BALTIMORE, 05-12-11---Mark Shuman has known for several weeks that he was about to saddle his 1,000th winner. But where was he on the appointed day?

“He had to take his baby to the doctor today to install ear plugs,” said assistant-trainer Brooke Boyer in the Pimlico Race Course winners’ circle. “Otherwise he would be here.”

What Shuman missed was a front running victory by $5,000 claimer California Cool in today’s second race. The 5-year-old Forestry gelding carried Luis Garcia.

Shuman, who is 40, broke onto the local scene at the 2002 Laurel Park winter meeting, where he finished third. In 2003 he won a career-best 225 races and shattered the Gulfstream Park trainer standings with 87 winners and was also the top conditioner at Monmouth Park.

He saddled Xchanger to an eighth place finish in the 2007 Preakness Stakes.