Horse racing trainer Ron Faucheux, a celebrated figure at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, has made a significant career shift, moving from training to becoming a jockey agent. This decision comes after a successful run at the Fair Grounds, where he secured his third consecutive training title on March 26th, with 42 wins, outpacing competitors Bret Calhoun and Brad Cox. Faucheux also experienced a career-best year in 2022, achieving 81 wins and earning over $2 million. However, despite these accolades, he found it increasingly difficult to sustain a profitable career in training, leading to his absence from the Evangeline Downs entries. He is now representing jockey Jose Luis Rodriguez.
Faucheux, 40, who began his training career in 2009, had established himself as a prominent trainer in the Louisiana racing circuit. His achievements included winning his first training title at the Fair Grounds in 2021, surpassing notable trainers like Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, and Tom Amoss. He described this victory as deeply meaningful, given his childhood admiration for trainers such as Asmussen, Amoss, Al Stall, and Dallas Stewart. Faucheux noted that achieving three Fair Grounds training titles was beyond his wildest expectations.
As his stable grew and he aimed to compete at higher-level tracks like the Fair Grounds, Faucheux found that his overhead costs escalated, making it challenging to maintain profitability. He observed that the rising prices of essential resources over the past few years directly impacted his income, stating, “The more horses I got the less money I made.” A key factor contributing to his financial strain was his daily training rate of $75. He contrasted this with trainers who frequently move between tracks like Fair Grounds and Kentucky, such as Asmussen and Cox, who command higher rates. In contrast, trainers like Faucheux, who are based in Louisiana year-round, had to offer lower rates, which he found insufficient to cover expenses.
Despite these challenges, Faucheux maintained focus during the Fair Grounds meet, ultimately securing the training title with three wins on the final day. However, he was already contemplating his next career move. He identified Jose Luis Rodriguez, a jockey from Venezuela who arrived in the U.S. in August after riding in Panama, as a rising talent. Rodriguez made an immediate impact, with a record of 22 wins from 104 rides in 2022 and continued his success at the Fair Grounds, ranking sixth in standings with 35 wins. Faucheux recognized Rodriguez’s potential and saw an opportunity to transition to a new role.
Faucheux explained that his new position as a jockey agent would allow him to spend more time with his children, as his own responsibilities as a trainer involved managing a large stable, numerous employees, and significant expenses. While acknowledging the demanding nature of being an agent, he noted it required considerably less work than training. He expressed optimism about this new venture, stating, “This is a good opportunity to spend more time with my family, have a little more free time and a little less stress and try this out. I’ll see how it works.”
He admitted that while he would miss certain aspects of training, such as the hands-on work with the horses, the relationships with owners, and the camaraderie with fellow racing professionals, he would not miss the extensive operational and financial burdens. “There are things I won’t miss,” he stated.
Faucheux has not ruled out a return to training in the future. He mentioned the possibility of training again for the upcoming Fair Grounds meet but has not made a definitive decision. “I’m just going to enjoy this meet at Evangeline and not make any decisions until the meet is over with,” he said. His career win percentage stands at an impressive 23.7%, with over 740 career wins. However, the question remains whether these impressive statistics can ultimately translate into a sustainable and financially rewarding career in horse racing. This is the challenge Faucheux is now seeking to resolve in his new capacity.
