Trainer Donnie K Von Hemel

BORN: 09/10/61, Syracuse, Kansas

RESIDES: Piedmont, Oklahoma

 

FAMILY: Robin, wife; Tess, daughter

 

 

Donnie K., who usually brings some 40 horses to Oaklawn each spring, is back. Last year, he sent out 110 starters, from which won 15 races.

 

 

His meeting highlight was capturing the Bayakoa Stakes with Euphony, a filly with whom he won the Instant Racing here a year earlier.

 

 

He tied Bret Calhoun for sixth place in the final 2009 meeting standings.

 

 

Going Ballistic and Brownie Points are two other major stakes winners he has had here in recent seasons. Fans will not soon forget Mr Ross, winner of the 2001 Essex, Razorback and runner-up to Traditionally in the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap.

 

 

In 2000, Mr Ross won the Fifth Season Breeders' Cup. A stable-mate, Slewance, won the Paseana.

 

 

Going back even farther, the young horseman has had many stakes more winners, a few of them: Burbank, Hollow Miss, Leave A Legacy, Sir Tiff, Time To Be Wild, Custer, Prairie Maiden, Sintress and Valley Of Kings.

 

 

Hollow Miss is recalled as winner of the Dixie Belle and Prima Donna.

 

 

One year at Lone Star, Von Hemel won the $200,000 Winstar Distaff Stakes with Valadora.

 

 

"Zeerullah, Queen's Gray Bee, Explosive Girl, Illusive Ghost and Slew o Mink are still other quality runners I've had," he noted.

 

 

One of two trainer sons of the nationally-known horseman, Don Von Hemel, Donnie graduated from Fort Hayes State with a degree in business.

 

 

"Did my father give me any advice when I started out?" Donnie K. replied to a question. "He advised me not to go into racing. But, when he saw that I wanted to train horses, he told me to go for it; to give it all I had."

 

 

So as the father and son not be confused by name similarity, the younger grew up as Donnie K., the initial for Kyle. A second son, Kelly, currently has a strong stable assembled and is ready for the Oaklawn meeting.

 

 

One of the most successful trainers ever at Remington Park, Donnie K. conditioned Clever Trevor, a career earner of more than $1,000,000 and who was second to Dansil in the 1989 Arkansas Derby.

 

 

"Clever Trevor had a lot of ability and loved to run. One of his greatest wins came in the Arlington Classic. The horse underwent knee surgery several times, but he’d recover and come back to run big in stakes," recalled Donnie K.

 

 

The son and father both trained Mariah's Storm, the gallant runner, who brought $2,600,000 in a 1996 sale for brood mares.

 

 

"Zeerullah, Queen's Gray Bee, Explosive Girl, Illusive Ghost and Slew o Mink are other quality runners I've had. Don’t forget Bien Nicole.," said Donnie K.

 

 

When Bien Nicole won the $500,000 Winstar Galaxy at Keeneland in 2003, she became the fourth millionaire earner that Donnie has trained.