Arnett Saddles 2,000th Winner
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Photo: Coady Photography
Jon Arnett wins his 2,000th race with Downtowner at Prairie Meadows
Trainer Jon Arnett saddled his 2,000th winner as he sent out Downtowner to win the fifth race at Prairie Meadows Sept. 18.
Ridden by Leandro Goncalves, Downtowner rallied from fifth and drew off to a 10 1/4-length in a one-mile claiming event for 3-year-olds and up. The 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding owned by Danny Stafford completed the distance in 1:37.28 on a fast track. The winner's share of the $20,000 purse improved his earnings to $223,089 and record to 7-3-3 from 23 starts.
Arnett is the son of the late Robert Arnett, who was a leading trainer in New Mexico. He is the second-leading trainer at the Prairie Meadows meet with 32 victories and is third in earnings with $560,725. The meet began June 19 and runs through Oct. 10.
Arnett began training in 1979, according to Equibase statistics, and has compiled nearly $21.3 million in earnings from a 2,000-1,850-1,621 record from 12,050 starts through Friday. He has conditioned City Sage, who earned $315,006 while trained by Arnett; Shock Hazard, a three-time black-type winner at Prairie Meadows and earner of $276,029; Zeki, the winner of a pair of stakes at the Iowa track who earned $241,770 under Arnett's care; and Cainam, who was with Arnett the second half of his career and won a pair of black-type events and $237,296 for the trainer.