By- Topicount

This was a year of high accomplishments and great feats: Sunnybank managed his star Sunnybank Memorial to a memorable, and record, 7 Grade 1 wins, capped off by a victory against his elders in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. There were unbeaten juveniles, stables with multiple graded stakes winners, a colt that won two legs of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Bowl Classic. So many accomplishments, and not all of these trainers could make it onto the ballot. A tough choice was made even tougher when you consider the finalists:

***Sunnybank: 3rd in Total SIM earnings for 2004, Was #1 in Grade I wins for 2004, tying the all-time record in one year(7) set by toplight(2001). Trainer of the top 3yo Turf Horse in 2004 Sunnybank Memorial, winner of 7 straight graded/group races in 2004. Winner of the Breeders Bowl Turf with Sunnybank Memorial.

***Fatattack: 5th in Total SIM earnings for 2004, Tied for 4th in number of Grade I wins, and tied for 4th in total Graded wins in 2004. First trainer/stable in SIM history to win two Triple Tiara Races in the same year with two different horses, Texas Tornado(Bluegrass Oaks) and Acorn Stakes (Taylor Made II). Also trained in 2004, one of the top-ranked older dirt sprinters, Spirit of Texas, Grade I winner of over $1.3 million, and the now retired Baylee's Dreamer who raced in 2004, 4-time graded winner, 5-time Grade I placed filly/mare turf sprinter. Had 3 different Grade I winners in 2004, and 4 Graded winners overall for 2004.

***Foxon: 9th in Total SIM earning for 2004, tied for 6th in total wins for the year. Trainer of the top-ranked horses Hey Zeus and Paper St. Soap Co. Had two different Grade I winners in 2004, and two Breeders Bowl participants. Dominated the GSR trainers’ competition throughout 2004.

***Paceman2: 6th in Total SIM earnings for 2004, Tied for 3rd in Grade I wins, and tied for 4th in overall Graded wins. Trained the impressive 3yo filly Krishna(IRE) a 4-time Grade I winner in 2004. Also trained the Grade I winner and multiple graded winner Canasha winner of over $1.1 million. In 2004, this trainer also raced the multiple Grade I winner Daneye, earner of over $3 million, 8-time Graded winner.

***Swampy: 7th Overall in Total SIM earnings for 2004, tied for 4th overall in Grade I wins, and tied for 2nd in total Graded wins. Trained the top-ranked Bristol Rivers, 4-time Grade I winner in 2004 and Bristol Rivers won 8 graded races overall in 2004. Winning percentage of 22.9% for 2004.

And yet, one trainer loomed large above all these notable and illustrious accomplishments, setting a standard so high that the voters couldn’t help but stop and take notice. Leading trainer by earnings: $5,864,231. From only 93 starts, the stable raked in 29 wins, 6 of them Grade 1 races (second only to Sunnybank). Of the 29 wins, _twelve_, a mindboggling 43% of them, were in graded stakes. The second closest trainers, Sunnybank and Swampy, had eight. Again, of those 29 wins, 19 of them came in stakes, more than any other trainer in the sim. The average earnings per start in 2004 was a whopping $63,000, $20,000 more than the next contender. Your 2004 trainer of the year? Masterab, the flagship stable for kingab.

I had the privilege of visiting his flagship stable a few weeks ago. It was a cold winter morning, and the ground crunched under our feet, as we made our way to the barn. As we walked down the shedrow, heads poked out of the barn, curious, hopeful of a treat. The tough and gritty Allied Assault is there, a champion in 2003, and nominated yet again for his accomplishments in 2004. Even the tempermental Evil Yes Evil looks out, as his trainer and I make the rounds. There is little turnover in the barn; only 13 different horses competed under the name of masterab in 2004. Nor are there the one hit wonders; many of his charges have carried their ability over several years; a testament to his training ability.

Allied Assault hardly needs introduction. The now-five year old first arrived as a promising juvenile, where he won two of four starts, and then launched himself to stardom the following year. This year was tougher, expectations higher, but the trainer and the defending champ delivered. Twelve starts against the turf elite, five wins - all in Grade 1 stakes, two in track record time, and six seconds. "He’s as honest as they come," said masterab once of his charge, and that is the absolute truth. The War Chant colt never ducked a challenge all year long, trading blows with rival Bristol Rovers, and while couldn’t quite catch Sunnybank Memorial to defend his title in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf, he was hardly disgraced, as the champ was a clear second and gave it his all. Allied Assault finished out the year with a repeat victory in the Pennsylvania Marathon-G1, and has already notched yet another Grade 1 victory in his seasonal debut. I couldn’t help but ask again, the question masterab has been asked so many times before - will you ever try him on dirt? A noncommital smile and a shake of the head was all I got in return. Still, with almost 8 million in earnings, and 19 wins from 31 starts, and one of the best sim horses ever to grace the turf, it is hard to argue that one should mess with success.

