending 2006 away from race riding. The native of Ireland finished the 2007 meet third in the jockey standings with 68 wins. Dooley won the first stakes race of his career on July 4 aboard Kimridge in the African Prince Stakes. He also won the Waquoit Stakes aboard Reprized Strike on the MassCap undercard Received a Special Achievement Award from the New England Turf Writers Association for his 2007 accomplishments Dooley attended the famed RACE jockey school in his homeland before coming stateside to begin his riding career. Dooley became interested in American racing after watching the Breeders' Cup races on TV as a child. He got the money to come to America after betting 100 pounds on an 11-1 shot that won in his homeland. He then showed up at Aqueduct and began working for trainer Leo O'Brien before taking out his license and coming to Suffolk as an apprentice. He rode successful in New England before going to the NYRA circuit, where he won three races at Aqueduct on one day as a bug rider... Has ridden around the globe, winning races in France, Spain and Saudi Arabia Spent this winter at Tampa Bay Downs, near his home in Ocala, FL.

Ender Jimenez
A native of Venezuela, Jimenez has been a consistent performer on the New England circuit. A hard working rider, he enjoyed tremendous success at Calder in the mid 1990s, including a victory in the 1996 $600,000 Florida Stallion Stakes aboard His Honor, who went on to compete in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Jimenez is one of the few jockeys in New England who has ridden regularly over the new polytrack synthetic surface, as he spent time at Turfway Park in 2006 Visited the Suffolk Downs winner s circle 15 times in 2007.

Richard Johnson
A native of Pueblo, Puerto Rico, Johnson came to Suffolk Downs as an apprentice after graduating from the same jockey school as Eddie Molinari and Dyn Panell. Johnson won his first race at Suffolk Downs on February 23, 2000 In 2002, he won a race at Saratoga aboard Ms. Sadira for trainer Mike Aro Johnson has two local stakes wins on his resume, capturing the My Fair Lady aboard Island Melody and the John Kirby atop Jill's Layup in 2003 ... Rode five winners in 2007.

Luis A. Garcia
Most jockeys come from a rural background or grew up on a farm with horses, but not Garcia. A native of Guatemala, he was raised in Brooklyn, NY and was introduced to thoroughbred racing by an NYRA advertisement on the subway. His career in racing started in New York at Aqueduct, working as an exercise rider for trainer Bobby Lake before taking out his jockey license and riding with the"bug" on the NYRA circuit. Garcia has ridden primarily in New England, but he has had successful stints at both Hoosier Park and Delaware Park Was tied for tenth in the rider standings with 37 wins in 2007 Garcia was sidelined most of the winter with a torn ACL.

Pedro Gonzalez
Gonzalez was a leading apprentice rider in his native Puerto Rico before first coming stateside in 2001 Won his first U.S race at Tampa Bay Downs late that year. He spent much of the last five years at El Comandante in P.R. where he won multiple stakes races each season. 2007 marked his first full year in the U.S., and his first season at Suffolk Downs. Gonzalez finished ninth in the rider standings with 39 wins in 2007. Spent this winter riding at Tampa Bay Downs.

Taylor Hole
An 18-year veteran that is always near the top of the local rider standings, Hole follows in the riding footsteps of his late father Michael, a British jockey who enjoyed success stateside before an untimely death in 1976. He first worked odd jobs as a stable hand at Rockingham Park in the mid-1980s before heading to Maryland to learn professional riding at a steeplechase farm with a friend of the family. After beginning his racing career in New England in 1992, Hole took his tack out of the region during the winter of 1996, but returned to New England from the New Jersey/Pennsylvania circuit in the spring of 1997...In addition to his ability in the saddle, Hole is an expert dirt bike motorcycle rider and has competed professionally in that sport as well... Hole won five races at Suffolk Downs on August 23, 2005, including four for trainer Ron Dandy...Won 27 races in 2007...Rode at Aqueduct this winter.

Kevin Krigger
A native of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, began riding in the United States in 2001 at Thistledown in Cleveland, OH. He rode his first winner there at the age of 17. Krigger's first black-type win came in the Lafayette Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in 2003, while his biggest stakes win came in the G3 Ballerina Breeders' Cup Stakes at Hastings Park in 2006. He has ridden up and down the West Coast, including on the southern California circuit at Del Mar, Hollywood Park and Santa Anita. He earned leading rider honors at Emerald Downs in 2005…In his first season at Suffolk Downs, Krigger rode 35 winners…Piloted Fire Striker in the 2007 MassCap…Began last winter riding at Hoosier Park before being sidelined with an injury.

