Stein goes out a winner at Pleasanton

Roger Stein, who made the transition from top harness trainer to Thoroughbreds, won the final race of his training career when he sent out Cleverly Beverly to win a $25,000 maiden-claiming race Sunday at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting.

Stein, 60, has been fighting an incapacitating form of nerve damage called advanced peripheral neuropathy which has been affecting his feet and fingers for the past five years.

Stein, who had 470 winners from 4,179 Thoroughbred starters, trained multiple Grade 1 winners Southern Truce and Forty Niner Days since beginning his Thoroughbred training career in 1979. He had 17 meet championships during seven years as a harness trainer and was known for finding and developing runners bred in New Zealand and Australia.

In addition to training, Stein hosted a long-running radio show of 26 years in Southern California.