Northern CA Trainer Jenda retires

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Northern CA Trainer Jenda retires

Dec. 31, 2011 - Chuck Jenda, who conditioned Northern California’s first Eclipse Award winner, Brown Bess, has retired from training after a successful 36-year career.

Jenda, 65, took out his trainer’s license in 1976 after learning the business from trainers Olen Battles, Charlie Comiskey and Mort Lipton. According to statistics from Equibase, Jenda started 8,410 horses and won 1,477 races, good for a career win percentage of 17.5. His horses finished in the money 47 percent of the time and earned $24,661,645 in purses.

Jenda trained numerous stakes-winners in addition to Brown Bess, including Hallowed Envoy, A B Noodle, Sir Alfred, Yearly Tour, New Advantage, Mangaki, Windy City Envoy, Gaelic’s Fantasy, Tanya’s Tuition, Casa Petrone, Free to Move, Watch Rachel, Night Letter, Dayla, and Time to Spare.

Brown Bess provided Jenda with his biggest victory when she captured the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita in 1989. The decisive win against stellar competition clinched the Eclipse Award for Brown Bess as the nation’s top female grass horse of 1989.

Jenda ranked among the top trainers in Northern California for several years. He tied for second in the trainer standings at the 1994 Golden Gate Fields after finishing third in the standings at the 1992 and 1993 meetings. He also finished third in the standings at the 1994-1995 Bay Meadows meeting.