Scott Lake posts 6,000th win

Trainer Scott Lake (3rd from R) scored his 6,000th career win after I’m The Talent won Race 5 at Parx Racing. Photo By Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO.

When I’m the Talent came home a winner in the 5th race Monday afternoon at Parx Racing, the victory gave trainer Scott Lake the 6,000th win of what has become an historic career. In doing so, he became just the 6th trainer in thoroughbred racing history to reach that milestone.

“The wins have certainly come slower than they did 20 years ago,” said Lake. “The sport is very demanding and requires a lot of sacrifice. You miss so much stuff with your kids, with your family. But to realize this goal, to reach this milestone, when you consider that only five other people have done this, it truly means a lot.”

Lake, 54, a native of Harrisburg, PA, first went to the races with his father, a former Harrisburg police officer, and immediately fell in love with the sport. His career started at Penn National, winning his first race there in June 1987 before coming to and settling at then-Philadelphia Park in 1999. He immediately established himself as the track’s top trainer, winning seven straight training titles beginning in 1999 with an eighth title to come a few years later. He was a unanimous selection into the inaugural class of the Parx Racing Hall of Fame in 2011.

The five trainers above him on the list are Dale Baird (9,445), Steve Asmussen (8,404), Jerry Hollendorfer (7,596), Jack Van Berg (6,523), and King Leatherbury (6,501).