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Jamie Ness rises near the top of thoroughbred racing’s list of trainers

Jul 8th, 2010
by Craig Wenzel.
JUNE 1, 2010 – WESSINGTON SPRINGS TRUE DAKOTAN
 A Wessington Springs native, Jamie Ness has made quite a name for himself in just 10 years since getting his horse trainer’s license. The son of Connie Ness, Wessington Springs, and John Ness, he is now the top trainer at Tampa Bay (Florida) Downs and Canterbury Park at the Twin Cities.
 

The Thoroughbred times magazine recently featured Ness as an industry leader. He was also featured in a recent issue of Tampa Bay Downs magazine. That article is reprinted here.
 

ONE OF THE BEST!
 

BY PAUL ALLEN – TAMPA BAY DOWNS MAGAZINE

 Congratulations to Jamie Ness who was named one of the top thoroughbred trainers and called an “Industry Leader” in the February 27, 2010 edition of Thoroughbred Times Magazine. Jamie was singled out along with Steve Asmussen, Todd Pletcher, Bob Baffert and Bill Mott. Not a bad bunch of guys to hang withl “I think it’s fascinating that Bill Mott, Steve Asmussen and myself are all from South Dakota. Bill was born in Mobridge, SD …. Steve is from Gettysburg, SD …. and I’m from Wessington Springs,” Jamie said.
 

2009 was a very good year for Jamie as he won 259 races out of 794 starts. That is an amazing 32.6% winning percentage. He raced at Presque Isle Downs, Thistledown, Penn National, Canterbury Park and here at Tampa Bay Downs during the calendar year.
The majority of his stable is made up of claiming horses but he did win stakes races with Castles in the Sky and Sneaka Cold Treat. He has won the trainer’s title here at Tampa Bay Downs for the past three years and at press time, is having another great season this year with 27 victories, 15 seconds and 15 thirds from 79 starts.
I have known Jamie for the past few years and nobody works harder than he does. He might not be there walking every horse to the paddock, but he knows everything there is to know about his stable. “I have great assistants and I couldn’t accomplish what I have without them;’ he said.

I have watched Jamie look at horses to claim and he has a great eye.

“1 make my living out of the claiming box,” he says. Before he drops a claim on a horse, he studies the Daily Racing Form, looks at other trainer’s tendencies, watches replays, views the horse as they walk into the paddock, watches the race and always studies the horse after the race. “I can tell a lot about a horse after he/she races’ he said.

It has been a pleasure watching Jamie grow from “just another local trainer” into one of the top conditioners in the racing business.

Jamie Ness is only 35 years old and just starting to reach his potential. He got his trainer’s license in 2000 and started training full time in 2004. His first season at Tampa Bay Downs was the 2005-2006 season and he won eleven races. He surprised everybody and won the training title in 2006-2007 with 38 victories and in 2008-2009 won an astounding 68 races to defend his title. “1 try to use the right jockey for the right horse and I put them in races I think they can win,’ he said.

Jamie has come a long way from growing up in South Dakota and he is no longer training “under the radar” at Canterbury Park and Tampa Bay Downs.

Articles like the one in “Thoroughbred Times” are starting to become commonplace and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jamie winning Graded Stakes, Triple Crown and Breeder Cup races in the very near future!

Posted in: Sports.

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3 Comments on “Jamie Ness rises near the top of thoroughbred racing’s list of trainers”

  1. #1 Dan DeMeo
    on Jan 6th, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    Jamie, i like some information about claiming a race horse at tampa bay downs. i was in the racing bus[ness many years ago, and maybe looking to get back into it as little. please let me know fees ,ect. iam sure it has changed over the years. i hope you take the time to give me some infomation.

    thank
    Dan

  2. #2 khem bechan
    on Jan 28th, 2011 at 7:42 am

    Jamie, i like some information about claiming a race horse at tampa bay downs.or buy 1 of 2 at the ocala sale i hope you take the time to give me some infomation.

    thanks
    khem bechan

  3. #3 kenneth fishbein
    on Jun 13th, 2011 at 10:23 am

    Jamie-congratulations on your success.
    I used to own Silken Bid who you claimed from us.
    I saw him win nicely back in January.
    What happened to him, did he get hurt? Is he retired??

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