Trainer Profile: Rudy R. Rodriguez

Many horseplayers still aren't aware that Rudy Rodriguez's one of the top trainers in the nation. Rudy has saddled plenty of graded stakes winners. But because most of horses win claiming, allowance, and non-graded stakes, he doesn't get the attention he deserves.

Rodriguez has been a mainstay winning trainer at the New York tracks, Aqueduct and Belmont. He's produced winners at Saratoga's yearly summer meet, but it's at the Big A and Big Sandy where's he done his best work. Check out 5 of Rudy's top winners to date.

Trainer Profile: Rudy R. Rodriguez

Lady Ivanka - 2017 Spinaway Stakes

Lady Ivanka broke her maiden and then won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes last year. She never made it to the Breedres' Cup Juvenile Fillies, instead retiring after a two-race career. If she had gone in the BC Juvenile Fillies, no doubt, she'd have garnered plenty of action.

Sired by Tiz Wonderful, she should make an excellent broodmare. Remember the name and if you come across some of her foals in the past performances. She should start breeding soon after selling for $750,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Sale

Control Group - 2017 Discovery Stakes

Control Group's the perfect example of a Rudy horse. The best race Control Group won was the Grade 3 Discovery Stakes last year. Since that time, he's finished no worse than 5th in 5 stakes races. He finished third in both the Evan Shipman at Saratoga and the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct.

Control Group's a tough horse to put on top, but in many races he can be a great key horse in underneath exotic bets. He's almost always going to offer odds as well, and Rudy gets him ready for every race.

Dad's Caps - 2015 Carter Handicap

Because of the Carter Handicap score, Dad's Caps earned over $1.1 million. Possibly the top horse Rudy's ever trained, Dad's Caps won the Carter Handicap twice, finished second in the Vosburgh, and also finished second and third in a couple of True North runs. The Discreet Cat progeny was some racehorse when he hit the dirt.

Belle Gallantey - 2014 Delaware Handicap

A multiple Grade 1 winner, Belle Gallantey became a star after upsetting 20 cents on the dollar Princess of Sylmar in the 2014 Delaware Handicap. After bouncing with a 6th place finish in the Personal Ensign, she rebounded with a win in the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park.

The Beldame turned out to be Belle Gallantey's peak. She went off close to 13/1 in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, won by Untapable, but could only finish 9th. Her connections retired her after a second place finish in the Ladies Handicap.

Vyjack - 2013 Jerome Stakes

The most famous horse Rudy's ever trained, Vyjack eventually ended up in Phil D'Amato's barn. Under Rudy's care, the hard-knocking gelding won the Grade 2 Jerome and the Grade 3 Gotham before finishing third behind Normandy Invasion and Verrazano in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial. Although he finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby and 8th in the Belmont Stakes, he upset Itsmyluckyday to win the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap later that fall.

Vyjack goes down as Rudy R. Rodriguez's most famous runner...for now. Rudy continues to saddle winners, proving that for horseplayers, he's one of the most reliable trainers at both Aqueduct and Belmont Park.