Pena has sent out 31 winners in the first eight weeks of the meeting. Burke has accounted for 19 at the Big M while leading North America with 61.

Pena’s horses have accounted for $391,020 at the Big M so far. He brought Native Bride out here with him and she won four of her first five starts against invitational-class mares, including a 1:50:2 mile in the first round of the recent Cape and Cutter series. She earned $75,000 in her starts.

Pena, 42, was a regular on the Cal-Expo/Los Alamitos circuit before moving east. A native of La Palma, Mexico, he now has 25 horses stabled at Gaitway Farms in Englishtown, NJ.

"I came out east in July since racing in California has been struggling," Pena explained. "I thought I'd seek my pot of gold in the New Jersey area. I've always trained in California, and I guess I've done my share of winning there. I've won maybe six titles training and driving on the California circuit."

Pena grew up around the racetrack and learned the ropes of the business from trainer Gary Baker. His father, Vince, has managed Beck Farms in Stockton the last seven years.

"I started traveling with my dad on the California circuit when I was 13 and started to help as a groom," Pena said. "But I really got to learn how to train when Gary Baker took over the stable for a year and a half when I was 15. He taught me how to hang them up right and keep them as sound as possible."

Pena earned his qualifying license to drive at 16 and won his first race that year at Fairplex Park with California Magic.

"I was hustling around for some drives and then started training with one horse, then got two and three," recalled Pena of the early lean times.

"My father was a groom for Jerry Silverman and Doug Ackerman," he said. "That's how I got started, going in to help him at the barn on weekends and in the summer as a kid. We were at Del Mar, Hollywood Park and Bay Meadows.

"Jerry Silverman always told me to work hard and stay focused if you want to be successful," he continued. "I never took those words for granted. Gary Baker worked for Jerry for many years, and eventually took over his California outfit. Gary let me be kind of a second trainer. It really helped me learn a lot. Gary eventually moved east, and I was only about 16 when I actually started a stable. [Training horses] is all I've ever done. I dabbled in thoroughbreds and quarter horses."

Pena has worked with many talented pacers over the years, including Eaton Road Kill, Easton Alliance and Positron.

"I think you have to run with it when you get on a roll," he said. "Sure, the luck can run out, but if you work hard and you're smart about it, you'll get lucky a lot. I'm a firm believer in that. If you don't look beyond the wall in front of you, you'll never see the light in front of it. I was five years old when I came to America, and I don't remember having two shirts until I was ten. I had to learn to survive. "

Lou Pena's Career Training Statistics through February 24, 2010
Year Starts Wins 2nds 3rds Earnings
2010      143       45       23      16      $513,937
2009      548      120      65      86      $849,990
2008      838      101      120    109     $442,210
2007      912      124      125    125     $567,147
2006      682      100      99      74      $407,029
2005      568      75        57      87      $298,412
2004      558      94        83      67      $406,386
2003      635      164      93      74      $642,219
2002      574      122      89      84      $589,365
2001      205      46        29      25      $204,603
2000      Did not compete
1999      793      164      128    107      $950,328
1998      818      139      132    114      $582,857
1997      608      119      107     80      $438,965
1996      510        90       70     70       $307,408
1995      597      122      116     80      $358,085
1994      185      30         24     25       $102,411
1993      105      22         15     14       $63,402
1991      153      19         17     14       $87,832
Total            1,696                          $7,812,586