Lonnie Briley
$219,546
2026 earnings
15%
2026 wins
$9,209,115
lifetime earnings
racing Record
2026 Stats
Career Stats
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4
Firsts
353
3
Seconds
380
7
Thirds
399
12
Unplaced
2,051
26
Starts
3,183
$219,546
Earnings
$9,209,115
$8,444
Earnings / Start
$2,893
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Bio
Lonnie Briley, a native of Louisiana, became interested in the horse business at an early age through his cousin, who trained Quarter Horses. Briley worked in the oil fields for a while but then set out on his own as a trainer and in 1991 became the farm manager for the late John Franks, a multiple Eclipse Award-winning owner. Briley worked for Franks until 2003, assisting with breeding, sales, rehab, and many other tasks and raising stakes winners such as 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ Answer Lively.
Lonnie Briley, a native of Louisiana, became interested in the horse business at an early age through his cousin, who trained Quarter Horses. Briley worked in the oil fields for a while but then set out on his own as a trainer and in 1991 became the farm manager for the late John Franks, a multiple Eclipse Award-winning owner. Briley worked for Franks until 2003, assisting with breeding, sales, rehab, and many other tasks and raising stakes winners such as 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ Answer Lively.
After training on his own again, Briley became the private trainer for owner Robbie Norman in the 2010s, competing mainly in Louisiana and nearby states. In 2023, he purchased a Coal Front colt for Norman at the Texas Thoroughbred Association Yearling Sale, spending $70,000. Named Coal Battle, the Kentucky-bred joined the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve trail during winter 2024-25 with wins in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, the Smarty Jones Stakes, and the Rebel Stakes that netted his connections over $1 million in purse earnings.
