Asmussen to send 30 horses to Santa Anita

Steve Asmussen plans to send a 30-horse stable to California in December to race at the Santa Anita Park meet, Asmussen said on Wednesday at Churchill Downs. Scott Blasi, Asmussen’s longtime assistant trainer, will oversee the Santa Anita string.

Asmussen’s move coincides with the installation of a new dirt surface at Santa Anita. The new racetrack is expected to be ready for training in early December.

“We don’t want to be guinea pigs or anything, but we’ll get out there after the dirt is in,” Asmussen said.

Darren Fleming, another longtime assistant, now will head up Asmussen’s string at Fair Grounds. In recent years, Fleming has overseen the New Orleans string in the fall until Blasi arrived after the Churchill season ended.

Asmussen is the country’s perennial leading trainer by wins. This year his stable has amassed 406 victories with purse earnings of $13.05 million, second only to Todd Pletcher.