Walter Llagas
Now entering his third season at Suffolk Downs, the Peruvian-born Llagas reached a career milestone on closing day of the 2007 Suffolk season, winning his 100th race in North America. Llagas was born into a racing family. His cousin was a leading rider in South America and encouraged him to become a jockey. Llagas enrolled in the prestigious Jorge Bernardini Yori Jockey School, which has produced Peruvian riding stars Edgar Prado, Rafael Bejarano and Miguel Mena. Llagas rode successfully for a few years in his homeland before moving his tack to Argentina. While there, he became interested in riding in the United States. His first stop was at Delaware Park before heading to Tampa Bay Downs for the second half of the 2006 meet. While at Tampa, he was encouraged to join the New England circuit. Won the $45,000 Louise Kimball Stakes in 2007 aboard two-year-old filly Lily's Goldmine...Finished 14th in the 2007 standings with 31 wins.

Edwin Molinari
Molinari was a college student studying accounting in Puerto Rico when he decided he wanted to concentrate on a career as a jockey. He galloped horses in Florida before coming to Suffolk in 1987, where he was the leading apprentice jockey. He enjoyed immediate success, riding mostly for trainers Vinnie Blengs and Ron Perez. He has been on the New England circuit ever since... Molinari retired briefly in 2003, but returned to racing soon after realizing he missed the action... Often rides first call for the powerful Assimakopoulos stable... Won 65 races at Suffolk in 2005 for fifth in the local standings... Was the leading turf rider for 2005 in New England with 14 wins over the Suffolk infield... Molinari won two stakes races at Suffolk in 2005, the My Fair Lady Stakes with British Event and the Amelia Peabody Stakes with Auntie Millie... Finished 16th in the 2007 jockey standings with 26 wins, despite being sidelined with an injury for much of the meet.

Dyn Panell
An 11-year veteran, Panell came to Suffolk as an apprentice in 1998 after Hurricane Georges shut down Hipodromo el Comandante in his homeland of Puerto Rico. Before coming stateside, he attended the famed jockey school of Eddie Belmonte that has produced many top Puerto Rican riders, including John Velazquez. As an apprentice, Panell rode successfully in New England and picked up his biggest client, starting a longstanding business relationship with John Rigattieri, the leading trainer at Suffolk the last four seasons. Panell demonstrated a prowess for riding in his first day at Suffolk, finishing second aboard 107-1 longshot Kiss You...Had the highest winning percentage among Suffolk jockeys in each of the last three seasons, winning 27% of his local races in 2007 Finished fourth in the 2007 Suffolk standings with 67 victories from only 244 mounts... Won five stakes races at Suffolk Downs in 2007 with four of those wins coming aboard Ask Queenie...Was one of the leading riders at Laurel Park this winter.

Tammi Piermarini
After missing nearly the entire 2006 meet, Piermarini, who gave birth to her second child (a son Johnny) on September 15 of that year, returned to record 10 victories in just seven racing days in 2006, including a four-win day on November 7. That performance was merely a prelude to 2007. Piermarini won four races on Opening Day en route to a meet-best 100 wins and her first ever Suffolk Downs riding title. She was also named recipient of her first Eli Chiat Award from the New England Turf Writers Association Piermarini rode first call for the high-powered barn of trainer Marcus Vitali. A native of Massachusetts, Piermarini developed a love of horses as a child when she spent time around show horses on a farm in Salisbury. After giving up show horses, she started in the saddle at Suffolk Downs as an exercise rider for trainers Bill Perry, Ned Allard, Karl Grusmark, Frank Shannon and Jeff Hooper. Began riding in 1985 as Tammi Campbell before taking her husband's name in 1999. Piermarini was aboard graded-stakes winner Tour d'Or when he equaled the track record at Belmont Park for 1 1/16 miles in 1987. Piermarini took time off in 2001 to give birth to her first child, a daughter Izabella. She spends her spare time with her two children and husband John, who also works as her agent and whom she credits for her success...Rode once again at Tampa Bay Downs this winter.

Yamil Rosario
Rosario enters his third consecutive season at Suffolk Downs after stringing together another successful meet in 2007, finishing sixth in the rider standings with 49 wins. Rosario began riding as an apprentice in Chicago at Hawthorne before venturing to the East Coast, where he then competed at Monmouth and Philadelphia Park. Rosario is considered to be a patient rider with a good sense of pace. Much like Pat Day during his time, Rosario prefers to come from off the pace, as opposed to showing speed from the gate. Rosario credits the Rocco racing family for their support. He considers Joe Rocco Sr. to be a father figure and his biggest influence in the saddle Won the 2007 Last Dance Stakes at Suffolk Downs aboard Gorgeous Silk Rode at Tampa Bay this winter.

