Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel dies

By: SPORTS NETWORK

(Sports Network) - Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel died Monday morning after a battle with leukemia. He was 68 years old.

Various publications, including the Thoroughbred Times, reported that Frankel died at his home in Pacific Palisades, California.

"Bobby Frankel was one of the greatest trainers in thoroughbred racing history. His outstanding horsemanship, coupled with a keen insight into the game, made him a force in the sport for the last 40 years. His immense talent, and his abiding love for his horses, will be sorely missed," said Alex Waldrop, the president and CEO of National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

Frankel was a five-time Eclipse Award winning trainer and saddled six Breeders' Cup winners. He won just one Triple Crown race, though, capturing the 2003 Belmont Stakes with Empire Maker to deny Funny Cide a Triple Crown.

A New York native who split time between California and New York tracks, Frankel was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1995.

Frankel began training in 1966, notching five wins in 21 starts. His horses won 3,654 races in 17,657 starts, with earnings of $227,947,775.