Lou Cavalaris Jr.

Louis C. "Lou" Cavalaris Jr. (January 30, 1924 - May 2, 2013) was an American-born retired trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and who for ten years was a highly respected racing secretary for the Ontario Jockey Club.^[1]

Background

Born in Hamilton, Ohio, Cavalaris served in the US Merchant Marine in World War II. Thereafter he became a short-order cook. Following that he worked in Detroit on the backstretch. In 1960 he became a Canadian citizen. He was married to Helen and they had two sons together, Michael and Louis. At the time of his passing he was living in Etobicoke and had a granddaughter Julia.

Career highlights

In 1946, Cavalaris took out his trainer's license, working with his father, who had a couple of horses in Detroit. In the mid-1960s, he ran Canada's most powerful public stable. He led Canadian trainers in wins in 1966 (although that was a tie), 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973 (also a tie), and 1976.

Some of Cavalaris' most noteworthy clients were Allen Case, George Gardiner, Margaret Seitz, and Joan Reid.^[2] Among the most famous horses he trained were Cool Reception, Henry Tudor, Ice Water, and Victorian Era. In 1969, he became Gardiner's exclusive trainer. In 1976, he directed Gardiner to record earnings of $639,816 (over 100,000 more than the previous record in Canada that Cavalaris also set). This was one of eight money-winning titles in the space of 11 years. Other famous winners he trained were Arctic Blizzard, Carney's Point, Chatty Cavalier, Double Quill, Haymaker's Jig, James Bay, Mary of Scotland, Monte Christo II, Orbiter, Plegada, Prompt Hero, The Knack II, Two Violins, Vindent de Paul, and Yukon Eric. His last winner, in June 1996, was Major Pots, owned by Gardiner.

Other related activities

Cavalaris had a place on the Breeders' Cup Selection Committee, the Ontario Racing Commission's Board of Appeals, and the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award committee.^[3]

Retirement

Cavalaris turned in his trainer's license in 1978. At that point he became the Ontario Jockey Club's racing secretary for a decade. Following that he went back to training. And in 1996 he retired once more.

In 1966, Cavalaris led North American trainers with 175 winners. He also earned the reputation for being Dancer's Image's best-known trainer, most notably after winning the 1968 Kentucky Derby. In the most controversial Derby in history, Dancer's Image was disqualified two days later as he tested positive for traces of the pain-killer phenylbutazone, a substance later made legal by the Kentucky Racing Commission.^[4]

Awards and recognition

In 1976, he won the Sovereign Award as outstanding trainer. In 2006 he was inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame and in 1995 the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. In 1996 he was hailed as North America's leading trainer.

References