Trainer James Cassidy died Wednesday at his home in Monrovia, Calif., following a battle with heart disease. He was 80.

Born Aug. 21, 1945, in New York City, Cassidy began working with show horses at age 12. He transitioned to racehorses and obtained his trainer’s license in 1975. Cassidy then spent more than a decade as an assistant for top Eastern-based trainers including Joe Canty, Frank Whitely and Charles Sanborne before going out on his own.

Cassidy’s first starter came Oct. 2, 1989, at Belmont Park, according to Equibase statistics. In late 1993, after a handful of runners in New York, Cassidy moved his training operation to Southern California. He won his first race at Hollywood Park on Dec. 12, 1993, with the claiming horse Royal Torrent.

Cassidy continued to operate a small stable at Santa Anita up until his death. His final starter, Pure Chaos, ran Jan. 11 at Santa Anita and finished third in a maiden special weight.

Cassidy won 442 races in his career and compiled $30,715,582 in purse earnings. His final victory came April 25, 2025, at Santa Anita with Princess Snow for owner-breeder DP Racing.

Notable horses from the Cassidy barn included Grade 1-winning millionaires Evening Jewel, The Usual Q.T. and Ticker Tape, along with millionaire Grade 2 winner Moscow Burning. Cassidy also served multiple terms as president of California Thoroughbred Trainers, an organization that represents the interests of Thoroughbred trainers in the state.

“Jim loved horses. Period,” said Alan Balch, executive director of California Thoroughbred Trainers. “From the first time I met him, that’s what stood out to me. He had his early experience on Long Island with show horses, and we had that in common when I first met him in connection with CTT. And he loved the Yankees, he always wore that cap proudly.”

Evening Jewel, a California-bred daughter of Northern Afleet owned by Braly Family Trust, raced from 2009 to 2011 and won stakes in all three seasons. In the spring of her 3-year-old season, Evening Jewel won the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and then finished second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. Evening Jewel then switched to turf and won the Del Mar Oaks (G1), San Clemente Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and Honeymoon Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park. She closed out the campaign back on dirt with a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill.

Evening Jewel finished with a record of 19: 7-6-2 and $1,221,399 in earnings.

Ticker Tape, a daughter of Royal Applause, banked $1,452,396 for owner Forging Oaks Farm from 2003-2006. Her biggest win came as a 3-year-old in 2005 in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1).

The Usual Q.T., a California-bred gelding by Unusual Heat, earned $1,531,240 for owners Don Van Racing Inc., Michael Nentwig and partners. The Usual Q.T. won the Hollywood Derby (G1) in 2009 and came back the following year to win the Eddie Read Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.

Cassidy served as president of CTT in 2009 and again from 2012 through June 2019.

“Jim had a special knack with fillies and mares, and the records prove it,” Balch said. “He served the backstretch community as a whole tirelessly, through both the Gregson Foundation and his CTT leadership.”

Details on services will be announced at a later date.