Winston Thompson
Known for being one of the hardest working jockeys in New England, the 25-year veteran battled Tammi Piermarini for the riding crown in 2007 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury on August 19. He had ridden 56 winners from 316 mounts before being sidelined. His 56 wins were still good for fifth place Won the 2007 Mystery Jet Stakes aboard Lily s Goldmine The Jamaican native swept leading rider honors at Suffolk Downs from 2004 through 2006 Had one of the best days of his career on June 18, 2005, winning six races on the Suffolk Downs program, including a victory in the $50,000 Old Ironsides Stakes on Miesque's Approval for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Miesque's Approval went on to win the Breeders' Cup Mile and the Eclipse Award for top turf male in 2006 Thompson learned his race riding in a formal jockey training school, attending educational programs that are required for aspiring riders in his native country. He won his first race in 1983 at Caymans Park in Jamaica and was the leading apprentice in Jamaica in 1984 before coming to the U. S. two years later. Thompson had riding stints in New Jersey, Florida and West Virginia before coming to New England in 1988. He has been a fixture in Boston since...Was the leading rider at the 1995 Suffolk Downs Autumn meet...In 2000, had one of the most memorable days of his career, winning the $250,000 James B. Moseley Breeders' Cup Handicap aboard King Roller...Rode this winter at Tampa Bay Downs.

Angel Vasquez Jr.
A native of Chile, Vasquez grew up around horses, as his father was an established trainer in his homeland. When Vasquez was a seven-year-old, his father accepted an opportunity to train in Venezuela, where Angel lived through his teenage years. At 17, Vasquez rode his first race in Venezuela. Two years later, he was riding at Calder Race Course after his father moved to the U. S. as a trainer of polo ponies. Vasquez then moved his tack to Belmont Park, where he suffered a series of injuries before taking a break from race riding. During his time away from racing, Vasquez established himself on the prestigious New York/Florida polo circuit as a player and trainer, spending his summers in the Hamptons and winters in Palm Beach. In 2002, Vasquez had a truly life-altering experience. After battles with drugs and alcohol, he became a born-again Christian."Everything changed in my life. I no longer had the bad habits that had plagued me." Newly invigorated, Vasquez set his sights on returning to the racetrack, although he was well above the weight required of a jockey. He began galloping for Gary Contessa and other trainers at Saratoga and eventually shed the excess pounds. Vasquez became an established member of the New England jockey colony in 2006, finishing ninth in the standings with 40 wins. He followed that up with a 20-win performance in 2007.

 

Trainer Profiles

Pam Angevine
Angevine grew up riding show horses before making the transition to thoroughbreds in an interesting way. She purchased a horse named Brunswick Gold from the Great Barrington Fair as a teenager during the early 1980s and caught interest in the sport, apprenticing with Jerry Diorio before spending time learning under the jockey-turned-trainer David Deroin. She began training in 1995 and has gradually improved her stock. Angevine credits great owners for her recent success, notably Henry and Donald Barry, along with Michael DiMarzo and David Curcio... Angevine saddled New England's champion sprinter Dhaffir to a victory in the 2005 Topsider Breeders' Cup Stakes...Angevine won with 25 of her 120 starters (21%) at the 2007 meet, good for sixth place in the standings...She trained at Tampa Bay Downs this winter.

Charlie Assimakopoulos
Assimakopoulos is the private trainer for his family's Yasou Stable Trust, perennially one of the most successful stables at Suffolk Downs. The Fitchburg native splits time between the racetrack and his breeding and training center in Florida. When in Florida, his son John runs the racing operation. Assimakopoulos previously trained for Arthur Appleton, Hobeau Farm and the Gatsas Brothers of Manchester, NH, for whom he was the original trainer of millionaire Gander, the James B. Moseley Award winner as New England's Horse of the Year as well as New York-bred Horse of the Year in 2000. He also trained local legends Prolanzier and Kayla's A Gem, both winners of numerous stakes races at Suffolk Named the region's most outstanding trainer by the New England Turf Writers Association in 1991, 1993 and 1994...Won with 14 of his 103 starters in 2007 Trained at Laurel Park in Maryland over the winter.

