Steve Asmussen sets new one-season record for wins by a trainer.
Trainer Steve Asmussen broke Jack Van Berg's 28-year-old record for wins in a single season when he collected his 497th victory of 2004 on Saturday night at Delta Downs.Asmussen won five races across the country Saturday with 30 starters to eclipse Van Berg's mark set in 1976.He secured the mark when Coronado Rose won the $40,000 Delta Belle Stakes with a late charge.The 39-year-old Asmussen equaled the record earlier Saturday as Expect Will won the $50,000 Groovy Stakes at Sam Houston. Trailing the record by four heading into the day, he picked up single victories at Churchill Downs, Hawthorne and Aqueduct.The Arlington, Texas conditioner has won or tied for eight meet training titles and his mounts had won nearly $12.6 million through Friday to rank third nationally behind Todd Pletcher and Bobby Frankel. His career totals (beginning in 1986) show 2,656 wins from 12,727 with earnings of $61.7 million.
