Fifteen years after leaving his native Venezuela as the country's winningest trainer, Antonio Sano reached a milestone Jan. 5 at Gulfstream Park when he saddled his 1,000th winner in North America.
A day after Sano celebrated his 62nd birthday, Big Boy Jak, a 3-year-old gelding, provided the popular trainer with the milestone when he led throughout to win the seventh race.
"I am so happy. I am proud to be here in the United States. It's my home now," said Sano, surrounded by friends and family in Gulfstream's winner's circle. "I won over 3,000 races in Venezuela and now 1,000 races here. I am very thankful for every opportunity in 14 years to win 1,000. I have to thank all my owners, my team, my family, my son, everybody that have shown support for me. I hope to win another 1,000."
A third-generation horsemen and a champion conditioner in Venezuela with a stable upward of 150 horses, Sano was kidnapped twice in his native country—once for 36 days—before coming to the U.S. After winning his first race in April of 2010, Sano has found success at all levels of the sport. He is the winningest Venezuelan trainer in the U.S., surpassing Manny Azpurua in September of 2023.
Sano's first major success was Gunnevera , a $16,000 yearling who would win the 2017 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and finish second in the Travers Stakes (G1) as a 3-year-old and run third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and second in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) as a 4-year-old and retire with $5.5 million in earnings.
Simplification would reward Sano with his second victory in the Fountain of Youth in 2022 and run fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Il Miracolo won the 2023 Smarty Jones (G3) and 2024 Ghostzapper (G3) and was third in 2023 Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
