"Big Frank" Goes To Hollywood
Last racing season one of the blogs I wrote was about assistant trainers and their importance to the barns they work for. Frank Bernis was the subject of that blog back then as he was working for trainer Tom Amoss. I explained, with the help of trainer Tom, how important “Big Frank” was to the Amoss Empire success for the last 22 years. I use the word “was” because since July, assistant trainer Frank Bernis has now become jockey agent Frank Bernis.
To be exact, “Big Frank” made the occupational change from assistant trainer to jockey agent for Jamie Theriot on July 5, 2010, at the conclusion of the Churchill Downs spring meeting. Frank had actually toyed with the idea of taking a jockey’s book as long ago as 12 years. “I was approached back then, but it wasn’t the right time to make the move. Then, a few other times I was asked if I was interested in going to work for a few other jockeys, but again, it was never the right time, or at least, I thought it wasn’t the right time.
Then, on July 5th, after talking it over with Tom (Amoss) and setting a date with Jamie to start, I made the change and went to work as Jamie’s agent. I had to make sure that me leaving was not going to leave Tom and the entire crew at the barn in a bind and I wanted the transition with the new assistant to be very smooth for everyone involved, especially Tom.”
Frank even credits Tom with helping to get he and Jamie working together. “Tom and Jamie were talking one morning at Churchill about Jamie needing an agent after Churchill concluded. Fred Aime was working for Jamie at the time and he was getting ready to go to New York with Miguel Mena, so Jamie was going to need an agent. I thought about it for a couple of days and decided to do it. I guess you could say I had Tom’s blessing to make the change, so Tom has definitely been a difference maker in the last 22 ½ years of my life.”
As a friend and fellow agent, let me give you my opinion of “Big Frank” and what kind of agent he is. He’s a great agent. He had all of the ingredients to be a great agent before he ever took a jock’s book. He knows the racing game, inside and out, he knows race horses, inside and out, he knows how to dissect a condition book, inside and out, and as much as it pains me to say this, he is an unbelievably likeable guy, which is a big plus for an agent. If you know Frank, you love Frank. You’d be surprised how many “bromances” he’s involved in.
After a very productive summer in Kentucky, Frank accomplished in four months what most jockey agents never accomplish in an entire career - he won two Breeders Cup races - both for trainer Bret Calhoun. “I say we, but I was very fortunate to be part of that success, period, much less so quickly. Jamie has ridden horses for a few years for Bret and he was already riding Chamberlain Bridge when Dubai Majesty came open and we were able to ride her and everything just fell into place. It was unreal how it all happened. It was Bret and Jamie’s time to shine after years of hard work on the biggest day in Thoroughbred racing and I’m grateful that I got to be part of it.”
With the Fair Grounds meet closing in on six weeks of racing, Jamie and Frank are doing just fine. Jamie has won 27 races so far and is riding and winning for a number of trainers, including Bret Calhoun and Frank’s old boss, Tom Amoss. “Bret is a huge part of our success and Tom is giving us a chance on a lot of horses. It’s great to still be doing business with Tom, even though I’m in a different capacity. We’re trying hard to be a difference maker when it comes to winning races for Tom.”
In March, the trio of Bret Calhoun, Jamie Theriot and Frank Bernis are hoping to travel to Dubai, where Chamberlain Bridge will try to win their version of the Breeders Cup Sprint. “According to Bret, that’s the plan. We’re pointing for that race and if all goes well, we’ll be in Dubai at the end of March. It’s a great feeling to have those types of races to look forward to. Not everybody is lucky enough to get a chance to compete on that level for that much money.”
A win in Dubai could give these guys “rock star” status. Right here, right now, for “Big Frank” Bernis, life is good. Life is very good. This is a story that Hollywood movies are made of. Next step - “Big Frank” goes to Hollywood. Who knows, stranger things have happened.