MCLAUGHLIN REACHES 1,000-WIN MILESTONE

**Please see the attached photo of Art Magnuson (assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who was in Florida on Friday) and Eddie Castro (rider of McLaughlin’s 1000^th North American winner, Que Posse). Credit NYRA, Adam Coglianese. **

Friday, March 16, 2012

 

Contact: Jenny Kellner

vkellner@nyrainc.com

 

MCLAUGHLIN REACHES 1,000-WIN MILESTONE

 

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Kiaran McLaughlin reached a personal landmark Friday when Que Posse won race 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack to give the trainer his 1,000th career North American victory.

 

“I think it means the most to me that Art Magnuson, and [my brother] Neal, my two main assistants, have been there for all 1,000 wins and that we’ve been together for all the victories,” said McLaughlin by telephone from Florida. “I’d like to thank Sheikh Mohammed [bin Rashid al Maktoum] and all my owners for their support over the years.”

 

McLaughlin, who trained 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor and 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil, reached victory No. 999 at Aqueduct on Wednesday when Winnie Dixie won race 5. The majority of McLaughlin’s 1,000 North American victories have come on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit, including 270 wins at Belmont Park, 101 at Saratoga Race Course, and 305 at Aqueduct.

 

Among his winners at the Big A in 2012 are Kentucky Derby hopeful Alpha, victorious in the Grade 3 Withers and the Count Fleet; It’s Tricky, who took the Grade 2 Top Flight, and Redding Colliery, winner of the Evening Attire.

 

McLaughlin, 51, won his first New York training title in 2008 when he edged close friend Todd Pletcher to top the standings at Saratoga Race Course. Born in Lexington, Ky., he worked for several trainers before becoming an assistant to Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, for whom he supervised the campaigns of several New York-based Eclipse Award winners. After serving as the jockey agent for the late Chris Antley, in 1993 he began training for Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum during the racing season in Dubai, returning annually until 2003, when he gave up the travel.

 

While in the United Arab Emirates, McLaughlin won more than 300 races and was three times the leading trainer at Nad al Sheba Race Course, having saddled his first winner as a trainer at Jebel Ali on December 31, 1993, with Lead the Dance. In 2007, he returned to win the Dubai World Cup with Invasor, who in 2006 won the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga, the Suburban at Belmont Park and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

 

McLaughlin also trained 2006’s Top Turf Female Lahudood, who counts among his dozens of stakes winners including It’s Tricky (2011 TVG Acorn and Coaching Club American Oaks), Daaher (2007 Cigar Mile and Jerome), and Henny Hughes (2006 King’s Bishop and Vosburgh).

 

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