Our Trainers

Michael Stidham

Michael Stidham, born 1957 in Neptune, New Jersey, was born into horse racing. His father George Stidham, was a jockey and trainer. George also served as Bill Hartack’s business manager and part-time agent before becoming a trainer. George Stidham passed away April 1, 2005 at the age of 78. Mike learned the trade under the watchful eye of his father, from the ground up. Starting out as a hotwalker and groom, working up to a position as an assistant trainer.

Trainer Michael Stidham
Bret Calhoun

Bret Calhoun

Bret is the son of former school teacher and thoroughbred trainer, William (Buddy) Calhoun, who used to train at Louisiana Downs. Bret began training horses in 1993 and notched his first victory in April of 1994. His career has really taken off since those early days. He reached the national scene in 2003 with undefeated graded stakes-winning 2-year-old colt Cactus Ridge, who was considered one of the prime prospects for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before going to the sidelines with a knee injury that ended his racing career. Cactus Ridge was owned by country superstar Toby Keith’s Dream Walkin’ Farms.

Brian Koriner

Brian was introduced to racing by his father, Ed, while growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Diamond Bar, near Fairplex Park in Pomona and not too far from Santa Anita. He began by training Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos in Southern California for about 10 years before turning to Thoroughbreds in 1997. He won more than 300 races and 19 stakes at Los Alamitos

Brian Koriner
Danny Werre, Trainer, Dare To Dream Stable

Danny Werre

Danny was born into a race track family during the heyday of the Nebraska circuit. As an infant he literally rode before he could walk. With a father and an uncle who trained thoroughbreds and another uncle who rode, Danny did not lack instruction in all aspects of horse care and conditioning. He had his own jock saddle and pint-sized stick and no one rode a bale of straw better than him.

Christopher Davis

Chris has been around horses his entire life. Born in Oklahoma and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. Racing is the family business for Chris. His mother is long-time and well-respected trainer Liane Davis and  his father Hershell Davis is a former gallop man for Wally Dollase and an assistant starter on various gate crews at the tracks. Chris has a wealth of experience gleaned from all the outstanding horsemen and horsewomen he has been around throughout his years at the track.

Christopher Davis
Trainer Alexis Claire in Keenland Winners Circle

Alexis Claire

Alexis cut her teeth in the thoroughbred industry working as an assistant and exercise rider for trainers Eduardo Rodriguez and Brendan Walsh.   She set out to train on her own in 2021 and has already established herself as an outstanding horsewoman and an ascending star in the trainer ranks.

Alexis is a tireless worker that is extremely dedicated to her craft and the horses in her care.

Rodolphe Brisset

Rodolphe is a young, rising star in the thoroughbred training ranks with a strong foundation in thoroughbred racing. He attended jockey school at age 14 at in Chantilly, France and had a short career as a jockey. He then worked as a jockey agent for top rider Christophe Soumillon before stints as an assistant trainer to top horseman Patrick Biancome and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. During that time, he worked with, galloped & developed many top American horses of the last decade such as Royal Delta, Tourist, To Honor and Serve, Emollient, Drosselmeyer, Close Hatches, Flat Out, Lea and Unrivaled Belle. Rodolphe made the big decision to go out on his own in April of 2017.

Rodolphe Brisset, Dare To Dream Stable trainer