Simms saddles first major-league winner

Mark Simms Jr. will never forget the feeling he got Saturday night when Kaziranga rallied to win the sixth race. It was the first victory at a top-tiered racetrack for Simms, a former assistant for Dale Romans, since he began his training career two years ago.

“Dreams do come true,” said Simms, 30.

Simms had netted four wins from 36 prior starts, with the first coming in July 2017 in a $2,500 conditioned claiming race at Fargo in North Dakota. Simms, who grew up in North Dakota and Virginia, is a retired U.S. Army official, having served tours of duty in Korea and Afghanistan prior to finding his way to Kentucky in 2014. He credits Romans and Baldemar Bahena, a longtime Romans assistant, with showing him the ropes in the racing business.

“They have been extremely supportive of my career,” said Simms, who has three horses in training at the nearby Trackside training center.