Third generation horse trainer Eddie Coletti Jr. hopes for a win in the Jump Start Stakes at Parx on
October 18, 2022. The stake, for registered PA-breds and PA sired horses, showcases the best in PA, and
the nominations include fan favorites Beren and the Coletti trained Wait for It. According to Coletti, “I
have several nominated, but Wait for It is doing great. I’ll definitely run him.” The 7-year-old gelding, by
PA stallion Uptowncharlybrown, is a multiple stakes winner of over $700,000 including wins in the Hard
Spun Stakes, the Storm Cat Stakes, and the Page McKenney Handicap.
Eddie Coletti, Jr. grew up around horses. His father and grandfather were both trainers and Eddie Jr.
learned the racing business while helping his dad Eddie Sr. and stepmother Irene at their racing stable at
Philadelphia Park. After graduating from high school, Eddie attended college for 1 year, but missed the horses and the action at the race track, so he joined his family in Ocala, Florida. Eddie Sr. left Philadelphia Park in 1987 for Ocala where he opened a training farm named Sunrise Stable South, and Eddie Jr. worked there for several years until he got a job as assistant trainer for Eddie Lehman at Philadelphia Park. Eddie also worked for trainers Eddie Broome and Alan Seewald before going out on his own. “I think it’s good to work for different trainers and learn their methods and training routines, and gain experience. I worked for good horsemen, and they gave me opportunities. I was an assistant for Alan Seewald and ran the Parx division when he passed away. I met Bob Hutt who is the main partner of the Uptowncharlybrown syndicate, and he gave me the opportunity to train for them. Now, I’m their main trainer, and we’ve had great success in Pennsylvania with PA-breds.” Uptowncharlybrown is currently one of Pennsylvania’s top ten stallions and stands at WynOaks Farm in Delta, PA.
Photo Credit: Kim Pratt
“Pennsylvania has a great program for breeders and owners. There’s lots of money for purses. I have 30
horses in my shed row and 29 are PA-breds. I have 16 Uptowncharlybrown horses. You can’t beat the
program. I have a maiden that’s earned $90,000. That’s how good it is here,” explained Eddie. “I have
some 2-year-olds and older horses, and now the season is winding down, so I’ll send some of them to
Florida to freshen up for next year’s campaign. My stepmother Irene breeds a few mares and races a
few, and my cousin Gabe in Florida freshens them up for me at the farm. We keep it in the family.”
Photo Credit: Kim Pratt
Eddie’s wife Darlene battled cancer for 8 years but now is cancer free for over one year. “PA racing has
been good to me. My wife had cancer, and we had free health care because of the program for
horsemen here at Parx. Otherwise, I don’t know what we would have done,” explained Eddie.
“Thankfully my wife is doing great, so we have less anxiety and can relax, and I can play golf once in a
while. I’m lucky. You have to do what you love to do in life, and thankfully I still enjoy getting up in the
morning and going to work at Parx.”
