Jeff Bonde has been a fixture in California racing for over four decades and resides in Southern California. He is a native Northern Californian, the product of a Hall of Fame farrier Father, and a horse trainer Grandfather. Bonde can read, write and speak Spanish fluently, making him a favorite among many owners. His stables are largely based in Southern and Northern California and he is well known for shipping horses across the World to give the horses their best chance to come home a winner.
Bonde learned the trade from Veteran Bay Area Conditioners Jerry Dutton, Tex Johnson, Emmett Campbell and Don Jeffries. Starting out in 1974, he saddled his first winner at the Stockton Fair later that year. Today Bonde is best known for being the trainer of Smiling Tiger, a multi-grade I stakes sprint winner. He is also the trainer of She’s a Tiger, who crossed the finish line 1st in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2013, only to be disqualified and moved to 2nd by the stewards for causing interference with another horse inside the sixteenth pole. Despite the setback, She’s a Tiger won the Eclipse Award as a top 2 year-old.
Bonde has saddled starters for the Dubai World Cup, Breeders’ Cup Series, Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Other stand-out horses that have been part of his stable include Distinctiv Passion, Metaboss, Untouched Talent, Sierra Sunset, Sierra Sweetie, Epic Honor, General Royal, Spain, Cambina, Mr. Doubledown and many more.
