Trainer Manny Azpurua, a fixture in South Florida racing since 1980, passed away Tuesday at Florida Medical Center. He was 88. The Caracas, Venezuela native's last start as a trainer came on Apr. 29, 2016 at Gulfstream Park. He is survived by his wife Sonia, daughters Teresa and Maria Margarita and son Manuel, as well as his brother Eduardo and nephews Eduardo Azpurua, Jr. and Leo Azpurua, Jr., who are both trainers.
“He truly loved the experience of training horses in this great country and getting the support of his clients he had over the years,” Leo Azpurua Jr. said. “I will deeply miss him. He's been the leader of the family for many, many years.”
Azpurua's father, Manuel Azpurua, was a prominent owner and founding member of the Venezuela Jockey Club, as well as director of El Paraiso Racetrack. Manny Azpurua's brothers were also trainers, and after sending out more than 3,500 winners in his native country, he followed his brothers to South Florida.
From 9,466 North American starters, Azpurua saddled 948 winners with purse earnings in excess of $20.4 million. He conditioned several graded stakes winners, including 2006 GII Smile Sprint S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint third Nightmare Affair and 2004 GIII Carry Back S. hero Weigelia. More recently, Azpurua trained the talented Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the Nile), who was third in the 2014 GI Preakness S. and GI Wood Memorial S.
Funeral arrangements for Azpurua are pending.
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