American Thoroughbred racing lost one of the greatest trainers on Monday when Hall of Fame member Bobby Frankel lost a battle with cancer. He died in his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., at the age of 68.

Frankel might not have had the brand name that resonated with the general sports public like D. Wayne Lukas or Bob Baffert, but the Brooklyn native was revered in racing circles for his knowledge and expertise as well as his massive accomplishments.

He was a bettor before he was a trainer, and launched his career with horses as a hotwalker in the austere barns of New York’s Aqueduct. He saddled his first winner in 1966 and, after quickly rising through the ranks of trainers on that tough racing circuit, moved to California a decade later.

California boast
It was in California that his career would explode and Frankel moved onto the short list of trainers whose names were quickly mentioned when the discussion turned to America’s greatest.

During a career that spanned 43 years, Frankel saddled more than 3,500 winners his horses earned total purses of $227,947,775. Of those winners, Frankel is probably best known for his work with Empire Maker, winner of the 2004 Belmont Stakes – Frankel’s only victory in a Triple Crown event – and Ghostzapper, who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic and was named “Horse of the Year” in that same year.

No Derby
Conspicuously missing from his roster of wins was success in the Kentucky Derby. He finished second in the race in 2000 with Aptitude and in 2004, when favored Empire Maker came up short in his battle with longshot Funny Cide.

The latter’s Derby victory was one of the most romantic in Kentucky Derby history as Funny Cide was a horse for everyman – owned by a group of high school buddies from upstate New York who got into racing with a small amount of money and a dream. Funny Cide’s victory over Empire Maker made the New York-bred gelding one of the most endearing winners in Derby history.

But few would dispute that Frankel’s horse was far superior to Funny Cide. Empire Maker, a regally-bred son of Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, had the look of a Triple Crown winner when he came to Louisville that spring. But he experienced a minor foot problem that probably left the colt at less than his best on the first Saturday in May and Empire Maker could not run down Funny Cide in the long Churchill Downs homestretch.

Beat Funny Cide
He would come back five weeks later to dominate the Derby winner in the Belmont Stakes and deny the popular Funny Cide a Triple Crown. Empire Maker was the best horse, but was not the best on Derby Day, which left Frankel to wonder “what if” for the rest of his days.

Frankel did enjoy major success at Churchill Downs, where he saddled 17 stakes winners, with his first being a victory in the 1998 Kentucky Oaks with Keeper Hill. He would also win that race with Flute in 2001.

His most remarkable year was 2003, when his horses won a record 25 Grade I races – the highest level of competition in the sport.

When dealing with reporters and the public, Frankel was the complete opposite of the talkative Lukas and the glib Baffert. When he spoke, listeners often had to strain to grasp details of the conversation. I always thought that was more a measure of Frankel’s close-to-the-vest horseplayer’s nature than shyness.

Bobby Frankel allowed his horses to do the talking – and they spoke volumes.

Night smiles
Churchill Downs no doubt put some smiles on the faces of racing fans on Monday when the track announced its schedule for night racing in 2010. Following the successful introduction of racing under temporary lights that attracted more than 89,000 fans in 2009, the track will offer six “Downs after Dark” night racing sessions under permanent lighting next year.

Four of the dates are in the Spring Meet and all are Friday nights: June 11,18 and 25 and July 2. There will be two Fall Meet night programs on opening night, a special Halloween program on Sunday, Oct. 31, and program on Friday, Nov. 19.

Post time for the Spring Meet programs will be 4:30 p.m. and the Fall Meet sessions will start at 6:30.

And Churchill Downs announced that Iowa-based Musco Lighting, which provided the temporary lighting for the 2009 “Downs after Dark” sessions, was awarded the contract to install the permanent lights, which will cost an estimated $3 million to $4 million. The installation of an estimated 50 poles and 25 rooftop structures containing a total of around 1,000 individual light fixtures is scheduled for completion by March 31.

Night tickets
Tickets for the night racing sessions are already on sale on a new online ticket system for Churchill Downs at churchilldowns.com.

General admission tickets ($10 per session or a pass for all six nights for $45) can be purchased, as well as Millionaires Row dining and seating for $59.90 (includes admission and program) and reserved box seating at $20 (includes admission and program).

General admission to the 2010 Kentucky Derby and Oaks and seating for the remainder of the 2009 Fall Meet is also available on the new Web site.