American Pharoah ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’ Horse For Longtime Assistants Jimmy And Dana Barnes
Asst. trainer Jimmy Barnes, shown with American Pharoah at Churchill Downs prior to the Preakness
The husband and wife team of Jimmy and Dana Barnes have worked for trainer Bob Baffert for over 15 years. Jimmy has been Baffert's assistant trainer since 1999, and Dana has exercised horses for Baffert since 1997. The pair put in thousands of miles each year traveling with Baffert horses around the country.
The couple is an integral part of the Baffert team, and part of the reason the horses are so successful.
“They are a very important part of the whole operation; otherwise, I would just get completely burned out,” Baffert, said in a recent interview with the New York Times. “Especially Jimmy — he’s my drone. I load the drone, and he goes out. And I’m constantly changing my mind. So it drives him nuts.”
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Both Jimmy and Dana have been important in the care and training of racing's newest Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, and the couple appreciate the opportunity to be around such a talented horse every day.
"You need a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and we’ve got one."
Read more in the New York Times
