Trainer Humberto Ascanio, Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel's right-hand man for 36 years in Southern California, has died, broadcaster Steve Byk reported July 23 on his SiriusXM radio show "At the Races with Steve Byk."
"A tremendous horseman in his own right, (Ascanio was) literally the heart and soul of Bobby’s operation," Byk said.
Born in Mexico, Ascanio started at the racetrack soon after arriving in the United States. He worked as a hotwalker groom for trainer Farrell Jones and Hall of Famer Buster Millerick before joining Frankel's barn in 1973. Ascanio quickly became a vital member of Frankel's stable, and he took out his assistant trainer's license only three years later.
"(Ascanio) was more than a little essential, I would say," jockey agent Ron Anderson said during Byk's Wednesday program. "If there is a Hall of Fame for assistants, Humberto should be at the top of the list of people who should get in."
Anderson was the jockey agent for Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who combined with Frankel to win 32 grade 1 races over a five-year period. Bailey was the regular rider of Frankel-trained stars Empire Maker, Medaglia d'Oro , Sightseek, and Aldebaran.
During Ascanio's time with Frankel, Frankel landed five Eclipse Award titles as outstanding trainer and captured six Breeders' Cup races. He trained 10 champions and won 30 training titles at individual meets. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995 well before he reached his peak, Frankel saddled 3,654 winners for earnings of $227,912,709.
"Humberto could have gone out on his own at any point in his life and gotten a string of horses. He was that good, that talented," Anderson said.
"He was a low-key, no-ego guy. He went about his business and trade in a complete professional manner. Everybody looked up to Humberto."
Ascanio took over as head trainer of Frankel's stable when his former boss died of leukemia in November 2009. In his short tenure as trainer, Ascanio's runners banked $1,490,047 in earnings. He saddled two grade 1 winners, Fluke and Ventura, as well as grade 2 winner Proudinsky.
In January 2012, Ascanio was hospitalized after suffering from a stroke. He never returned to his training duties.
