Bill Kaplan, a highly successful Thoroughbred owner and trainer in South Florida who won the 2011 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) with Musical Romance, died May 19 at Coral Springs Medical Center from cancer, according to his sister Susan Welton. He was 77.
Kaplan retired from training in the spring of 2016 following a career in which his horses won 615 races from 4,871 starts and earned more than $18.7 million. In addition to Musical Romance, who was honored with an Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter of 2011, Kaplan conditioned graded stakes winners East Hall, Seacliff, Mr. Livingston, Ekati's Phaeton, and Another Romance.
He owned some of the horses he trained, including Musical Romance, whose Breeders' Cup victory came for him and Pinnacle Racing Stable, headed by Adam Lazarus. The daughter of Concorde's Tune retired after a sixth-place finish in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Santa Anita Park and was sold shortly thereafter to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.6 million at The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton.
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According to Welton, Kaplan initially became involved in horse racing as an owner after developing a rewarding aviation business.
"He bought a racehorse, and he did not like the way they were training him. And so, he became a trainer and became one of the top trainers at Calder," Welton said.
Originally from Brooklyn, Kaplan, a second lieutenant in the United States Army and recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, was a certified public accountant who obtained a pilot's license before heading to South Florida in the 1970s. His career in aviation led him to develop Air South, which eventually grew to have 10 planes and 15 pilots. He sold Air South in 1984 and thereafter his stable began to grow.
"I fell in love with Thoroughbred racing the first time I was around it," he said in announcing his retirement in 2016.
He started two horses in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs: Imawildandcrazyguy, who ran fourth, and Storm in May, who was 16th.
Kaplan was known for finding bargains at Thoroughbred sales. Among other rewarding purchases, he advised on the initial purchase of Musical Romance, a $22,000 buy from the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She would make more than $1.6 million and won 12 of 41 starts.
In recent years following his retirement from training, Kaplan enjoyed working with radio-controlled planes and became friends with other large-model airplane enthusiasts at Markham Park in South Florida. Kaplan's home was in Davie, where he had a stable and paddock.
"He was the most generous, humble man. He treated everyone equally," his sister said. "There was no one that had anything but kind things to say about him. I don't think he's got an enemy on this planet. The word noble comes to my mind. He was really a good guy."
Kaplan is survived by two siblings, Welton and their brother, Fred; numerous in-laws; three nephews; one niece; three great nephews; and two great nieces.
In honoring Kaplan's wishes, there is no immediate service planned for the trainer, who was cremated. Welton said she will "sit shiva," a mourning tradition in Judaism, by posting photos and remembrances of her brother on Facebook.
The family has requested that donations in Kaplan's memory be made in his name to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
