Thoroughbred Trainer Bio

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

2011

  • Dubai Calling led Armata's Woodbine-based trainees with three wins from eight starts
  • He topped the trainer tables at Fort Erie with 28 wins in 135 starts and earnings in excess of $260,000
Statistics
Recent Woodbine Record

YEAR STARTS WINS RANK PURSE EARNINGS STAKES
2011 97 4 $223,229 0
2010 95 10 $468,356 0
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 February 3, 2012
Lifetime Wins

685(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%
  • In 2010, earnings rose by 50 per cent to a four-year high of nearly 468k
  • Maintained a double-digit win total for third straight year
  • 90 per cent of scores sprinting
  • Added three Fort Erie scores
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