Jack Van Berg

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Jack Van Berg
Occupation

Trainer [

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Born June 7, 1936
Columbus, Nebraska, U.S.
Career wins over 6,400
Major racing wins, honours and awards
Major racing wins

Apple Blossom Handicap (1976)
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (1976)
Secretariat Stakes (1976)
Los Angeles Handicap (1979, 1985)
Santa Anita Oaks (1981)
Rebel Stakes (1982)
Oaklawn Handicap (1983)
Super Derby (1984, 1987)
Cornhusker Handicap (1985)
Fantasy Stakes (1985)
Maryland Million Classic (1986)
Hollywood Derby (1986)
Strub Stakes (1988)
Woodward Stakes (1988)
Meadowlands Cup (1988)
Philip H. Iselin Handicap (1988)
Santa Anita Handicap (1988)
La Brea Stakes (1993)
Landaluce Stakes (2007)

American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins:
Kentucky Derby (1987)
Preakness Stakes (1984, 1987)
Breeders' Cup Classic (1988)
Racing awards
U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings (1976)
U.S. Champion Trainer by wins (9 times)
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer (1984)
Big Sport of Turfdom Award (1987)
Honours
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1985)
Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame (1991)
Significant horses
Gate Dancer, Alysheba

John Charles "Jack" Van Berg (born June 7, 1936 in Columbus, Nebraska) is an American Hall of Fame horse trainer. Born into a horse racing family, his father is Hall of Fame trainer, Marion Van Berg.

For nineteen straight years between 1959 and 1977, Jack Van Berg was the leading trainer at Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1976, he set a record for the most wins in a year with 496 and was also the United States Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by earnings.

The trainer of Gate Dancer, he was voted the 1984 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer and in 1985 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 1987 he received the Big Sport of Turfdom Award. He is also an inductee of the Nebraska Racing Hall of Fame.

On July 15, 1987 Jack Van Berg became the first trainer to win 5,000 races when he sent Art's Chandelle to victory at Arlington Park. As at the end of September 2008, Jack Van Berg ranks second all-time in career wins among American Thoroughbred trainers.

Jack Van Berg is best known for training Alysheba who won the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and the 1988 Breeders' Cup Classic.

He has mentored many top trainers, including Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Frank Brothers and Wayne Catalano; each started off as assistants to Van Berg who has led all American trainers in wins nine times.

A biography on Jack Van Berg was published in 2013. The 328+ book titled: "JACK, From Grit To Glory, A Lifetime of Mentoring, Dedication and Perseverance" was written by Chris Kotulak and published by Bluestem Publications. The author, Chris Kotulak, is a television horse racing analyst who grew up in Nebraska and worked at many of the racetracks mentioned in the book. More about the book can be learned about the book and the author on the book website at: www.jackfromgrittoglory.com. The book can be ordered via the website or via Amazon.com

References

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