Kevin Clark
Clark entered racing as an outsider in 1986, when he and his brother-in-law, fellow trainer George Bailey, picked up some reliable runners and showed quick success. The Weymouth, MA native trained the stakes-winning mare Satin Sunrise, the dam of Grade 1 Stakes winner and 2004 Kentucky Derby runner-up Lion Heart. He acquired her through the claim box for $5,000 before setting her on the road to breeding greatness. Clark has shown shrewdness in the claiming game throughout his career. He claimed Mister Riley for $8,000 in 2004 and made him the winningest racehorse of the 2005 meeting with six victories. Clark saddled Mister Riley for four more wins in 2006...Was seventh in the 2007 standings with 23 victories...Did not train over the winter.

Mike Collins
Collins, a native of Cork, Ireland, rode in point-to-point races in his homeland before coming stateside. He runs a large stable with many starters each year at Suffolk. Collins trained Personal Moon, a two-time starter in the MassCap, and Tejano Couture, the winningest horse in North America in 2002. Collins won the 1996 Suffolk Downs Speed Stakes with Fringe on Top. In 2004, Collins ventured to Gulfstream Park for the winter and returned with Itsawonderfulife, New England's champion older horse in 2005... Won 13 races at Suffolk during the 2007 season...Spent the winter at Gulfstream Park again this year.

Carlos Figueroa
One of the most recognizable names and faces in New England racing, Figueroa prefers to go by his nickname,"King of the Fairs," given to him for his history of success on the New England fair circuit. In 1963, he saddled Shannon's Hope to five wins in an eight-day span at the Weymouth and Marshfield Fairs. He has saddled horses at 18 different tracks since 1976. Figueroa introduced 2005 Eclipse Award winning owner Mike Gill to the sport of thoroughbred racing in the 1980s. Figueroa trained Gill's New England division in 2005 and was thanked by Gill for his guidance during the Eclipse Award ceremony... Won the 1994 Lou Smith Award from the NETWA for outstanding yearly achievement...Finished 2007 with seven victories...Did not train over the winter.

Charles Fontana
Fontana, a native of New York, began his training career in 1978, recording his first career win at Tampa Bay Downs. He had a strong local meeting last year, finishing fifth in the trainer standings with 26 wins. His 260 starters were more than any other trainer. After sending a string of horses to Suffolk Downs for the first time in 2006, the Florida-based trainer improved on his 2006 meet at Suffolk when he was credited with 19 victories. Fontana runs horses at all three major tracks in Florida and finished in the top ten at the 2007 Tampa Bay meet. He was among the leaders again in 2008. Has a large string at Calder.

Mike Gorham
A successful trainer on the national scene, Mike Gorham has always been around a racetrack, as his father owned horses at Suffolk and Rockingham. As a teenager, he started working as a hotwalker for highly successful New England trainer Bruce Smith. He began training on his own in 1985 and registered his first win with Unerring at Suffolk Downs. He later relocated to Delaware Park, where the purses had increased significantly with the addition of slot machines Gorham has won over 50 stakes races in his career with over 20 different horses His best horses include Grade I winner and millionaire Mandy's Gold, Grade 3 winner Trickle of Gold, and 2007 Triple Crown contender Adore the Gold, owned by John Murphy of Quincy, MA. With the growth of his stable, Gorham has returned to the New England scene in recent years, sending a string of horses to Suffolk Downs Had 98 wins nationally in 2007 for earnings of over $2.7 million.

Karl Grusmark
Grusmark was a pre-med student at the University of Miami before leaving school to work for trainer Howard Tesher at Calder in 1963. He returned to New England in 1965 at Lincoln Downs and has been a presence on the local scene since. Among the favorite horses he has trained are Pension Plan, the 1977 Massachusetts Handicap runner-up by a neck, Tour d'Or, a former track record holder at Belmont Park for 1 1/16 miles, and Jini's Jet, an 11-time stakes winner at Suffolk Downs who dominated the Massachusetts-bred division the first half of this decade Won the 2007 Mystery Jet and Louise Kimball Stakes with Lily's Goldmine and captured the John Kirby Stakes with Fifty Seven G Finished in a tie for eighth in the trainer standings in 2007 with 22 wins.

