Kiaran McLaughlin   Birthdate: Nov. 15, 1960 Birthplace: Lexington, Ky. Residence: Garden City, N.Y. Family: wife, Letty; daughter, Erin; son, Ryan.

2008 Gulfstream Record

Career:

• On the short list of top trainers worldwide after campaigning 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor to victory in the Donn Handicap and Dubai World Cup as well as winning the 2006 Belmont Stakes with Jazil 
• Added three more Grade 1 victories in 2008 to his growing list of accomplishments with Little Belle taking the Ashland Stakes, Alwajeeha winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Divine Park winning the Met Mile
• He won Breeders’ Cup races in both 2006 and ‘07, with Invasor taking the Classic at Churchill Downs and Lahudood winning the Filly & Mare Turf at Monmouth Park
• He came just short of winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Closing Argument, who had won Gulfstream’s Holy Bull Stakes that winter
• Other stakes winners in 2008 included Golden Velvet, who dead-heated for the top spot in the Sabin Handicap at Gulfstream and Stream of Gold, who won the Mac Diarmida Handicap 
• McLaughlin started out as an assistant to D. Wayne Lukas then moved to Dubai as a semi-private trainer for the Maktoum family. While there, he was the leading trainer at Nad al Sheba Race Course on three occasions 
• Other prominent owners represented in McLaughlin’s barn are Frank Stronach, Joseph Allen, Team Valor Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds.

Other:

Worked for his future father-in-law, John Hennig, prior to his apprenticeship with Lukas ... While with Lukas he oversaw top horses such as champion Open Mind, Badger Land, Dynaformer and Salt Lake. In 1992 was agent for the late jockey Chris Antley. Kiaran’s brother Neal is a top assistant ... Suffers from multiple sclerosis, taking medication daily to control the disease ... Has given the leg up to three jockeys for their first Grade 1 wins: Fernando Jara (2006 Belmont Stakes), Alan Garcia (2007 Flower Bowl) and Rajiv Maragh (2008 Ashland Stakes).