Connie Tassistro, a longtime trainer based in Louisiana, died Friday in New Orleans, according to trainer Dallas Stewart.

Tassistro was a mentor to Stewart, who said the horseman had retired from training about 10 to 12 years ago. Tassistro's top stakes winners in the latter part of his career included Meteor Impact, Leslie's Love and Cindysmagicmoment. 

Stewart said he began working for Tassistro at 17 or 18 at Fair Grounds, and learned the level of horsemanship from the trainer that prepared him for positions like working as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. 

"He had me ready to roll in my 20s," Stewart said of Tassistro. "When I went to Lukas, I was tied on and ready to go as far as my horsemanship." 

Stewart had been galloping horses before he went to work for Tassistro and continued in that capacity for him, but wanted to learn more about caring for the athletes. Those lessons were taught by Tassistro. 

"He needed somebody, and I wanted to learn how to groom, too," Stewart said. "He taught me a lot about horses, about doing them up, putting them in the ice tub, using spider bandages, all those kinds of things. He'd stand right over the top of me. He was a very meticulous horseman."

Stewart said Tassistro was a father figure to him, and even attended his wedding. He said Tassistro also was instrumental in the career of jockey Joe Talamo and had longstanding ties to Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye. 

"Everybody loved him,' Stewart said. "He was a terrific person. 

"He's in my Hall of Fame." 

FULL REPORT