George Handy
George Handy returns to Suffolk Downs this year with over 60 years of experience as a trainer. Handy began his training career in 1946 and captured his first Suffolk Downs title in 1956. He won four more titles at Suffolk Downs in the 1960s. Handy has served as private trainer for prominent New England owner Francis McDonnell, conditioning numerous local stakes winners and New England champions. Handy and McDonnell were honored by the NETNETNETWA with the Lou Smith Memorial Award for contributions to New England racing in 2001.1. Handy’s national success includes a win in the 1981 Illinois Derby with Paristo, who finished third in the Preakness Stakes a month later. Has saddled stakes winners at over 15 different racetracks in his career.

Lori Lockhart
Lockhart has deep roots in New England racing. Her father, Lloyd, is a longtime owner, trainer and breeder. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Lockhart's interest in racing dates back to her childhood The Lockhart white and blue silks are a dominating presence in the state-bred races, as they operate one of the larger thoroughbred breeding operations in the state...Her top horses have included Weepecket, a multiple-stakes-winning Mass-bred and Fetch Dinner, winner of the 1999 Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth Park... Conditioned 2005 New England Horse of the Year Ask Queenie, winner of four stakes races in 2005. Ask Queenie was also named the region's top turf horse and top New England-bred that year Won seven races at Suffolk Downs in 2007, including four stakes with Ask Queenie.

Wayne Marcoux
Marcoux is a native of Rhode Island who started his racing career working for his father, who also trained horses on the New England circuit Won his first career race in the 1980s at Suffolk Downs Best horses include Tip the Scale, who won the 2001 Older Filly or Mare Award from the New England Turf Writers, as well as Cox's Sweep and Catch Kara...Won six races at Suffolk in 2007 Did not train this winter.

Brenda McCarthy
Horses have been a lifelong passion for McCarthy. Some of her fondest memories go back to her childhood, when she remembers riding horses on Ipswich Beach for Pam Berry. She took out her training license in 1982 and has competed up and down the East Coast since, winning seven stakes races in her career. Her stakes-winning horses have been Joanne's Joy, Red's Happy, More Balloons, Lacuna, Manticore and Noski. McCarthy credits much of her success to Thomas Keating, a longtime owner that died last after they had been a team for many years. McCarthy continues to exercise horses and she can be seen galloping many of her horses in the mornings Was tied for eighth in the standings in 2007 with 22 wins Spent the winter training at Tampa Bay Downs.

Tom McCooey Jr.
McCooey has been around horses for most of his life, riding horses as a kid and working with them in the summers while he attended the University of Rhode Island. He was a groom and hotwalker at both Lincoln Downs and at Foxboro, working with both thoroughbreds and standardbreds. After graduating from college, he decided to spend a year at the racetrack while considering law school. He soon realized that racing would be his career. He began training in 1972, recording his first victory at Lincoln with Road Actress. In addition to competing on the New England circuit, McCooey was stabled at Colonial Downs in Virginia when it reopened in 1997, spent five summers at Monmouth Park, five winters in Maryland and has most recently wintered at Tampa Bay Downs Has trained five stakes winners in his career, including 1997 champion New England sprinter Daring David, and Auntie Millie, winner of the 2005 Amelia Peabody Stakes at Suffolk Trained two of the region's leading older mares in 2006, Helen's Legacy and Pretty Galore Finished the 2007 meet with 12 wins Spent the winter training at Tampa.

Leona McKanas
Trainer Leona McKanas is a rising star on the New England circuit. She began her involvement in thoroughbred racing as an owner in the late 1990s with trainers Ernie Lowe and David Savary. During that time, she was at the track every day and learned many aspects of conditioning racehorses and running a stable. She took out her trainer's license in 2002 and has been a consistent presence at Suffolk Downs ever since. Racing is important to her entire family and they are very much involved at the barn on a daily basis McKanas conditioned Island Melody, winner of the 2003 My Fair Lady Stakes. The mare is currently in Kentucky being bred to Saarland Conditioner of Future Fantasy, one of the top horses on the grounds in 2006, winning four races, including a top money allowance at a mile and 70 yards. Future Fantasy won the $75,000 John B. Campbell Handicap at Laurel Park this winter and will be competing in the top level of the older handicap division again this year McKanas saddled 10 winners at Suffolk in 2007.

Bobby Raymond
Raymond, a Rhode Island native, is a veteran trainer on the New England scene. He originally attended blacksmith school in Oklahoma before switching careers to become a thoroughbred trainer. Raymond has a farm in Rhode Island where he operates in many aspects of the game, including breeding of his sire Wee Thunder...A perennial top ten trainer at Suffolk Downs this decade, Raymond finished fourth in the 2007 trainer standings with 32 wins Trained this winter at Tampa Bay Downs.

