View source for Robert J. Frankel

{{Short description|American horse trainer (1941–2009)}}
{{Infobox horseracing personality
|name        = Robert Frankel
|image       = 
|caption     = 
|occupation  = [[Horse trainer|Trainer]]
|birth_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]], U.S.
|birth_date  =  {{birth date|1941|7|9}} 
|death_date  =  {{death date and age|2009|11|16|1941|7|9}}<br>[[Pacific Palisades, California]], U.S.
| spouse     = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Bernadette Birk|1970|1974|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Bonita Boniface|2003|2006|end=divorced}}
}}
| children   = [[Bethenny Frankel]]
|career wins = 3,654<ref>[http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbTrainerInfo.cfm?eID=22651 "Equibase: Robert J. Frankel"], July 2, 2011.</ref>
|race        = [[San Gorgonio Handicap]] (1973, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007)<br>[[Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap]] (1973, 1979, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2009)<br>[[Eddie Read Handicap]] (1977, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1997)<br>[[Vanity Invitational Handicap]] (1984)<br>[[John C. Mabee Handicap]] (1990, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2007)<br>[[Santa Anita Handicap]] (1990, 2002, 2003)<br>[[Arlington Handicap]] (1991, 1994, 1996, 2000)<br>[[Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes]] (1991, 1999, 2000, 2001)<br>[[Hollywood Gold Cup]] (1991, 2001, 2008)<br>[[Hollywood Derby]] (1991, 1999, 2001)<br>[[Pacific Classic Stakes]] (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001)<br>[[Santa Ana Handicap]] (1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008)<br>[[Woodward Stakes]] (1993, 2001, 2003, 2004)<br>[[Yellow Ribbon Stakes]] (1993, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005)<br>[[Santa Barbara Handicap]] (1994, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007)<br>[[Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap]] (1996, 2002, 2005)<br>[[Matriarch Stakes]] (1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)<br>[[Arlington Million]] (2000, 2002)<br>[[Jockey Club Gold Cup]] (2001)<br>[[Whitney Handicap]] (2001, 2003)<br>[[Travers Stakes]] (2002)<br>[[Diana Stakes]] (2001,2002)<br>[[Santa Anita Oaks]] (2002, 2008, 2009)<br>[[Coaching Club American Oaks]] (2003)<br>[[Forego Handicap]] (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008)<br>[[Wood Memorial Stakes]] (2003)<br>[[Florida Derby]] (2003)<br>[[Haskell Invitational Handicap]] (2003)<br>[[Louisiana Derby]] (2003, 2005)<br>'''[[American Classic Races|American Classics]] / [[Breeders' Cup]] wins:'''<br>[[Belmont Stakes]] (2003)<br>[[Breeders' Cup Sprint]] (2001)<br>[[Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf]] (2002, 2005)<br>[[Breeders' Cup Classic]] (2004)<br>[[Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic|Breeders' Cup Distaff]] (2007)<br>'''International wins:'''<br>[[Japan Cup]] (1988)<br>[[E. P. Taylor Stakes]] (2004)<br>[[Queen's Plate]] (2005)
|awards      = [[Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer]] (1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)<br>[[United States Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by earnings|U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings]] (1993, 2002, 2003)
|honours     = [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]] (1995)<br>[[Robert J. Frankel Memorial Handicap]] at [[Santa Anita Park]]
|horses      = [[Squirtle Squirt]], [[Bertrando]], [[Empire Maker]], [[Exbourne]], [[Peace Rules]], [[Milwaukee Brew]], [[Starine]], [[Beat Hollow]], [[Medaglia d'Oro (horse)|Medaglia d'Oro]], [[Sightseek]], [[Ghostzapper]], [[Leroidesanimaux]], [[Ginger Punch]], [[Megahertz]], [[Stardom Bound]], [[Ventura (horse)|Ventura]]
|updated     = 
}}
'''Robert Julian Frankel'''<ref>[http://www.veromi.net/Summary.asp?fn=Robert&mn=&ln=Frankel&dobmm=07&dobdd=09&doby=1941&city=&state=&age=&vw=&Search=&Input=&x=0&y=0 Veromi "Robert Frankel"]</ref> (July 9, 1941 – November 16, 2009) was an American [[thoroughbred]] [[race horse]] [[horse trainer|trainer]] whom [[ESPN]] called "one of the most successful and respected trainers in the history of thoroughbred racing."<ref name=ESPNHorseRacing>Privman, Jay. [https://www.espn.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=4659654 "Robert Frankel Dies At 68"]. [[ESPN]], November 20, 2009.</ref> He was inducted into the [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]] in 1995, and was a five-time winner of the [[Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer]]. Often referred to as "Bobby" by others, he preferred and always used "Robert".<ref>{{cite news| url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21433981.xml?dids=21433981:21433981&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+12%2C+1995&author=BILL+CHRISTINE&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=DEL+MAR+Frankel's+Hall+of+Fame+Plaque+a+Bad+Case+of+Inscription+Error&pqatl=google | title=DEL MAR Frankel's Hall of Fame Plaque a Bad Case of Inscription Error}}</ref> Frankel set the single-season world record for most Grade/Group I victories in 2003 with 25 Grade I wins, a record that stood until it was beaten by [[Aidan O'Brien]] in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title= Bobby Frankel dies at 68|url= http://www.drf.com/news/bobby-frankel-dies-68|publisher= [[Daily Racing Form]]|date= November 16, 2009|access-date= November 16, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Trainer Aidan O'Brien breaks Group One wins record|url= https://www.bbc.com/sport/horse-racing/41789782|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=October 28, 2017|access-date=December 3, 2017}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Frankel was born July 9, 1941, to a [[German Jews|German-Jewish]] family in [[Brooklyn]],<ref name=Bloodhorse>[http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/53469/hall-of-famer-bobby-frankel-dies-at-68 Bloodhorse: "Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel Dies at 68" by Steve Haskin] ''[[The Blood-Horse]]'', November 18, 2009.</ref> the son of Merrill and Gertrude Frankel.<ref name=ESPNHorseRacing /> His parents were in the catering business.<ref name=ESPNHorseRacing /> His interest in horses was piqued when his parents took him to [[Belmont Park]] as a child. After high school, he enrolled at [[C.W. Post College]] on [[Long Island]] but soon quit after getting into a fight. Thereafter, he worked construction by day and [[gamble]]d at the tracks by night,<ref name=Bloodhorse /> eventually volunteering as a [[hot walker]] so he could get a free pass to the evening races.<ref name=ESPNHorseRacing />

