Longtime McGaughey assistant Medina takes position with Blackwood Stables

Robbie Medina, a longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, has left that job to become general manager of Guinness McFadden’s Blackwood Stables in Lexington, Ky.

The news was first reported by Thoroughbred Daily News.

Medina, in a phone interview with Daily Racing Form Thursday, said he was approached by McFadden several months ago and has been working at Blackwood for a week. McFadden was co-owner of Country House, who finished second but was placed first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security.

“I’ve been thinking for the last year of doing something a little different,” Medina said. “Guinness McFadden called me, we got to talking, I liked what he was saying. It’s something totally different, I thought I would dive in and give it a shot.”

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Medina said another factor was he wouldn’t have to move his family - which includes a 7-year-old daughter - as much. Medina, who typically split his year between Florida and New York, said he’s always been fond of Lexington.

Medina said he would be involved in the training of 2-year-olds and horses coming back off a layoff for a number of trainers. Medina did not rule out training some of his own horses eventually.

“Somewhere down the line I might fool around with a horse or two but my main goal is to leg up some horses off the layoff, get some 2-year-olds going and send them where they’re meant to go,” Medina said. “Shug has sent horses here the last four or five years.”

Medina, 46, said he worked for McGaughey for more than 25 years. His fondest memories include winning the Kentucky Derby in 2013 with Orb and the 2015 Metropolitan Handicap with Honor Code.

“The Derby obviously was unbelievable,” Medina said. “I don’t want to sound stupid but when Honor Code won the Met Mile that was almost as a big a thrill for me. The Met Mile was always my favorite race.”

McGaughey said the job at Blackwood “is a good opportunity” for Medina. “I told him the door’s open and will always be open but I hope that works out for him,” McGaughey added.

McGaughey has hired Anthony Hamilton Jr. as his assistant. Hamilton had trained on his own for several years, winning 36 races from 280 starters, before joining McGaughey’s staff at the end of March.