Trainer Jon Arnett named Martin’s Italian Restaurant Trainer of the Month

Posted On 14 Mar 2026

Trainer Jon Arnett named Martin’s Italian Restaurant Trainer of the Month

Although it was a slow start this season for veteran trainer Jon Arnett, the barn is starting to pick things up at Tampa Bay Downs. The recent successes with several wins over the last few weeks has earned him and his team the Martin’s Italian Restaurant Trainer of the Month award. Arnett tallied three wins during the last week of February and several more on the board finishes to start March to win the award.

“We had such a terrible start to the season,” said Arnett. “We were checking and trying everything, but luckily things have started to turn around.”

The trainer who grew up in New Mexico, has been a regular at Tampa Bay Downs for the last several years. Arnett has also won several training titles at Prairie Meadows in Iowa where he is based during the summer months, often taking his Tampa string up to the Hawkeye State at the conclusion of the meet here in Oldsmar in May.

Arnett comes from a long line of horsemen as his grandfather Claude Arnett and his father Bob Arnett both trained horses. Bob won over 2,431 races in his career including 11 training titles at Sunland Park in New Mexico. As of this publication, Jon is sitting at 2,426 career wins, just five away from the very strong total that his father put up in his career.

“I’ve had two goals for a while now before I retire; one was to pass my dad and one was to get to 2,500 wins,” Arnett said.

For his efforts, trainer Jon Arnett is the Martin’s Italian Restaurant Trainer of the Month Award winner. He’ll be presented with a plaque and gift card to Martin’s Italian Restaurant during the races on Saturday March 14th.

Live racing at Tampa Bay Downs continues through Sunday May 3rd, racing Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Florida Cup Day, a day filled with Florida bred and sired stakes runners, will be conducted on Sunday March 29th. Tampa Bay Downs will be closed on Sunday April 5, 2026 to observe the Easter holiday.