Plesa Gets Winner No. 2,500 at Gulfstream

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - Longtime South Florida trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. notched win No. 2,500 at Gulfstream Park when Raging Fury scored by four lengths in Race 6 of a 10-race program.

The highly-respected 74-year-old trainer watched the milestone victory in Ocala, where he will attend next week’s OBS April Spring Sale. “I feel very fortunate. I’ve been very blessed in this game. I’ve been blessed with great owners. I’ve been blessed with great support, especially from my wife and family,” said Plesa, whose wife, Laurie, owns Racing Fury with longtime client Donald Mensh. “Laurie just asked me, ‘How do you feel?’ I said, ‘Who would have thought I would ever win 2,500 races?’”

Plesa, the son of highly-respected trainer Eddie Plesa Sr., has been based in South Florida throughout his career but has enjoyed Gr. 1 success out of town. He saddled Itsmyluckyday for a victory in the 2014 Woodward at Belmont following a second-place finish in the 2013 Preakness Stakes. Plesa-trained Three Ring, winner of the 1999 Davona Dale (G2) and Bonnie Miss (G2) at Gulfstream, captured the Acorn (G1) at Belmont Park.

Raging Fury ($10.20) took command at the top of the stretch under Edgard Zayas and drew off to win the $35,000 claiming race. Just two races later, Epona’s Hope ($32.20) awarded Plesa with Win No. 2,501 with an upset victory in the Race 8 feature, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

Plesa, obviously, hasn’t grown tired of winning. “I’m up here for a reason. I’m not up here for the weather,” Plesa said. “I’m not quite ready to hang it up. We bought a couple of 2-year-olds earlier in the year. I’m going to see if I can buy a couple more right now.”

NOTES: Ralph Nicks visited the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Saturday, a day before he will step away from training. Nicks-trained Fast Chad ($7.60) scored a dominating win in Race 1, a maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds. The 57-year-old horseman, who assisted Hall of Famer Bill Mott during the Cigar years before going out on his own to win 722 races, plans to travel throughout the U.S. following Sunday’s program, for which he has entered three horses.