John Rigattieri
Rigattieri is the four-time reigning training champion at Suffolk Downs. Last season he saddled 64 winners, 16 more than the runner-up in the standings. He topped all trainers with 93 wins in both 2004 and 2005 and won 83 races in 2006. The lifelong New Englander guides the New England division of the powerful Monarch Stables, which has led the local owner standings two of the last four seasons He began his career in racing as a teenager, serving as a hot walker under the direction of Lucien Laurin at Belmont Park. Laurin is a horseman of legendary stature, having trained Triple Crown winner Secretariat as well as Kentucky Derby and MassCap winner Riva Ridge. Rigattieri won his first training title at Rockingham Park in 1989 and has been a top 10 trainer in New England ever since...Won consecutive Gerry Sullivan Awards as New England Trainer of the Year in 2004 and 2005... Won the 2007 Rise Jim Stakes with Senor St. Pat Was one of the leading trainers on the Maryland circuit this winter.

Rafael Ramos
Ramos began his career in racing as a groom in his native Dominican Republic. After a brief stint as a jockey, he began training in 1967. Ramos won with his very first starter Miss Tex Chum at Perla Antillana racetrack in the D.R., where he enjoyed great success. He earned several leading trainer honors at both Perla Antillana and Quinto Centenario racetracks Ramos jumped into the spotlight at Suffolk Downs in 2007, saddling 48 winners from 182 starters for an outstanding win percentage of 26.4. His 48 wins were second among all trainers at Suffolk Downs. In 2006, he was 8-for-39 at Suffolk, hinting that 2007 was going to be a big year for him. He was voted winner of the Gerry Sullivan Memorial Award by the New England Turf Writers Association for his highly successful 2007 season...Campaigned three New England Champions in 2007: Awesome Chic (2-year-old filly), Nijinsky Bullet (older female), and De Roode (older male). All three champions are owned by Aurora Springs Stable, who took home leading owner honors at Suffolk for the 2007 meet Won the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs with Awesome Chic on March 15, 2008.

George Saccardo
Saccardo is from a New England racing family. His father, Roger, was a longtime trainer. Saccardo's current trainees include horses that are owned by his brother Sam...He got his start working for his father as a groom and hotwalker...Top horses include: Pirates Loot, 1982 New England claim of the year; Shower of Silver, a consistent allowance competitor for a number of years; and Gingerbread Girl, a winner on MassCap Day in 1999...Won eight races at Suffolk Downs in 2007.

Frank Shannon
Shannon got interested in racing by attending the tracks in Ohio and the Midwest, where his Father owned horses. He came to New England after working in the Midwest in the mid-1960s, starting off at Green Mountain and Narragansett. Shannon has won nine stakes races in his career, almost 500 races and earnings of more than $3.7 million He started training for powerful owner John Murphy recently and the two have done very well together, teaming up to win the Miss Indy Anna Stakes (Quick Smoke) and Amelia Peabody Stakes (Branded in Gold) at Suffolk Downs in 2004...Won three races at Suffolk Downs in 2007. Trained on the Maryland circuit over the winter.

Gerry Souto
Born and raised in New England, Souto began training in 1972 at Rockingham Park. He won training titles at Rockingham in 1972, 1976 and 1996 in addition to winning the title at Suffolk for the 1978 Spring/Summer meeting. Souto conditioned New England champion Second Episode, a fifteen-time winner against Massachusetts-bred stakes competition. Souto has won over 1000 races in his career...Won 13 at Suffolk Downs in 2007.

Aurelio Valdez
Aurelio"Joe" Valdez was born a furlong away from a racetrack in Cuba, where his father was a trainer. He has been involved in many different aspects of the game, including being both an outrider and an exercise rider. He began training in the late 1970s at Gulfstream Park. Valdez was an exercise rider for Hall of Fame trainer Leroy Jolley during the glory days of the stable Conditioned New England's top sprinter in 2006, Campaign, to six consecutive victories and a meet-best total of seven wins Won six races in 2007.

Marcus Vitali
Vitali's family owned the trailer parks near Narragansett Park when he was a child and his father had horses there with trainer Eddie"Flash" Vashey, sparking Vitali's interest in racing. Vitali worked his way up with Vashey and even spent time as a jockey as a teenager before getting too big to ride. Vitali has trained in Canada and New York, but has always called New England his home base...Vitali credits the Carney family and all his owners, jockey Tammi Piermarini and a good, hard-working staff for much of his success Finished third in the 2007 standings with 37 wins, winning with 22% of his starters.