McAnally to be given Laffit Pincay Jr. Award
DEL MAR, Calif. -- Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally on Saturday will be presented with the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award, given at Del Mar to Southern California-based horsemen who have served the sport with integrity and distinction.
The presentation will take place in the winner's circle following race 4.
McAnally, 90, has been part of the history of Del Mar his entire adult life. Though he currently trains just five horses, four of whom are owned by he and his wife, Debbie, McAnally dutifully shows up at the barn every morning to watch his runners train from his second-story perch above his barn. His longtime assistant Dan Landers is integral to the operation.
McAnally first came to Del Mar with his uncle, trainer Reggie Cornell, in 1948.
After going out on his own, McAnally fashioned a brilliant career, highlighted by a pair of Horse of the Year titles with the immortal John Henry, and Breeders' Cup wins with Bayakoa, Northern Spur, and Paseana. He is a three-time winner of the Eclipse Award as champion trainer.
At Del Mar, McAnally at one point was the all-time winningest trainer, a position he held for 12 years. With expanded racing and barn size, he has since been passed by Bob Baffert, John Sadler, and Mike Mitchell, and now ranks fourth. He is third all-time in stakes wins, behind Baffert and Sadler, with three Hall of Famers -- Charlie Whittingham, Bobby Frankel, and Richard Mandella -- next on that list.
Past winners of the Pincay Award include fellow trainers Noble Threewitt, Mel and Warren Stute, and Art Sherman, and jockeys Eddie Delahoussaye and Chris McCarron.