Thoroughbred Trainer Bio

 
Ross 
Armata 
Born: 1/29/1947  in Sicily, Italy 
Resides: Brampton, Ontario 

2009

  • higher win totals and earnings than in 2007 and 2008
  • in the money at a rate of 36.8 per cent
  • multiple scores with Fromajack to Aking, I’m a Moon Too and Moon Ruckus
  • all of his victories came in races less than one mile
  • profitable flat win-bet proposition (+0.9 per cent)
  • added eight Fort Erie scores
Statistics
Recent Woodbine Record

YEAR STARTS WINS RANK PURSE EARNINGS STAKES
2009 106 12 t-38 $320,613 0
 2008 72 10 t-44 $280,793 --
 2007 92 7 62 $261,546 --
 2006 112 13 35 $580,074 1
 2005 154 22 17 $853,052 2
 2004 149 20  t-18 $749,042 1
 2003 128 12  35 $600,237 2
2002 186 22 19 $949,250 1
2001 176 18 23 $825,619 1
2000 204 20 t-18 $988,114 1
1999 155 28 t-9 $828,423 3

As of December 31, 2009
Lifetime Wins

640 (1983)
Career
  • won his first race in 1983 with Fleet Mood and added eight more in rookie year
  • won first stakes race in the 1992 Valedictory with Stage Actor
  • first breakthrough campaign came in 1993 when he recorded 25 wins at Woodbine (ranked eighth) and accumulated earnings of $393,477
  • won the Gr. 3 Dominion Day with Pomeroon in 1994
  • in 1999, led speedster Great Defender to five wins including a record shattering mark in the Kennedy Road Stakes (1:08.17 for six furlongs)
  • also in 1999, Vorticity won a pair of two-year-old stakes
  • in 2000, enjoyed his richest season at Woodbine, earning a career-high $988,114, while winning 20 starts, including the New Providence with Matter of Courage
  • in 2001, collected 18 wins, including the Kingarvie Stakes, the first of nine career stakes for Barbeau Ruckus
  • in 2002, had 71 top-three finishes, notching 22 wins and earning $949,250...20 of his 22 victories in 2002 came in sprints
  • won the Sir Barton Stakes with Barbeau Ruckus
  • in 2003, Barbeau Ruckus doubled Armata’s stakes pleasure, winning both the Steady Growth and Elgin Stakes
  • altogether, posted 44 top-three finishes on the year, winning 12 races, while banking $660,237 in earnings in 2002
  • in 2004, returned to the top-20
  • once again, Barbeau Ruckus sizzled in the stakes department, adding the New Providence to his resume
  • 16 of Armata’s wins came in sprints
  • added 26 wins at Fort Erie from 131 starters (19.8%)
  • in 2005, Armata won a stakes race with Barbeau Ruckus for the fifth straight year (Elgin and Steady Growth)
  • added 22 wins (from 95 starts) at Fort Erie: second consecutive year with at least 20 wins per Ontario oval
  • highest Woodbine earnings since 2002
  • 66 top-three finishes (42.9%)
  • 18 of year’s 22 victories in maiden/claiming category
  • eighth straight year with at least one Woodbine stakes victory (Ontario Fashion with Shot Gun Ela)
  • added 21 wins at Fort Erie
  • in 2007, recorded 600th career victory with Bold Starlet (Aug. 7 at Fort Erie)
  • has 17 stakes wins (from 75 starts) and a career stakes winning percentage of 22%
  • 24th overall in total Woodbine victories in the past decade with 156.
Beyond the Barn
  • known for work with older horses and claimers
  • immigrated to Canada from Sicily in 1964
  • younger brother Vito is also a successful Woodbine trainer
  • son Ross Jr. also trains, winning 41 Woodbine races from 307 starts since 2002