Duarte easing into head trainer's role
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. saddled No Fly Zone ahead of a narrow victory in the first race here Wednesday, it brought his record to a cool 4 for 8 at the championship meet. Duarte is training for Colts Neck Stable, the New Jersey farm that has used Alan Goldberg as its main trainer for nearly three decades.
But with Goldberg, 69, staying home in New Jersey this winter while easing himself into semi-retirement, Duarte is overseeing the stable at Palm Meadows.
“When [Goldberg] hired me five years ago, it was his plan for me to get my feet wet as his assistant, and later on, he’d start retiring,” said Duarte, 34. “He might still run some horse in his name this spring, but right now, I’m calling the shots.”
As a jockey, Duarte rode 424 winners in a 10-year career that ended in 2010. His father also rode 223 winners in the U.S. in a career that ended in 1995.
Hess in for long haul
Bob Hess Jr. is giving Gulfstream another go. Based primarily in Southern California, the 53-year-old trainer maintained a satellite string here during four straight winter meets (2011-14), but that was before year-round racing at Gulfstream became firmly entrenched.
“Being able to set something up here year-round changes the dynamic for me, and I’m finally in a position to try to make this a permanent thing,” said Hess. “I’ve got about 15 here now. I’m planning to do some claiming and maybe get up to 30 or so while maintaining my usual 32 to 35 back at Santa Anita.”
Kim Wessner is the local assistant for Hess, a winner of more than 1,200 races in a career dating to 1987.
