Tim Martin Wins 1,000th Race as a Trainer

Tim Martin registered the 1,000th winner of his 35-year training career July 27 when Cool Catomine won the fifth race at Prairie Meadows. The 6-year-old Spring at Last gelding led for much of the race and drew away by 4 1/4 lengths. 

"The last few years I've been winning more races," Martin said in a telephone interview July 28. "It's good. It's quite an accomplishment. I was tickled to get there."

The 57-year-old began training in his early 20s, saddling his first starter in 1985. Years later, his stable grew in scope and success, momentum he has continued this past decade. Since 2011, his runners have tallied more than $1 million in annual earnings, a trend he looks to maintain in 2020. Through July 27, his horses this year had won 38 of 275 races and $607,712.

"My deal is with mostly cheap claiming horses. I've had to make that million the hard way," he said of his yearly figures.

His career training record stands at 1,000 victories from 9,523 starters with his runners making nearly $17.7 million.

Appropriately, his milestone victory with Cool Catomine came in a lower-level race. The gelding won for a $5,000 claiming price Monday for owners Jordyn Burco-Robinson and Jashua Robinson. It was the gelding's second consecutive victory of the Prairie Meadows meet, both coming under Ken Tohill.

Congrats to trainer Tim Martin, with jockey Ken Tohill and owner Jordyn Burco-Robinson, on his 1,000th win as Sweet Catomine score in the 5th! pic.twitter.com/15cRrIk35B

— Prairie Meadows (@prmracing) July 27, 2020

Three years ago, long before Martin claimed him last summer for $6,250, Cool Catomine won Fort Erie's Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

A native of Hardy, Ark., Martin comes from a racing family. His brother, Phillip, owns horses with him, and two other brothers, Joe and Bill, also train.

As an owner, Tim has won 113 races, plus at least nine more in partnership, according to Equibase.

Martin, whose horses race primarily at Oaklawn Park, Prairie Meadows, and Remington Park, owns in partnership two training centers in Arkansas, Royal Training Center and Double M Stables. He is also a board member of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders' and Horsemen's Association.

Stakes winners for the trainer include Zapit, Racer, Dreamin, Dubai Kowboy, Zealous Vision, Lively Vision, and others—most of which have capitalized on state-bred programs in Arkansas, Iowa, or Oklahoma.