==Career==
Early in his career in 1960s [[New York City]], Frankel assisted the prominent trainer [[Buddy Jacobson]]. On his own, Frankel saddled his first winner late in 1966<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.NTRA.com |title = Home - NTRA}}</ref> before struggling somewhat in 1967, when he won with just 9 of 101 starters.<ref>''The [[American Racing Manual]], 1968''</ref> During 1968 however, he won 36 of 165 outings with his horses accumulating $167,000 in [[purse money]].<ref>''The [[American Racing Manual]], 1969''</ref> In the next few years, he continued to prosper in New York and during the winter of 1970–71, he enjoyed some success at the West Coast meeting at [[Santa Anita Park|Santa Anita]].

After moving permanently to California in 1972, Frankel scored a series of wins that brought him to the attention of the horse-betting world, winning a record 60 races at [[Hollywood Park Racetrack|Hollywood Park]]. Many of those victories came with runners he acquired as low-cost claimers for one of his owners like [[Edmund A. Gann|Edmund Gann]], with whom he had a 30-year working relationship. These horses typically showed dramatic improvement under his care, sometimes winning their next start against higher-priced claiming levels.

Frankel was an avid follower of the training techniques of [[Charlie Whittingham]], trainer of champions such as [[Ferdinand (horse)|Ferdinand]] and [[Sunday Silence]]. Frankel won several [[Eclipse Awards]], the year-end thoroughbred racing awards, for best trainer. He set earnings records, Grade I stakes victory records, and many others. Frankel also won the [[Pacific Classic Stakes]] a record six times, including four times in a row, also a record.

Some of his best race horses include: [[Squirtle Squirt]], his first [[Breeders' Cup]] winner; [[Skimming (horse)|Skimming]], two-time winner of the Grade 1 [[Pacific Classic Stakes]]; [[Sightseek]], winner of the [[Humana Distaff Handicap]] (Gr. I) and [[Ogden Phipps Handicap]] (Gr. I); triple Grade I winner [[Empire Maker]], winner of the [[Belmont Stakes]] (Gr. I); multiple Grade I winning [[Peace Rules]]; two-time [[Santa Anita Handicap]] (Gr. I) winner [[Milwaukee Brew]]; [[Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf]] (Gr. I) winner [[Starine]], whom he also owned; and [[Ghostzapper]], the [[Breeders' Cup Classic]] (Gr. I) winner who was voted the 2004 [[Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year]].

Frankel was the [[United States Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by earnings|U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings]] in 2002 and 2003.

On June 26, 2005, [[Wild Desert]], owned by several businesspeople including former [[New York Yankees]] manager [[Joe Torre]], gave Frankel his first victory in the $1 million [[Queen's Plate]], the first leg of the [[Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing|Canadian Triple Crown]] at [[Woodbine Racetrack]].

==Personal life and death==
Frankel was married twice.

