Thoroughbred Racing Nation works with a dynamic team of professional trainers who manage the day-to-day care, training, and development of our horses. Our trainers are selected based on the following criteria:
Horsemanship - Thoroughbred Racing Nation trainers are recognized as top horsemen/women, people who have grown up around horses, and who have been taught and mentored by some of the best horsemen in the world.
Reverence for Horses - All of our trainers share a passion and commitment to horses and their well being.
Business Savvy - Thoroughbred Racing is a challenging business. In addition to being accomplished horsemen, our trainers recognize the need to be good business stewards, controlling costs, hiring, training and motivating outstanding support staff, and managing racing careers for value.
Inclusiveness - The more you know about horses, training methods, racing strategy, racehorse health, and the rituals of racing, the more you'll enjoy your ownership experience. Thoroughbred Racing Nation trainers give back to the industry by teaching and sharing their knowledge, insight and perspectives with our members.
Meet Our Training Team:
Eddie Keannelly –
At left Eddie meets with co-owners at Keeneland
Eddie Kenneally is from County Waterford, Ireland. Like most Irish horsemen he grew up with horses; learned the basics of horsemanship with a hands-on approach-and worked his way up. Eddie’s uncle, John Kenneally, was a great Irish rider who finished second in the Grand National at Aintree in 1964. His brother, Johnny Kenneally, runs Erinvale Thoroughbred, one of the largest yearling consigners in Australia.
Eddie came to the U.S. in 1987 and served apprenticeships under Rusty Arnold, Tom Skiffington and Nial O’Callaghan. He later trained for Xalapa Farm in Paris, Kentucky and then became a private trainer for Jack Kent Cook’s Elmendorf Farm. In 1996, Eddie began his public stable where he has enjoyed the increasing success that has earned the high regard of fellow horsemen and his training clients.
Calling on the best of Irish traditions and methods for developing and training horses, Eddie focuses on keeping horses sound and fit by “being easy on them”. His patient and caring approach has led to numerous success stories including GI winner Bushfire and Dubai Golden Shaneen winner Kelly's Landing.
Ralph Nicks –
Ralph Nicks is a second-generation horseman, the son of noted Midwestern trainer Morris Nicks. He began his professional career on the track as a jockey for a brief time before returning to the shedrow with his father. He later would spend 14 years with eventual Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, including up-close work with the legendary Cigar, racing's all-time leading money earner and Breeders' Cup Classic winner of 1995. "I like to think I got my bachelor's degree in horse training under my dad and my master's under Bill Mott," Nicks was quoted as saying in the Oaklawn Park Media Guide.
He Branched out on his own for the first time in January of 2004 ... Registered his first graded-stakes success when Cool Conductor won the $200,000 Dixie Handicap on the 2005 Preakness undercard at Pimlico, defeating past and future Breeders' Cup champions Better Talk Now and Artie Schiller. He has had success on both dirt and turf, including stakes-winning turf sprinter Onthedeanslist and turf mare Dynamist. Other stakes winners during his brief career include Deputy Storm and Southern Surprise plus stakes-placed runner Thunder Mission . Ralph also trained graded stakes-placed Lilly Carson, his only Breeders' Cup starter to date; she finished off the board in the 2006 Juvenile Fillies ... 30 horses combined in his barns.
Thomas Drury -
Tom Drury is regarded as one of the best trainers in Kentucky at developing young horses and preparing established runners to return to racing after a layoff. In addition to successfully running a string of his own runners, Drury serves as partner for several of the nation's leading trainers, preparing their horses for racing.
