Scott Lake Sixth Trainer to Saddle 6,000 Winners

Trainer Scott Lake accomplished a major milestone April 22 when I'm the Talent won the fifth race at Parx Racing, awarding Lake his 6,000th career win. Only five trainers—Dale Baird, Steve Asmussen, Jerry Hollendorfer, Jack Van Berg, and King Leatherbury—have achieved more.

Lake, 54, saddled Aurora Vista's 3-year-old Talent Search  filly for her debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight Monday. Jockey Luis Villanueva and I'm the Talent led every step and hit the wire in 1:11.22 finishing 6 3/4 lengths in front.

Lake was born in Harrisburg, Pa., and lives near Philadelphia with his wife, former jockey Jennifer Stisted, and his two kids. His father was a policeman in Harrisburg that once shared a hospital room with a horse trainer. Lake was 12 at the time, and his father bought a horse when he was released from the hospital and Lake began walking hots. He saddled his first starter in 1987 and scored his first victory that year at Penn National with Niminy Piminy. Lake was ranked first by wins in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2006 and was a finalist for the Eclipse Awards' outstanding trainer those first two years.

The mid-Atlantic based conditioner is a member of the Parx Racing Hall of Fame and has saddled two horses to hit the board in the Breeders' Cup. Thunderello led almost every step of the 2002 NAPA Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Arlington International before Orientate caught the 48-1 shot and won by half a length. Lake was back in the Breeders' Cup Sprint the next year at Santa Anita Park with Shake You Down, who finished third.

Shake You Down, Lake's top earner, earned over $1.4 million in his career, most of which came in Lake's care. His biggest victory came in the True North Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park the summer before his Breeders' Cup bid. He also won multiple grade 3 races and was second in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G1) at Laurel Park.

Lake also trained Nearctic Stakes (G2T) winner True to Tradition, General George Handicap (G2) winner My Cousin Matt, and Salvator Mile Handicap (G3) winner Leave It to Beezer. His trainees have earned over $100 million.