Trainer Profiles

Tom Amoss

Place of Birth:
New Orleans. LA

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
29

First Win:
Sportsman Park 1987

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning with Delaunay in 2013 and winning the Training title in 2002 and 2008

Personal Highlights:
The birth of my two girls Ashley and Hayley

Highlight of Career:
Training multiple grade Stakes winner Heritage of Gold

Charles (Scooter) Dickey

Place of Birth:
Anthony, KS

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
56

First Win:
Centennial Park 1963

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Whenever I win a race

Personal Highlights:
Going to Dubai and my first Grade I win - 2011 Jockey Club Gold Cup in New York with Flat Out

Highlight of Career:
Making it to 75 years of age!

William (Jinks) Fires

Place of Birth:
Rivervale, AZ

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
55

First Win:
Sportsman Park 1966

Churchill Downs Highlights:
In 1961 I watched Carry Back race from the top of the barn and each race I have won afterwards.

Personal Highlights:
Running Archarcharch in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and enjoying Derby with family and friends.

Highlight of Career:
Surviving in this business as long as I have!

Bernard S. Flint

Place of Birth:
New Orleans, LA

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
48

First Win:
New Orleans Fair Grounds 1971

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Watching the Kentucky Derby and Breaders' Cup at Churchill Downs

Personal Highlights:
Graduating from Loyola University in New Orleans and retiring from NOPD as Detective in 1975

Highlight of Career:
3,369 Career Wins

Greg Foley

Place of Birth:
Sommerset, KY

City of Residence:
Oldham County, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
38

First Win:
New Orleans Fair Grounds ???

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Career Spring Meet Leading Trainer Title and 7th all-time in career wins at Churchill Downs

Personal Highlights:
Thirty-two wonderful years of marriage to my high school sweetheart Sheree. Maintaining a local stable during my sons (Travis & Alex) high school and college careers. I was to able to see their successful athletic careers. Travis is a graduate with an MBA from U of L and Alex is attending Law School at U of L.

Highlight of Career:
Horses are my passion and I have turned that passion into a most interesting career. My owners are all great friend of the family and enjoying success at the races with them is what makes the game so fun. I am a 2nd generation horseman and Travis is now our 3rd generation. Being able to provide and share with your family while doing what you love is all any man can ask for.

Wesley Hawley

Place of Birth:
Beaver, OK

City of Residence:
River Ridge, LA

# Years as a Trainer:
22

First Win:
New Orleans Fair Grounds 1988

Churchill Downs Highlights:
I ran 4th in the 2007 Kentucky Oaks with Dawn After Dawn and my first win with Steel Cut in 2016

Personal Highlights:
Meeting my wife Glenda and when both of my sons, Chris & Ryan were born

Highlight of Career:
There are several but winning 3 out of 4 races in one day at The Fairgrounds The second win was only by a nose!

Rick Hiles

Place of Birth:
Frankfort, KY

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
44

First Win:
River Downs 1972

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Representing owners and trainers as President of Kentucky HBPA and winning races for all my clients, especially the local ones

Personal Highlights:
Claiming two horses and winning the graded stakes with them, as well as running for the Kentucky Senate

Highlight of Career:
Winning 3 races in one day and a 2nd place with four starts! And winning any Stakes race

Matt Kordenbrock

Place of Birth:
Northern Kentuck

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
10

First Win:
River Downs 2006

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Placing 2nd in the 2015 Bet on Sunshine Stakes and W.B Smudge who went on and won several allowance races

Personal Highlights:
Marrying my wife who loves the business just as much as me and having a solid stable at Churchill Downs

Highlight of Career:
W.B. Smudge

Paul McGee

Place of Birth:
Louisville, KY

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
29

First Win:
Churchill Downs 1987

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning the Grade I Woodford Reserve with Honor In War in 2003 and Golden Rod in 2000 with Miss Pickums

Personal Highlights:
The birth of my four children and my first grandchild

Highlight of Career:
Bet on Sunshine winning the Aristides as a 9-year-old

Ron MoQuett

Place of Birth:
Ft. Smith, AR

City of Residence:
Hot Springs, AR & Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
19

First Win:
Prairie Meadows 1998

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning the 2006 Stephen Foster with Seek Gold and the 2013 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes with Right to Vote

Personal Highlights:
My family and my career

Highlight of Career:
Running Gentlemen's Bet to a 3rd Place finish in the 2013 Breeders' Cup; winning Gardenia Stakes in 2001 with Asher; winning 3 Stakes within 24 hours and getting to the Kentucky Derby of course!

Chris Richard

Place of Birth
Lake Charles, LA

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
16

First Win:
Turfway Park 1998

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning the Bet on Sunshine Stakes in 2008 with Native Ruler and finishing 2nd in the trainer's standings in the Fall Meet of 2015

Personal Highlights:
Graduating from Texas A&M and starting a public stable in 2006

Highlight of Career:
Outta Time winning the 2012 Count Fleet Sprint and Native Ruler winning the 2008 Iowa Sprint

Joe Sharp

Place of Birth:
Martinsburg, WV

City of Residence:
Simpsonville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
2

First Win:
Kentucky Downs 2014

Churchill Downs Highlights:
My son Carson's first win picture

Personal Highlights:
My three children and buying a farm recently with my wife Rosie Napravnik

Highlight of Career:
Winning my first graded Stakes Race, the 2015 Maryland Sprint GIII with Sandbar

Gary Thomas

Place of Birth:
Rye, CO

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
57

First Win:
Riudoso 1960

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Rampage running 4th in the 1986 Kentucky Derby

Personal Highlights:
Running in the Kentucky Derby

Highlight of Career:
Doing what I love to do for so many years!

Mike Tomlinson

Place of Birth:
Lindsay, OK

City of Residence:
Shelbyville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
28

First Win:
emington Park 1988

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning the 2007 Falls City Handicap with Kettleoneup and 2004 Ack Ack Handicap with Sir Cherokee

Personal Highlights:
My marriage and birth of my 3 sons. Winning a GO Round at Cheyenne Frontier Days in calf roping as a rookie in the PRCA.

Highlight of Career:
Winning the 2003 Arkansas Derby with Sir Cherokee

Jack Van Berg

Place of Birth:
Columbus, NE

City of Residence:
Hot Springs, AR

# Years as a Trainer:
65

First Win:
Ak-Sar-Ben Track Year?

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning 1987 Kentucky Derby and 1988 Breeders Cup with Alysheba

Personal Highlights:
Winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with Alysheba in 1987 and winning the Preakness with Gate Dancer in 1984

Highlight of Career:
496 wins in one year (1976)

David Vance

Place of Birth:
Logansport, IN

City of Residence:
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
51

First Win:
Turfway Park 1965

Churchill Downs Highlights:
Winning the Breeders Cup in 2000 with Caressing and Humana Distaff in 2005 with My Trusty Cat

Personal Highlights:
Marrying my wife Lynn and my four wonderful children

Highlight of Career:
Won 7 out of 9 starts at 2 separate tracks in 1975

Ian Wilkes

Place of Birth:
Taree, Australia

City of Residence
Louisville, KY

# Years as a Trainer:
11

First Win:
Gulfstream 2006

Churchill Downs Highlights:
2013 Stephen Foster with Fort Larned and 2009 Fleur Di Lis Handicap with Miss Isella

Personal Highlights:
My wife and kids