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James M. Cassidy

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Arcadia, CA USA

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New Yorker James Cassidy started his adult life at City College of New York, but it wasn’t long before he turned to horses full time. He began working with horses after high school at a Long Island riding academy, specializing in hunter/jumpers. He gave riding lessons, and he and his students competed in shows across Long Island and Connecticut. He originally became involved with Thoroughbreds through a layup farm. His first job on the racetrack was with Joe Cantey, followed by Frank Whiteley, during the time he campaigned the champion filly Ruffian. In 1981, he moved to California and assisted trainers such as Darrell Vienna and Brian Mayberry. Following his time as an assistant trainer, he worked as an assistant to three veterinarians for nine years before taking out his trainer’s license in the mid-1990s. He is currently the Vice President of the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT), Board of Directors Member of The Gregson Foundation, and Advisory Committee Member of The Second Race. While born six blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, he remains an avid Yankees fan, but he otherwise has not looked back, having built a stellar career for himself on the West Coast. Racing Operation: Cassidy maintains a 35 horse stable based at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA. He has enjoyed success with all avenues of acquiring horses, from claiming (Moscow Burning), to English imports (Ticker Tape, Singhalese, Katdogawn), to purchasing yearlings and 2 year olds-in-training at US sales such as Barretts, Keeneland and Ocala and developing them (The Usual Q.T. and Evening Jewel). He began his emphasis on English auction stock about eight years ago, and he claims part of his success lies with his love affair with European horses. “They are more professional than any horses I’ve ever seen. For the same claiming price range of $40,000 here in Southern California, I can buy one in Europe for the same money. We have done well with about 20 of them over the years and super with about a dozen.” Katdogawn took him to the Breeders Cup as a $16,000 European bargain, while Ticker Tape was the most expensive buy at $183,000. But she brought him his first Grade 1 win and again to the Breeders Cup. Racing Career: Most recently, Cassidy enjoyed a banner 2009-2010, headed by two California–breds, which earned him the award of 2010 CTBA Trainer of the Year: The Usual Q.T and Evening Jewel. The Usual Q.T. won five straight races in 2009, including the Del Mar Derby (G2), Oak Tree Derby (G2) and Hollywood Derby (G1), followed by the Sunshine Millions Turf and Eddie Read Stakes (G1) in 2010. In Evening Jewel competed on turf, various synthetic surfaces, and dirt, winning the 2010 Ashland Stakes (G1), Honeymoon Handicap (G2), San Clemente Handicap (G2), and el Mar Oaks (G1), finished a nose behind rival Blind Luck in both the Las Virgenes (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and 2nd in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Each went on to cap their 2010 season with a 3rd place finish in their respective Breeders Cup races at Churchill Downs - The Usual Q.T. in the Mile, and Evening Jewel in the Filly & Mare Sprint. For 2010, The Usual Q.T. was named the CTBA Turf Horse and Older Male of the Year, and Evening Jewel 3YO Filly as well as top billing of Horse of the Year.

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James M. Cassidy

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