Jamie Ness looking for Delaware Park training record

After breaking the record for most consecutive Delaware Park trainer titles last season, Jamie Ness will look to equal the record for most overall when the 86th live racing season begins on May 24. 

In 2022, the native of Huron, South Dakota recorded his eighth consecutive leading trainer championship, which broke the previous record held by both Grover “Buddy” Delp, who won seven in a row from 1963 through 1969 and Scott Lake who won seven from 2002 through 2008.

Ness has notched ten overall trainer titles. He was also the leading trainer in 2012 and 2013. He finished third in the standings in 2014. Delp, who was also leading trainer in 1975 and 1979 through 1981, holds the record for most overall titles with 11.

“It is humbling to be mentioned with those Delaware Park greats, but much of the success is more a reflection of our outstanding team and support,” Jamie Ness said. “Without the owners and the people who come to the barn every morning to take care of these horses, I am not sure how much of that would be possible, and I am prouder of that more than anything else.”

He is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“It is always great to get back to Delaware Park,” said Ness. “I always get excited this time of year anticipating the start of a new season. It is a great track with great people. We have kind of made our roots here and we have been blessed to be the leading trainer here for eight straight years.”

Ness appreciates that every season has challenges and this season will be no different.

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“Every meet at Delaware Park is tough,” he said. “Between the returning outfits and a couple of new ones, this season will not be the exception, but we are looking forward to the challenges. Competition is good for everybody. It makes our barn and the track better. This should be a fun and exciting season.”

Ness will have approximately 60 horses at the Stanton oval with the typical mix of allowance and claiming horses with a heavy emphasis on Delaware Certified horses.

“We are going to have nice mix of horses that should be able to cover most races at the meet,” he said. “Of course, we are going to have good number of Delaware Certified horses. My wife Mandy and I are very active in the program. We have several broodmares, and we make sure to certify all of the foals and any other eligible horses we can. It is a great program not only for racing, but the community. So, we are expecting to have a good mix and like prior seasons, so we will be very active in multiple categories.”

Other familiar outfits planning on returning for the 2023 live racing season include trainers: Edward Allard, Lynn Ashby, Brett Brinkman, Gary Capuano, Victor Carrasco Jr., Jane Cibelli, Greg Compton, Sam Cronk, Kelly Lynn Dieter, Michael Gorham, Richard Hendriks, Steve Klesaris, Scott Lake, James Lawrence, Cathal Lynch, Antonio Machado, H. Graham Motion, Chelsey Moysey, Pedro Nazrio, Anthony Pecoraro, Pedro Posadas, John Rigattieri, Tim Ritchey, John Robb, McLean Robertson, Kelly Rubley, Brittany Russell, Niall Saville, Carlos Sepulveda, Andrew Simoff, Michael Stidham and Kirsten Swan.

New barns for this season include: Keri Brion, Blake Kelly, Monica McGoey, Diane Morici, Kerri Raven, Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon, Robert G. Smith, Elliot Sullivan and James Toner.

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