Robert J. Frankel

Biography

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bobby Frankel won five Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Trainer in an exceptional career that spanned five decades. Frankel first got into racing as a gambler, then found his way to the stable area, figuring a few hours walking hots in the morning was worth it to get a free pass to the afternoon’s races.

One day in New York in the early 1960s, Frankel took $40 to the track, got on a roll by hitting the daily double, and by day’s end made a successful $3,000 win bet on a 3-1 shot. He came home with $20,000.

“I put the money on my mother’s bed,” he recalled in a 2003 interview. “She thought I had robbed a bank.”

Enamored with the sport, Frankel began training in 1966. His first major win came in the 1970 Suburban Handicap with Barometer, a $15,000 claim. Two years later, Frankel relocated to California, and in his first season at Hollywood Park, in 1972, he set a single-season record at the spring meeting with 60 winners.

In the 1980s, with the backing of Bert and Diana Firestone, Ed Gann, Jerry Moss, and Stavros Niarchos, Frankel gradually turned his barn into one filled with stakes runners. His success with European imports attracted the attention of owner Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and his advisor, Dr. John Chandler, who boosted Frankel’s stock significantly by hiring him to condition the United States-based horses of Juddmonte Farms.

Frankel won 30 individual meet training titles, beginning in 1970 at Saratoga. He won 10 titles at Hollywood Park’s spring meet, six at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting, five at Santa Anita’s main winter meeting, five more at Del Mar, and three at Hollywood’s fall meeting.

Although he failed to produce any Breeders’ Cup victories with his first 38 starters, Frankel eventually trained six Breeders’ Cup winners, including the 2004 Classic winner, Hall of Fame member Ghostzapper. Frankel won his first Eclipse Award in 1993 and went on to win it again in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. He led all trainers in earning in 1993, 2002, and 2003. Frankel trained 10 champions: Aldebaran, Bertrando, Ghostzapper, Ginger Punch, Intercontinental, Leroidesanimaux, Possibly Perfect, Ryafan, Squirtle Squirt, and Wandesta. In 2003, he won 25 Grade 1 races, setting the single-year world record.

In 2003, Frankel won the Belmont Stakes with Empire Maker. He won the Pacific Classic six times, the Woodward four times, the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, and Hollywood Derby three times each, and the Kentucky Oaks twice. At the time of his death in 2009, Frankel ranked second all time in earnings ($227,912,709) and 14^th in victories (3,654).

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer — 1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 20003

North America's leading trainer in earnings — 1993, 2002, 2003

Tripl Crown Highlights

Won the 2003 Belmont Stakes — Empire Maker

Breeders’ Cup Highlights

Won the 2001 Sprint — Squirtle Squirt
Won the 2002 Filly and Mare Turf — Starine
Won the 2004 Classic — Ghostzapper
Won the 2005 Filly and Mare Turf — Intercontinental
Won the 2007 Distaff — Ginger Punch
Won the 2008 Filly and Mare Sprint — Ventura

Other Highlights

Won the Pacific Classic — 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001
Won the Woodward Stakes — 1991, 2001, 2003, 2004
Won the Santa Anita Handicap — 1990, 2002, 2003
Won the Hollywood Derby — 1991, 1999, 2001
Won the Hollywood Gold Cup — 1991, 2001, 2008