Andrew Lerner steps away from horse racing and into fatherhood

Now that Andrew Lerner is the begetter of a one-month aged daughter, he’s qualified to lend his expertise successful a alternatively delicate area.

What’s tougher, changing a diaper oregon saddling a victor astatine Santa Anita?

“I’d accidental grooming a victor is inactive tougher,” said the 32-year-old Lerner, who’s uncovering slumber a spot tougher to travel by since his wife, Katie, gave commencement to their girl Kinsley.

“Now that I’m retired, I deliberation I’m changing much of the diapers. I’ve gotten beauteous damn bully astatine it.”

Lerner kinda shocked the section equine racing fraternity past week erstwhile helium announced helium was retiring arsenic a trainer. He’d lone been astatine it for 5 years, but a person’s absorption changes erstwhile they’ve been joined for little than a twelvemonth and already person different rima to feed.

“My priorities changed,” Lerner said during a telephone interrogation Thursday. “I didn’t privation to miss a batch of events similar doctor’s appointments, things similar that, and I thought, ‘You cognize what? Once this kid is born, I privation to beryllium determination for a batch of it and not astatine the way each the time.’”

Lerner admits the determination caught astir radical disconnected guard. He said he’d been considering the determination for six oregon 7 months earlier helium made it official.

“I deliberation it shocked a fewer people,” helium said. “A fewer radical knew. I benignant of kept it adjacent to the vest, but I fto immoderate owners cognize and a mates of trainers that I’m adjacent with. I deliberation it was the close determination for me.”

Loud Loud Music, who won past Friday’s archetypal contention astatine Santa Anita, was Lerner’s past winner. His past starter, Surely Spectacular, finished sixth successful Saturday’s ninth race.

Katie, who played a large relation successful steering Lerner into beingness astatine the contention track, besides was a large power successful his determination to instrumentality to the satellite of commercialized existent estate. The Lerners had been dating for astir 7 years earlier they tied the knot successful December.

“She’s the 1 who pushed maine into (racing) erstwhile I wanted to train,” helium said. “She helped maine survey for my trainer’s exam. She moved to Arcadia for me. She was truly a catalyst successful helping maine benignant of unrecorded retired this dream. She’s been supportive starting and present ending. It’s bully to person a spouse similar that.”

There are 4 horses Lerner trained that volition clasp a peculiar spot successful his heart, opening with multiple-stakes victor Queen Bee to You, who won a brace of Grade III races – the Bayakoa and the La Cañada – astatine Santa Anita.

“I’ll ne'er hide that contention (the 2020 La Cañada), going caput to caput with 1 of (Bob) Baffert’s horses (Der Lu) and coming retired victorious,” Lerner said.

But trainers aren’t ever partial to conscionable their stakes winners.

Lerner trained a inexpensive claimer named Bow And Arrow, who gave his each all clip helium ran.

“I loved that horse,” helium said. “He won 3 successful a enactment for maine and I had a peculiar affinity for him. He was specified a chill equine and helium ever was gritty.”

So was Platinum Equity.

“He won 3 disconnected the assertion for me,” Lerner said.

And, past but not least, Octopus volition ever beryllium remembered by Andrew and Katie.

“He won connected my wedding time and that was precise cool,” helium said. “I wasn’t there, but helium won.”

Lerner owns a stock successful the 2-year-old colt Il Capitano, who ran a disappointing past successful the Zuma Beach Stakes astatine Santa Anita earlier this period and is present trained by Simon Callaghan.

“He’s 1 that radical should support an oculus on,” helium said.

As Lerner looks backmost astatine his grooming career, helium believes helium accomplished much than what helium hoped for and helium treasures the relationships helium helped signifier during his five-year run.

“I’ll retrieve my unit much than anyone,” helium said. “I truly cultivated a large narration with my adjunct Gustavo (Benitez). They’ve go household to me. When I started, I wanted that benignant of narration with my team, benignant of a family. We’re going into conflict unneurotic and we’re gonna triumph unneurotic oregon we’re gonna suffer together, but we’re gonna bash it together. I deliberation that’s what I’ll miss most, that camaraderie with my team.”

Follow Art Wilson connected Twitter @Sham73