MOREY WINS TRAINING TITLE AT GGF,
ENDS HOLLENDORFER’S REIGN AS KING
Trainer William E. Morey didn’t win a race Sunday, but after winning four races Saturday he was able to hang on for the training championship at the 2008 Golden Gate Fields spring meeting and end Jerry Hollendorfer’s reign as king at the East Bay racetrack.
Hollendorfer had won 32 consecutive training crowns at Golden Gate Fields, a streak that began in 1986. Morey ended Hollendorfer’s amazing run by saddling 25 winners during the 30-day spring meeting.
Hollendorfer, who went 0-for-4 Sunday, won 23 races and finished tied for second in the standings with Steve Miyadi, who won one race on the closing-day card.
“It feels great,” said Morey. “It hasn’t been done since 1986. Our stable was up in starts and had a good win percentage. A lot of guys won a lot of races and that meant fewer races that Jerry won. This is hard to top. Some other guys will win titles but I’ll be the one who was the first one to take down Jerry.”
Morey, who has 60 horses in his stable, had 78 starters at the meeting and won races at outstanding 32 percent clip. Hollendorfer started 107 runners and had a winning percentage of 21.4. Miyadi had 80 starters and finished with a fine win percentage of 28.7.
Morey, 34, is the son of veteran Bay Area conditioner William J. Morey, Jr., and he served as his father’s assistant for eight years before taking out his trainer’s license in 2001. William E. Morey has ranked among the top five trainers at each of the past 10 major meetings in Northern California and was second to Hollendorfer at two meetings (2007-2008 Golden Gate Fields season and 2005 Golden Gate Fields spring session).
There were no surprises in the race for leading jockey honors as Russell Baze won 48 races to earn his 33rd career riding championship at Golden Gate Fields. Frank Alvarado finished second with 27 victories and Chris Landeros was third with 16 wins.