Ascanio Voted Trainer Of Hollywood Park Fall Meet, Ventura Horse Of The Meet

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 20, 2009) — Ventura, who gave Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel his last wish with a victory in The Matriarch, was voted Horse of the Meet by media as the 27-day Autumn Meet closed Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Humberto Ascanio, assistant to Frankel for 35 years, took over the Hall of Fame trainer’s Hollywood Park stable following his death from lymphoma on Nov. 16 and was voted trainer of the meet as he saddled three graded stakes winners.

Ascanio sent out Fluke to win the Grade I Citation Handicap on Nov. 27, then saddled Ventura as she finished her career with a dramatic win in the Grade I Matriarch one day later.

He completed the graded stakes hat-trick with Mast Track, winner of the Grade III Native Diver Handicap on Dec. 12. Frankel became the first person to breed, own and train a Hollywood Gold Cup winner when Mast Track won in 2008. Mast Track was also saddled by Ascanio that day as Frankel was tending to his New York-based horses.

Ventura was also voted Older Female and Female Turf Horse, Fluke was voted Turf Horse and Mast Track was voted Older Male.

The complete list of winners:

2-Year-Old — Lookin At Lucky 2-Year-Old Male — Lookin At Lucky 2-Year-Old Filly — Blind Luck 3-Year-Old — The Usual Q.T. 3-Year-Old Male — The Usual Q.T. 3-Year-Old Filly — Saucey Evening Older Male — Mast Track Older Female — Ventura Turf Horse — Fluke Female Turf Horse — Ventura Sprinter — Kinsale King Claiming Horse — Midwesterner Horse Of The Meeting — Ventura Trainer — Humberto Ascanio Jockey — Joel Rosario Apprentice Jockey — Christian Santiago Reyes

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