Trainer Montano notches victory as he mourns wife of 58 years

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Angel Montano didn’t make the trip Thursday to Keeneland to saddle Dapper Sam, the latest winner in his remarkable training career. Montano recently turned 78 and has trouble getting around, owing to a bum hip and other maladies, so he watched on TV from his Louisville condominium.

The physical setbacks, however, are not what ails Montano. On Sept. 30, he lost his wife of 58 years, Patricia “Mom Pat” Montano, who died of cancer at age 75. The couple had seven grown children – most of them involved in racing in one facet or another – as well as 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His victory with Dapper Sam was Montano’s first since her death.

“I’m still trying to get over it,” Montano said early Friday. “It’s very hard.”

Following the death of Forrest Kaelin in late July, Montano is now believed to be the longest-tenured trainer on the Kentucky circuit, or at least at his home track, Churchill Downs. D. Wayne Lukas, the 83-year-old Hall of Famer, is older, but no one has had a stable here longer than Montano, who came to the U.S. from his native Mexico in 1956 prior to taking out a trainer’s license in 1961.

In his glory years, Montano was the leading trainer at Churchill for three straight spring meets (1976-78), and has also been the leading trainer at meets at Ellis Park (1976, 1990) and Turfway Park (1990, 2000). Since 1976, which is as far back as available stats go, his horses have won 1,130 races.

But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Montano has reveled in the joys of family while becoming as well liked and respected as anyone on the circuit. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people on the racetrack and beyond have let the Montanos know they’re hurting for the family.

“Dad doesn’t burn any bridges,” said Joey Montano, a horse owner and one of Angel’s five sons. “From the hot walkers to the owners, everyone seems to appreciate what a nice guy he is. He’s really something.”

Dapper Sam, ridden by apprentice Edgar Morales, won Thursday by 4 3/4 lengths as the 17-10 favorite. The 4-year-old gelding was one of five horses (out of just seven starters) claimed for $16,000 out of the race, and Montano will seek to replace him some time soon with a claim of his own.

But there’s someone he can’t replace, and his life will never be the same.

“They don’t make ’em like her anymore,” he said. “She was a good person, a good mom. She’s in heaven now, so she’s better off.”