J. Paco Gonzalez
Encyclopedia
Juan Paco Gonzalez is an American Thoroughbred horse racing
trainer
.
The fourth of six children, Paco Gonzalez grew up on a ranch near Guadalajara
where his family owned Quarter horses
. As a boy he was inspired to go into the Thoroughbred racing business by two older brothers who were jockey
s at Agua Caliente Racetrack
in Tijuana
. In 1964, Paco Gonzalez followed his brothers north to California
where he found work as a stable hand for trainer Joe Manzi under whom he would learn the business for the next twenty-five years.
Joe Manzi died in April 1989 http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/66443347.html?dids=66443347:66443347&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+29%2C+1989&author=BILL+CHRISTINE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Trainer+Joe+Manzi+Dead+at+53+Fatal+Heart+Attack+Apparently+Occurs+While+He+Is+Asleep&pqatl=google and Gonzalez took over as trainer of the stable whose clients included John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery
, Canadian
friends who raced as a partnership. For Toffan and McCaffrey and/or with other partners, the soft-spoken and reserved Paco Gonzalez enjoyed considerable success as the trainer of millionaire multiple Grade I
winners Bien Bien
, Free House
, and Came Home
.
Among other runners conditioned by Paco Gonzalez, Del Mar Dennis
won three straight editions of the San Bernardino Handicap
between 1994 and 1996. As well, the Gonzalez-trained filly
Pacific Squall won the Grade I Hollywood Oaks in 1992.
Trudy McCaffery died in early 2007 and Paco Gonzalez continues to train horses on a smaller scale for John Toffan and wife, Cheryl.
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
.
The fourth of six children, Paco Gonzalez grew up on a ranch near Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
where his family owned Quarter horses
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
. As a boy he was inspired to go into the Thoroughbred racing business by two older brothers who were jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
s at Agua Caliente Racetrack
Agua Caliente Racetrack
The Agua Caliente Racetrack is a greyhound racing and former horse racing track in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. It opened in December 1929 at a cost of $2.5 million.One year before, the Agua Caliente Casino and Hotel opened in June 1928....
in Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
. In 1964, Paco Gonzalez followed his brothers north to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he found work as a stable hand for trainer Joe Manzi under whom he would learn the business for the next twenty-five years.
Joe Manzi died in April 1989 http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/66443347.html?dids=66443347:66443347&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+29%2C+1989&author=BILL+CHRISTINE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Trainer+Joe+Manzi+Dead+at+53+Fatal+Heart+Attack+Apparently+Occurs+While+He+Is+Asleep&pqatl=google and Gonzalez took over as trainer of the stable whose clients included John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery
Trudy McCaffery
Trudy V. McCaffery was a prominent Thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder in California who served on the Board of Directors of the Edwin J...
, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
friends who raced as a partnership. For Toffan and McCaffrey and/or with other partners, the soft-spoken and reserved Paco Gonzalez enjoyed considerable success as the trainer of millionaire multiple Grade I
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
winners Bien Bien
Bien Bien
Bien Bien was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred by William S. Farish III & William S. Kilroy and raced by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan....
, Free House
Free House (horse)
Free House was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that Blood-Horse Publications called one of the best California-bred horses of all time. A descendant of Nearco through both his sire and dam, he was bred and raced by John Toffan & Trudy McCaffery...
, and Came Home
Came Home
Came Home is an American Thoroughbred racehorse that is now retired to stud. He was sired by Gone West, who was recently pensioned at . Came Home is out of the graded-stakes-winning mare Nice Assay....
.
- Bien Bien won the 1992 Hollywood Turf Cup StakesHollywood Turf Cup StakesThe Hollywood Turf Cup is an American stakes race for thoroughbred horses at Hollywood Park Racetrack. A Grade I event, it is open to horses, age three and up, and run at a distance of one and one-half miles. The Hollywood Turf Cup offers a purse of $250,000....
, the 1993 Hollywood Invitational Turf HandicapCharles Whittingham Memorial HandicapThe Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of June at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California...
, and the 1994 San Juan Capistrano Invitational HandicapSan Juan Capistrano Invitational HandicapThe San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap is an American invitational handicap Thoroughbred horse race run annually on turf at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is North America's longest graded stakes race. Open to horses age four and older, the Grade II event currently offers a...
before retiring with earnings of US$United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,498,370. Bien Bien sireSireSire may refer to:* Father, the counterpart of a dam, particularly in animal breeding. See also stallion* James W. Sire, author on worldviews* Sire Records, a record label* Sire Advertising, an advertising agency...
d millionaire Bienamado whom Gonzalez trained and who in 2000/2001 won the same three major races as his sire had. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/71370113.html?dids=71370113:71370113&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+16%2C+2001&author=BOB+MIESZERSKI&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=HORSE+RACING%3B+Looking+Back+at+a+Solid+Meet&pqatl=google - Free House retired with earnings of more than US$3.1 million having won major races such as the 1997 Santa Anita DerbySanta Anita DerbyThe Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $1 million. Inaugurated in 1935, it is considered the most important West Coast stepping-stone to the Kentucky Derby...
, 1998 Pacific Classic StakesPacific Classic StakesThe Pacific Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for runners aged 3-year-old or up run at the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter...
, and 1999 Santa Anita HandicapSanta Anita HandicapThe Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
. He also ran third in the Kentucky DerbyKentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
, second by a nose in the Preakness StakesPreakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, and third in the Belmont StakesBelmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
. http://espn.go.com/horse/news/2004/0721/1843876.html - Came Home earned US$1,835,940. His wins included the 2001 Hopeful Stakes and the 2002 Santa Anita Derby http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sandiego/access/113071450.html?dids=113071450:113071450&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+07%2C+2002&author=Hank+Wesch&pub=The+San+Diego+Union+-+Tribune&desc=Coming+home+alone+%7C+Came+Home%2C+horse+nobody+wanted%2C+wins+S.A.+Derby&pqatl=google and Pacific Classic Stakes.
Among other runners conditioned by Paco Gonzalez, Del Mar Dennis
Del Mar Dennis
Del Mar Dennis is an American millionaire Thoroughbred racehorse who raced from a base at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California where he won three straight editions of the San Bernardino Handicap between 1994 and 1996....
won three straight editions of the San Bernardino Handicap
Tokyo City Cup
The Tokyo City Cup Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A Grade III event raced on Pro-Ride synthetic dirt at a distance of 1½ miles , it is open to horses aged four and older.Run as the San Bernardino Handicap...
between 1994 and 1996. As well, the Gonzalez-trained filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
Pacific Squall won the Grade I Hollywood Oaks in 1992.
Trudy McCaffery died in early 2007 and Paco Gonzalez continues to train horses on a smaller scale for John Toffan and wife, Cheryl.