In the next stall is Evil Yes Evil, a grade 3 winner at four, rose to prominence in 2004 when stretched out to the marathon two mile distance. In any other stable, this guy would be the star, but instead, the Evil one has to settle for being in Allied’s shadow. As we talked, the grey son of Pulpit, who kept attempting to nip his groom, made it clear how his temperment landed him his name. Evil began the year on an absolute winning tear, ripping off five straight wins, including a Grade 1 score in California. At one point, masterab was so confident in his charge that he put credits on the line, in an entertaining thread, putting his money where his mouth was that Evil Yes Evil was the best marathoner in training. Evil couldn’t quite deliver, losing that race. Did he regret that move? "No," masterab said, "the message board was boring, and that certainly livened things up." While the win streak was snapped, Evil Yes Evil continued to show that he was among the marathon elite, winning two of his last seven starts, both Grade 3 stakes. The colt tailed off a bit at the end of the season, although, to be fair, when seventh behind his stablemate in the Breeders’ Bowl Turf, the colt was not given his best distance, but that said, Evil has already rebounded in 2005 with a stakes victory. It should also be noted that Evil, like Allied Assault, set two track records in 2004.

A considerable void was left with the retirement of King Cat. The 2002 Equinics hero picked up a pair of Grade 3 stakes wins in 2004, including a dazzling 119 SF performance over 1 1/16 miles early in the year, but for every win, he tossed in two clunkers, and so the difficult decision was made to retire him. Return of the Cat has done his best to ease that pain. The son of Seeking the Gold was a bit green in his debut, but the race did him a world of good, and the juvenile won at second asking in Louisiana. He continued to demonstrate his newly found professionalism, winning a pair of 7 ½ furlongs stakes with 90+ speed, showing that he was one to take note of. The Cat disappointed in his season finale, but whether it was the Grade 1 competition, or the additional distance, it is hard to say. That said, the Cat returned with a flair in 2005, winning his sophomore bow by beating a tough field in the 7 furlong Forest Prospector Stakes with a flashy 107 SF.

But that’s not all. There’s another promising talent waiting in the wings. The multiple stakes winning Rain Joe was retired after failing to hit the board in three tries in 2004. His daughter, Bad Storm Rising quickly picked up where he left off. The bright chestnut filly was bred to succeed, out of a stakes winner by leading sim sire Danzig, and she delivered. Racing only on turf to date, she captured her maiden in her second try, then made a successful move to stakes, winning the Ah Via Musicom Stakes, and placing in three others. Like the rest of the barn, the now three year old has made a winning start to 2005 (yes, for those keeping score, masterab has already won four stakes races in 2005, one of them a Grade 1), picking up her second career stakes victory. The sophomore has yet to finish worse than third in seven career starts.

The B string in the barn is better than many stables’ A string. The grade 1 winning Dyanasea was retired after two poor starts in 2004, the end of a long career that saw the nine year old mare win four graded stakes, and 18 total wins from 55 starts, with earnings of $1.5 million. Her son, Admiral Halsey, by Forty Niner, broke his maiden in four starts, and looks like he might want another go on the dirt. The regally bred Twice As Bold broke his maiden in his 2004 debut, and spent most of the season working his way through his allowance conditions, although in his penultimate start he was second in his stakes debut, a 7 ½ furlong sprint, so he may become the next in a long line of masterab stakes winners. Golden Slope is another royally bred (Seeking the Gold x Nijinsky), lightly raced colt who just turned four. Slope has flashed some serious speed on occasion, but he’s a bit headstrong, posing a challenge for masterab, who, more than most trainers, is up to the task. Another newly turned four year old is Ashley Power, by Sakhee, who has been competing in allowances most of 2004.

The newcomer to the barn is Like A Diamond, a speedy looking and bright-eyed juvenile filly by Phone Trick. Her dam, Quartz was a five time stakes winner who bankrolled nearly $500,000. Two of those stakes wins came in early 2004, as the speedy Dayjur filly posting figures of 112 SF and 107 SF out west, but it was clear towards the end of the year that wear and tear was catching up with her, as the gutsy mare was struggling in races she would have dominated the previous season. And finally, the mystery horse is Consider Sandee. Like Evil Yes Evil, this filly is a daughter of Pulpit, but after just four starts early on in the year, she’s sat idle. The leggy bay has grown into herself, so perhaps it was growing pains. The plan for this miss should become clearer in the months to come.

Masterab has demonstrated a keen eye for talent, both as a breeder and as a trainer. His horses are fit, happy, and come ready to run. His office, just off of the barn, is filled with trophies, winners' circle photos, and pictures of his granddaughter, who is a frequent visitor to the barn, and whom he speaks of with love and pride. You won’t see his stock running every other week, nor will you see them in claimers. His horses are asked to take on the best, and they succeed. "There is no secret to the stable's success. As the old breeding saying goes I have bred the best to the best and hoped for the best. In a few cases it has come true." Nominated in 2003 for this award, and the winner this year, for those wishing to have the big horse, you won’t go wrong keeping an eye on this accomplished, and now Eclipse Award winning, trainer. Congratulations, it is well-deserved!