Success as a jockey is no indicator of success as a trainer but Wayne Catalano is the exception to the rule.

During a brilliant albeit brief career, Catalano won 1,792 races, was North America’s second leading rider behind Steve Cauthen in 1977 and had a lock in the riding titles at Detroit Race Course and Hazel Park. Among the jockeys finishing behind him in the 1977 top ten were future Hall of Famers Chris McCarron, Laffit Pincay, Angela Cordero, Sandy Hawley, and Eddie Delahoussaye.

Those accomplishments were only the preamble to one of the most remarkable training careers in Chicago racing history.

The record book argues that at age 56 Catalano has become the greatest trainer in the annals of Arlington Park.

In keeping with his custom since 2000, Catalano took the Arlington championship again this summer, his 10th in 12 years.

No other trainer in Arlington history has been so dominant. And the list of former winners of multiple championships include such highly esteemed horsemen as William Hal Bishop (eight titles from 1951 to 19620 Arnold Winick (seven from 1960 to 1970), Richard Hazelton (seven from 1971 to 1984), Ben Jones (six from 1934 through 1946), Harvey Vanier (six from 1987 through 1997), and Noel Hickey (three in a row during his record breaking run that began in 1990).

Not only did Catalano break the Arlington record for most championships this summer, he also broke his own record for most winners at an Arlington meeting.  On the final day of the 91 day meeting Summer Upcountry, a three year old gelding owned by Greg Besinger won a 5 ½ furlong claiming race for Illinois Breds on the Turf course, giving Catalano his 75th winner, breaking his own record of 74 set in 2007.

“I’m happy to do it for my team” Catalano said, paying tribute to the unsung heroes of his barn. “It meant a lot to them, they’ve worked very hard for this. I have to thank the owners who supply me with the horses. We’ve gotten a lot of good support.”

However, this is a record that Catalano has broken many times before.  In 2002 his 64 winners bettered by two the record that Hickey set in 1991 and he broke that record by saddling 69 winners in 2005 and then out did himself again in 2007.

The only Arlington record that has eluded Catalano is the record for all time winners. With 811 triumphs he still has some ground to make up to pass Hazelton, who retired this year with 1,181 victories at the track.

Not only has Catalano excelled in terms of quantity but he has also set the Chicago standard for quality.  His most notable victories have come in the Grade I Juvenile Fillies, A race that he won with Dreaming of Anna in 2006 and again with She Be Wild in 2009. Both Fillies earned eclipse awards as two-year old champions.

What’s the secret to Catalano’s success?

“First and Foremost, I had a great teacher,” he answered without hesitation. “I was brought up under Jack Van Berg, one of the best horsemen in the country. He taught me Horsemanship.”

Catalano was a 15 year old high school dropout when he showed up at the Hall of Fame trainers barn at the Fair Ground’s in his native New Orleans in 1971.

“I didn’t know much about the racetrack at all,” he related.
“I was a young kid not doing well in school. My Uncle told my Mom:’ why don’t you bring him to the track?’ That’s how it all started. My brother Joe and I wound up working for Jack Van Berg.

“Joe became a Jockey and I went up to Chicago where he was in the summer of 1971. I was sneaking around the track until my birthday because Jack wouldn’t put me to work until I was 16. But trainer Johnny Bordonaro stuck me on first horse before I turned 16.

“When I did go to work for Jack he had me walk horses and groom horses (before becoming an exercise rider and then a Jockey). At the Fair Grounds I groomed horses next to (future trainer) Frank Brothers. We used to fight to see who would be leading groom, the one with the most winners. Frankie would be there at 3:30 in the morning and have everything ready. He was preparing to be a trainer and I was preparing to be a Jockey.”
 

Catalano launched his jockey career in 1974. Riding first call for Van Berg he quickly became the hottest rider at the two Detroit Tracks.

But he didn’t have the opportunity to become a national brand name.

“Big horse didn’t come through Detroit very often,” he said “The best ones I rode were Batonnier for Harvey Trotsec and Stole the Show for Bill Harp.”

In the fall of 1978, Catalano came to Hawthorne race course.

“I was riding first call for Frank Kirby and we were heading toward being the leading Trainer and Jockey when the track burned down,” he recalled. “I called home and said: “Mom, I’m coming home for Thanksgiving after all.”

Although Catalano “really, really liked riding” when he “was young and strong and had a lot of heart” he realized that his career would end someday.

“The last three or four years of my jockey career I was schooling to be a trainer,” he said, “I was going back to the barn  and helping take care of Jack’s horses, rather than just riding and going home. I paid a lot of attention to that part of it. One year he sent me to Keeneland. I was there watching the show for Jack like an assistant trainer and I won 15 races.

When I had a knee problem I stopped riding and, while my knee was healing I started training one little horse that my wife, Rene, and I had. I was intending to go back to riding. Next thing I knew I had 15 horses and I never went back to riding.

“I was very fortunate. Not only was Jack a great horseman and a great trainer, he gave me a couple of his own horses to get started with and he helped me by asking John Franks (One of the leading horse owners at the time); “Why don’t you send Wayne some horses in Chicago?” Once again, I was very fortunate.”

By the end of the 1980’s, Catalano had established himself as one of the top horseman on the Chicago circuit.  He was the champion trainer at Sportsman’s park in 1988 and 1989 and Hawthorne in 1987 and 1989 (and again in 2004).    His first “big horse” was Crypto Star, a colt owned by Darrell and Evelyn Yates.

“We won the (1997) Louisiana Derby and the Arkansas Derby with Crypto Star and he took us to the Kentucky Derby (where he finished fifth) and the Belmont (Where he was fourth),” Catalano said. “From then on everything took off and we’ve had some very nice horses.
 

Soon thereafter Catalano went to work for Frank Calabrese and the enjoyed unprecedented success. Calabrese tied Lothenbach Stables for most victories in 2000 at Arlington Park, then went on to become the undisputed champion for the next 10 meetings.

With Catalano calling the shots, two of Calabrese’s horses, Dreaming of Anna and Lewis Michael, attended national prominence.
 

But it was an on again, off again relationship ended in 2009 the partnership broke up.
 

“I knew it was going to take a little time to get started again,” Catalano said. “You don’t go from 60 horses strong in your barn to a horse and a pony.
 

“But we hustled some horses and I got She Be Wild from Nancy and Michael Mizzoni and my long time owners, Darrell and Evelyn Yates, who have always been there to support me through the on again, off again saga with Frank, Gave me more horses. I was able to regroup pretty fast.

“Now I have about 120 horses. When I was with Frank he didn’t’ mess with young horses that much and that kind of kept me limited. Now, were fortunate to have horses run well in every category (of the condition book).

“We have a handful of young horses we know have talent and a handful who haven’t started and are showing promise.