Lazaro S. Barrera

Biography

The first trainer to win four consecutive Eclipse Awards (1976 through 1979), Lazaro Barrera trained Triple Crown winner Affirmed during that stretch along with Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Bold Forbes. 

A native of Havana, Cuba, Barrera was the leading North American trainer by earnings each year from 1977 through 1980, Born in 1924, Barrera was one of nine brothers who went on to a career in thoroughbred racing. He began working at a track in Cuba in his youth and quickly became one of his country’s most respected horsemen.

Seeking a larger and more lucrative market, Barrera moved to Mexico in the 1940s and enjoyed success at Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico City. There, Barrera met California-based trainer Hal King, who later convinced him to train in the United States.

Barrera became one of North America’s most successful trainers in the 1970s. His first major victory in the United States came with Tinajero in the 1971 Jerome Handicap. In 1975, he began training Bold Forbes. The following year, Bold Forbes set a record in the Wood Memorial before going on to win the Derby and Belmont en route to the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Male.

Following his success with Bold Forbes, Barrera became the head trainer for Louis and Patrice Wolfson’s Harbor View Farm and began training Affirmed. In 1977, Affirmed won the Youthful Stakes, Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes, Sanford Stakes, Hopeful Stakes, Futurity Stakes,and Laurel Futurity to be voted the Eclipse Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Colt. In 1978, Affirmed became America’s 11^th Triple Crown winner. In addition to his victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, Affirmed added wins in the San Felipe Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Hollywood Derby, Jim Dandy Stakes, and Strub Stakes. Affirmed was named Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male.

Returning as a 4-year-old in 1979, Affirmed was again named Horse of the Year and also Champion Older Male, winning the Strub Stakes, Santa Anita Handicap, Californian Stakes, Hollywood Gold Cup, Woodward Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup. Overall Affirmed posted a record of 22-5-1 from 29 starts and earned $2,887,999, breaking Kelso’s all-time record. He won a total of 14 Grade 1 races. 

Barrera continued to thrive through the 1980s. Along with Affirmed and Bold Forbes, Barrera trained champions J. O. Tobin, It's In The Air, Lemhi Gold, and Tiffany Lass. Overall, Barrera trained more than 140 stakes winners, including Mister Frisky, a champion in Puerto Rico. Mister Frisky was the final graded stakes winner for Barrera in 1990, when he won the San Rafael Stakes and Santa Anita Derby.

Based on available records, Barrera won 2,269 races and $49,932,176 in North America.

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer — 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

North America's leading trainer in earnings — 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1976 Kentucky Derby — Bold Forbes
Won the 1978 Kentucky Derby — Affirmed
Won the 1978 Preakness Stakes — Affirmed
Won the 1976 Belmont Stakes — Bold Forbes
Won the 1978 Belmont Stakes — Affirmed