Shane Wilson

Louisiana native Shane Wilson became involved in horse racing as a teenager when he spent summers as a hot walker for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg at Louisiana Downs, near where he grew up.

He later served as an assistant to Sam David and started his own career as a trainer in 1998, racing in the Southeast and Midwest circuits. Wilson earned his first graded stakes wins with Mocito Rojo, whom he claimed in 2016 for owner Wayne Davis out of a maiden win, spending only $10,000. The horse won the Lukas Classic Stakes and Steve Sexton Mile in 2019 and went on to earn more than $850,000 through 2020.