Trainer Bret Calhoun joins 3,000-wins club

Bret Calhoun became the 30th trainer to win 3,000 races when Most Mischief scored a narrow victory in the eighth race Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Calhoun, a 54-year-old Texas native, had been stalking the milestone for several days.

“Just getting that last win – it’s hard to get over the hump,” Calhoun said. “I had an odds-on favorite lose last night at Houston. It feels great.”

Calhoun, who’s trained two Breeders’ Cup winners, had his first starters in 1994 and had only 26 winners his first four years training, but his operation steadily gained momentum, eventually topping out at 233 wins during 2010 alone.

“There were years we were really rolling, but we’re not the flavor of the month any more, so we’ve had to raise the stock over the last several years and things have gone a little slower,” Calhoun said.

“Thinking about everyone [who has] been in this game over such a long time, and only 29 other people have done it – it’s kind of mind-boggling.”

Calhoun is one of 16 active trainers in the 3,000-win club. Three others – Steve Asmussen, Tom Amoss, and Bernie Flint – also are stabled at Fair Grounds this winter.