Catalanos name has been brought up in lots of threads recently... this one too... everyone keeps commenting on how these trainers come out of no where.... I mentioned that catalano worked for a "nobody" trainer a while back... I was being sarcastic... yet nobody commented on my remarks about him... lol... so I guess no one really did know anything about the catalano...???...
anyways... heres a piece I found on him I meant to add a while back... for those that dont have a clue about Catalano... theres way more to the story than this... but heres a run down...
Racing Background: As a teenager, an uncle took notice of his diminutive size and suggested he go to the racetrack to become a jockey … Hooked up with Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg at Fair Grounds and “learned the game from the ground up.” … Eventually began exercising horses for Van Berg and then riding competitively, scoring his first victory on May 20, 1974, at Churchill Downs on a horse named Hellfire … Ranked as North America’s second-leading rider by wins in 1977 … Enjoyed a streak of at least 41 consecutive riding days with at least one win in 1977 … Won 1,792 races during a nine-year riding career before chronic knee injuries forced his retirement in 1983 ... Stayed involved with Van Berg’s barn even after his riding career was over, recalling, “I always knew I wanted to become a trainer after I gave up riding.” … Still gets on many of his own horses today ... Catalano has no hobbies outside of racing, "I don't golf or fish, I live and breathe horses."
Racing Career: Won training titles at Sportsman’s Park in 1988 and 1989 and at Hawthorne in 1987 and 1989 ... His first major stakes success wins came with the Darrell and Evelyn Yates-owned Crypto Star, who captured the 1997 Louisiana Derby and Arkansas Derby en route to a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby … His initial Breeders’ Cup starter, Tamweel, finished fourth in the 2004 Distaff... Based in Chicago, Catalano earned his seventh training title in the past nine years at Arlington Park in 2007 following 2000, ’02, ’03, ’05 and ’06 ... Set an Arlington Park record with 74 wins in 2007 and ranks fourth in all time victories at Arlington with 623 …
"he came out of nowhere"... its just not true...
theres some more stuff on him at:
Wayne Catalano - NTRA