Trainer Steve Asmussen eclipsed his own North American record for number of wins in a single season when Poppin won a claiming race at Woodbine Racecourse Dec. 6, pushing the Texas native's 2009 win total to 623 with three weeks remaining in the year. The victory by the City Zip filly owned by Heiligbrodt Stable surpassed Asmussen's previous record total of 622 set in 2008.
Asmussen, whose far-flung stable this year is headed by Horse of the Year contender Rachel Alexandra, earlier this year became the fifth trainer in history to reach the 5,000-win plateau. That milestone also came at Woodbine Sept. 11. During his record-breaking season of 2008, Asmussen's stable was headed by Horse of the Year Curlin.
Through Dec. 6, 2009, Asmussen had 5,163 wins from 24,425 starts, with earnings of $153,360,192. This year alone he as saddled the winners of 68 stakes races. He sent out Kodiak Kowboy to win the Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) Nov. 28 and had two stakes winners the evening of Dec. 5 when Valid Code won the Yellow Rose Stakes and Slick Kitty won the San Jacinto Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park.
Steve Asmussen's year-by-year win total, with national rank:
2009 – 623 (1st)
2008 - 622 (1st)
2007 - 488 (1st)
2006 – 241 (3rd)
2005 – 473 (1st)
2004 – 555 (1st)
2003 – 452 (2nd)
2002 – 407 (1st)
2001 - 294 (2nd)