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Pena’s horses have accounted for $391,020 at the Big M so far. He brought Native Bride out here with him and she won four of her first five starts against invitational-class mares, including a 1:50:2 mile in the first round of the recent Cape and Cutter series. She earned $75,000 in her starts. Pena, 42, was a regular on the Cal-Expo/Los Alamitos circuit before moving east. A native of La Palma, Mexico, he now has 25 horses stabled at Gaitway Farms in Englishtown, NJ. "I came out east in July since racing in California has been struggling," Pena explained. "I thought I'd seek my pot of gold in the New Jersey area. I've always trained in California, and I guess I've done my share of winning there. I've won maybe six titles training and driving on the California circuit." Pena grew up around the racetrack and learned the ropes of the business from trainer Gary Baker. His father, Vince, has managed Beck Farms in Stockton the last seven years. "I started traveling with my dad on the California circuit when I was 13 and started to help as a groom," Pena said. "But I really got to learn how to train when Gary Baker took over the stable for a year and a half when I was 15. He taught me how to hang them up right and keep them as sound as possible." Pena earned his qualifying license to drive at 16 and won his first race that year at Fairplex Park with California Magic. "I was hustling around for some drives and then started training with one horse, then got two and three," recalled Pena of the early lean times. "My father was a groom for Jerry Silverman and Doug Ackerman," he said. "That's how I got started, going in to help him at the barn on weekends and in the summer as a kid. We were at Del Mar, Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows. "Jerry Silverman always told me to work hard and stay focused if you want to be successful," he continued. "I never took those words for granted. Gary Baker worked for Jerry for many years, and eventually took over his California outfit. Gary let me be kind of a second trainer. It really helped me learn a lot. Gary eventually moved east, and I was only about 16 when I actually started a stable. [Training horses] is all I've ever done. I dabbled in thoroughbreds and quarter horses." Pena has worked with many talented pacers over the years, including Eaton Road Kill, Easton Alliance and Positron. "I think you have to run with it when you get on a roll," he said. "Sure, the luck can run out, but if you work hard and you're smart about it, you'll get lucky a lot. I'm a firm believer in that. If you don't look beyond the wall in front of you, you'll never see the light in front of it. I was five years old when I came to America, and I don't remember having two shirts until I was ten. I had to learn to survive. " Lou Pena's Career Training Statistics through February 24, 2010 Year Starts Wins 2nds 3rds Earnings 2010 143 45 23 16 $513,937 2009 548 120 65 86 $ 849,990 2008 838 101 120 109 $ 442,210 2007 912 124 125 125 $ 567,147 2006 682 100 99 74 $ 407,029 2005 568 75 57 87 $ 298,412 2004 558 94 83 67 $ 406,386 2003 635 164 93 74 $ 642,219 2002 574 122 89 84 $ 589,365 2001 205 46 29 25 $ 204,603 2000 Did not compete 1999 793 164 128 107 $ 950,328 1998 818 139 132 114 $ 582,857 1997 608 119 107 80 $ 438,965 1996 510 90 70 70 $ 307,408 1995 597 122 116 80 $ 358,085 1994 185 30 24 25 $ 102,411 1993 105 22 15 14 $ 63,402 1991 153 19 17 14 $ 87,832 Total 1,696 $7,812,586 |
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