Tony Cunningham has a long history of racing in the state of Indiana. The Michigan native competed during the first year of pari-mutuel racing in the state in 1997 and has continued to support the program 27 years later.
Cunningham (photo, center) has three previous Leading Quarter Horse Owner titles to his credit. Now, he can add two Leading Quarter Horse Trainer titles to his credentials at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Cunningham knows how to make a dramatic finish. Coming into the final day of racing, he was two wins behind Tim Eggleston. Two Quarter Horse races were carded, and Cunningham won both to secure the title as he had more purse earnings for the season over Eggleston. Cunningham and Eggleston each completed the meet with 33 wins with Cunningham earning $949,008 to Eggleston’s $862,538. Claudio Barraza finished third with 31 wins.
“This is pretty incredible to win this award again,” noted Cunningham. “Tim and Keli (Eggleston) have done an excellent job all season long and their entire crew works really hard. They have had a great season. It has actually been close all season long in the trainer standings. Several were right there all the way. We have a great crew that works hard, and I couldn’t do it without all of them. Plus, a big thank you to my wife, Lisa. She keeps everything going at home when I’m down here. It definitely takes a lot of people to get to this spot.”
The track’s all-time leading Quarter Horse Owner in wins, Cunningham is ranked second on the list of all-time leading trainers in Indiana Quarter Horse racing history with 373 wins. Horses from his barn have earned in excess of $8.5 million throughout his career in Indiana.
Some of the highlights for the 2024 season include a win with Drinkinatacartelbar in the $135,000 Jaguar Rocket Futurity Final, a win in the $270,000 Governor’s Stake with Cowboy on the Fly, and wins in the Paul Martin Overnight Stakes, sweeping both divisions with HG Favorite Energy and Relentlessly Special.
Overall, Cunningham has conditioned 944 winners with $11.8 million in earnings. He is a multiple Graded Stakes winning trainer.
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