Dr George Todaro & Jerry Hollendorfer

Born in Seattle, Washington, on July 1, 1937, Dr. George Todaro is a professor at the University of Washington who has worked with the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Health. His research has led to innovations in the treatment of cancer and cystic fibrosis. He is also the founder of several biotechnological companies, including Targeted Growth, a Seattle-based company focused on improving the quality of agricultural products, such as biodiesel fuels.

Todaro’s involvement with Thoroughbreds was literally a gift. For Christmas in 1991, his wife gave him a ten percent interest in a Washington-bred yearling named It May Freeze. Todaro was smitten, so much that became was an investor in Emerald Downs, which opened in Auburn, Washington, in 1996. One of his most successful horses was multiple stakes winner Trickey Trevor, who earned more than $700,000.

Todaro is partners with Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer on Lady of Fifty, who overcame a six-wide trip under Corey Nakatani to win the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes by a length and a half. Most of Todaro’s 70 horses in training are owned in partnership with Hollendorfer. Todaro also has horses with three other trainers and owns several broodmares in California and Kentucky.

Hollendorfer, a 72-year-old Hall of Fame trainer, used to bet on races with his teenage buddies at Acton Park, a now-defunct track not far from Hollendorfer’s hometown of Akron, Ohio. When he went to visit friends in San Francisco in his early 20s, he talked his way onto the backstretch at Bay Meadows and convinced trainer Jerry Dutton to give him a job. Later, Hollendorfer worked for Jerry Fanning. “I got to work for a couple of good guys,” Hollendorfer said. “Most of what I do today, I learned from them.” While he was working with Fanning at Hollywood Park, he met his future wife Janet, who was working for trainer Mel Stute.

In his first six years as a trainer, Hollendorfer won 59 races. Now he is the third leading trainer in racing history. By the time you read this, he’ll have won his 6,500th race.