Brian Keith (Cash) Asmussen was born on March 15, 1962 in Agar, South Dakota. From a Texas horse racing family, his parents, Keith and Marilyn ‘Sis’ Asmussen, operated a ranch in Laredo, Texas. In 1977 he legally changed his name to ‘Cash’.
He scored his first important graded stakes success on Wava in 1979 Beldame Stakes and won that year’s Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. In 1981 he rode Wayward Lass to victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park and travelled to Tokyo where he won that year’s Japan Cup on Mairzy Doates. The following year he won the Washington D.C. International Stakes and his first of two Turf Classic Invitational Stakes.
In 1983 he journeyed to France to ride under contract for wealthy stable owner Stavros Niarchos. He was instantly successful, winning that year’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains on L’Emigrant, and he became the first foreign rider to win the French riding title. Between 1985 and 1990 Cash was the country’s champion jockey every year except for 1987 when he competed in Ireland.
His classic wins in France comprised the Prix du Jockey Club four times, the Prix de Diane three times, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains three times, the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches twice and the Prix Royal Oak once. Other major victories included the 1989 Grand Prix de Paris on Dancehall and the 1991 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Suave Dancer. In 1998, riding Dream Well, he completed a notable double by winning both the Irish Derby and the French Derby.
Between 1988 and 1993 he won ten Group 1 races in Britain including the July Cup, Coronation Stakes, Coronation Cup and St James’s Palace Stakes. In Ireland he won the Derby twice, the 2,000 Guineas and the St Leger, plus the National Stakes twice and the Champion Stakes.
He also made history on a somewhat lesser stage at Chepstow on September 10, 1983 when becoming the first American jockey to ride a winner for the Queen, initiating a 32-1 double on the Royal filly Reflection in the Western Fillies’ Stakes.
He returned to compete in America for various major races and won his second Washington, D.C. International in 1984 plus the 1988 and 1992 Arlington Million. Internationally he also won the 1993 Canadian International Stakes and the 1997 Hong Kong Cup.
He retired in 2001, having ridden more than 3,000 winners during his career. His brother, Steve Asmussen, is a successful trainer in American racing.
Major winners
Great Britain
1986: Coventry Stakes - Cutting Blade
1986: King George V Stakes - Moon Madness
1986: King's Stand Stakes - Last Tycoon
1986: July Stakes - Mansooj
1987: Cheshire Oaks - Chaudennay
1987: Dee Stakes - Sir Harry Lewis
1987: King's Stand Stakes - Bluebird
1988: July Cup - Soviet Star
1988: Jersey Stakes -Indian Ridge
1988: Ribblesdale Stakes - Miss Boniface
1989: Wokingham Stakes - Mac's Fighter
1989: Coronation Stakes - Golden Opinion
1989: Cheveley Park Stakes - Dead Certain
1990: Middle Park Stakes - Lycius
1990: Coronation Cup - In The Wings
1991: Lingfield Derby Trial - Corrupt
1991: Racing Post Trophy - Seattle Rhyme
1991: Haydock Sprint Cup - Polar Falcon
1993: St James's Palace Stakes - Kingmambo
1993: Fillies' Mile - Fairy Heights
1994: Ascot Stakes - Sweet Glow
1996: Haydock Sprint Cup - Cherokee Rose
Ireland
Irish Derby: 1998 Dream Well, 1999 Montjeu
Irish 2,000 Guineas: 1996 Spinning World
Irish St Leger: 1987 Eurobird
Irish Champion Stakes: 1991 Suave Dancer
National Stakes: 1985 Tate Gallery, 1987 Caerwent
France
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: 1991 Suave Dancer
Poule d’Essai des Pouliches: 1993 Madeleine’s Dream, 1994 East of the Moon
Poule d’Essai des Poulains: 1983 L’Emigrant, 1986 Fast Topaze, 1993 Kingmambo
Prix du Jockey Club: 1991 Suave Dancer, 1993 Hernando, 1998 Dream Well, 1999 Montjeu
Prix de Diane: 1984 Northern Trick, 1994 East of the Moon, 1996 Sil Sila
Prix Royal Oak: 1988 Star Lift
Grand Prix de Paris: 1989 Dancehall
Prix du Cadran: 1988 Yaka, 1992 Sought Out
Prix de l’Opéra: 1990 Colour Chart, 1998 Insight
Prix de la Forêt: 1993 Dolphin Street
Grand Critérium: 1989 Jade Robbery, 1998 Way of Light
Prix d’Ispahan: 1987 Highest Honor, 1990 Creator
Prix Jean Prat: 1984 Mendez, 1985 Baillamont, 1986 Magical Wonder, 1989 Local Talent
Prix de la Salamandre: 1983 Seattle Song, 1993 Coup de Genie
Prix Ganay: 1984 Romildo, 1990 Creator
Prix Lupin: 1983 L’Emigrant, 1986 Fast Topaze, 1993 Hernando
Prix Maurice de Gheest: 1990 Dead certain, 1995 Cherokee Rose
Prix Morny: 1993 Coup de Genie
Prix Vermeille: 1984 Northern Trick, 1996 My Emma
Prix Jacques le Marois: 1989 Polish Precedent, 1992 Exit to Nowhere, 1994 East of the Moon, 1996 & 1997 Spinning World
Prix du Moulin de Longchamp: 1984 Mendez, 1988 Soviet Star, 1989 Polish Precedent, 1993 Kingmambo, 1997 Spinning World, 2000 Indian Lodge
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud: 1988 Village Star, 1990 In The Wings, 1997 Helissio, 2000 Montjeu
United States
Beldame Stakes: 1979 Waya
Vosburgh Stakes: 1980 Plugged Nickel, 1981 Guilty Conscience
Coaching Club American Oaks: 1981 Wayward Lass
Mother Goose Stakes: 1981 Wayward Lass
Turf Classic Invitational Stakes: 1982 April Run, 1994 Tikkanen
Washington D.C. International Stakes: 1982 April Run, 1984 Seattle Song
Arlington Million: 1988 Mill Native, 1992 Dear Doctor
Breeders’ Cup Mile: 1997 Spinning World
Canada
Canadian International Stakes: 1993 Husband
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Cup: 1997 Val’s Prince
Japan
Japan Cup: 1981 Mairzy Doates