His first wife was Bernadette Birk (1950-2024)<ref name=People1>McNeil, Liz. [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20400758,00.html "Bethenny Frankel: Love Saved My Life"] ''[[People Magazine]]'', July 19, 2010.</ref><ref name=BFBookGet>[[Bethenny Frankel|Frankel, Bethenny]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=I-SAcg7Ves0C&q=twentieth&pg=PA42 ''A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life''].</ref>{{rp|24}}<ref>Hutchinson, Bill. [http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/bethenny-seperating-husband-article-1.1226269 "'Real Housewives of New York City' star Bethenny Frankel and husband Jason Hoppy separating"] ''[[New York Daily News]]'', December 23, 2012.</ref> Birk was a [[Roman Catholic]]<ref name=BravoTV1 /> of [[Welsh people|Welsh]] descent<ref name=BFBookGet />{{rp|56}} who converted to [[Judaism]] when they married.<ref name=BravoTV1>[http://www.bravotv.com/watch-what-happens-live/season-6/videos/after-show-all-about-baby Video Interview on BravoTV: "After Show: All About Baby – Part V: Bethenny talks about her religious background and the most important thing Baby Bryn has taught her"] [[Bravo (U.S. TV network)|Bravo TV]]. Retrieved July 4, 2012. "My father was Jewish. The story goes – because you know I am not that close to my family, I am not there for the real history lessons – He married my mother and she converted to Judaism for him. She was Catholic but then she was with my stepfather for all those years. I went to Catholic school and I know more about that."</ref><ref name=BFBookGet />{{rp|28}}<ref>[[Bethenny Frankel]]'s ''A Place of Yes'' quote: "Supposedly my mother converted to Judaism to marry my father even though she claimed to be an atheist."</ref> In 1970 they had one daughter, [[Bethenny Frankel]], who later went on to become a reality television personality and businesswoman.<ref name=People1 /> They divorced after four years of marriage, and Bernadette married horse trainer [[John Parisella]].<ref name=People1 /> Parisella and Frankel were originally friends as well as competitors.<ref name=HorseRaceInsiderBrooklynTale>Pricci, John. [http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php/John-Pricci/11182009-a-brooklyn-tale/ "A Brooklyn Tale"] ''Horse Race Insider'', November 18, 2009.</ref>

In 2003, he married Bonita Boniface. They divorced in 2006.<ref name=ESPNHorseRacing />

Frankel died at his home in [[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles|Pacific Palisades]], California on November 16, 2009, at the age of 68, after being diagnosed with [[leukemia]].<ref name=Bloodhorse /> Estranged from his daughter and once good friend (and step-father to Bethenny) Parisella, he reconciled with both before his death.<ref name=Bloodhorse /><ref name=HorseRaceInsiderBrooklynTale /> He is interred at Hillside Memorial Park in [[Culver City, California]].

==Legacy==
On November 1, 2014, [[Bobby's Kitten]], named after the late Hall of Fame trainer, captured the [[Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint]] at [[Santa Anita Park]]. Bobby's Kitten is owned and bred by [[Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey]], who were clients of Frankel. The [[Colt (horse)|colt]] is trained by [[Chad Brown (horse trainer)|Chad Brown]], who was Frankel's New York assistant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.drf.com/news/bobbys-kitten-will-aim-bc-mile-2015|title = Bobby's Kitten will aim for BC Mile in 2015}}</ref>

In 2010, the [[San Gorgonio Handicap]] - a race Frankel won eight times - was renamed the [[Robert J. Frankel Memorial Handicap]] in his honor.<ref>[http://www.santaanita.com/press/pressrelease/2010/12/santa-anita-honors-legendary-trainer-frankel-san-gorgonio-becomes-gr-ii "Santa Anita Honors Legendary Trainer Frankel, San Gorgonio Becomes Gr. II Robert J. Frankel"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230035646/http://www.santaanita.com/press/pressrelease/2010/12/santa-anita-honors-legendary-trainer-frankel-san-gorgonio-becomes-gr-ii |date=2010-12-30 }}, ''[[Santa Anita Park]]'', December 27, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/60487/santa-anita-names-stakes-after-frankel "Santa Anita Names Stakes After Frankel"], ''[[The Blood-Horse]]'', December 27, 2010.</ref>

In 2008 a colt from Juddmonte Stud was named [[Frankel (horse)|Frankel]] in honour of the trainer. The colt, bred out of [[Galileo (horse)|Galileo]] and [[Kind (horse)|Kind]], was trained in Newmarket (England) by Sir [[Henry Cecil]], won all of his 14 starts, and received the highest rating ever awarded by the British publication ''[[Timeform]]''. After his 14th win in October 2012, it was announced Frankel was to be retired to stud.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/19819948|title=Frankel ends glorious career unbeaten|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>

In 2004, he was inducted into the [[Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>Sondheimer, Eric. [http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-bobby-frankel17-2009nov17,0,2869764.column "OBITUARY: Bobby Frankel dies at 68; Hall of Fame racehorse trainer"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', November 17, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.scjewishsportshof.com/frankel.html Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame: Bobby Frankel] Retrieved July 4, 2012.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nugMcC5Iohg Bobby Frankel Remembered]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071201144720/http://ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=2267 Bobby Frankel] at the [[NTRA]]
* [http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/horse-trainers-view.asp?varID=16 Robert Frankel biography] at the [[National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frankel, Robert J.}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:American racehorse trainers]]
[[Category:Deaths from leukemia in California]]
[[Category:Eclipse Award winners]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Jewish American sportspeople]]
[[Category:Levites]]
[[Category:American Ashkenazi Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]