Southern California Trainer Inda Dies at 78

Eduardo Inda, remembered for his work as Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally's primary assistant through his glory years with the great racehorse John Henry in the 1980s, died Dec. 22, according to family. He was 78.

Born Jan. 3, 1943, in Santiago, Chile, Inda also did well for a time when training his own public stable. According to Equibase statistics, he won 154 races from 1,153 starts from 1992-2012, with his horses earning $10,154,380. His best years came from 1996-2002.

Over that stretch, he trained Aaron and Marie Jones' Brazilian import Riboletta , who in 2000 captured the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1), Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap (G1), Vanity Handicap (G1), Ruffian Handicap (G1), and Beldame Stakes (G1), among other races. Not even a seventh in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) could stop her from earning championship honors as older female.

"She's very special," Inda told The Blood-Horse after Riboletta cruised to victory in the Ruffian. "We've done some things different with her. The people who had her in Brazil called me after I got her and said she had to be trained a little differently than the way she had been. We've taken it slow with her."

Inda, who resided in Southern California, is survived by his wife Monica, daughters Monica Cowell and Lisa Isaguirre, and four grandchildren.