Hollendorfer grew up on the outskirts of Akron, Ohio, in a rural area, (Bath Township), where he had a pony to ride.
He attended Revere High School in Richfield[2] then Akron University, earning a degree in business administration and marketing.
Janet is his chief assistant and oversees the horses stabled in Northern California when Hollendorfer is travelling to other racetracks.
[4][5] His first Grade I stakes winner was King Glorious, who won the Hollywood Futurity in 1988 and Haskell Invitational in 1989.
Hollendorfer has won the Kentucky Oaks with Lite Light in 1991, Pike Place Dancer in 1996 and Blind Luck in 2011.
[1][4] In 2010, Blind Luck became the first Eclipse Award winner trained by Hollendorfer after winning three Grade I races.
"[9] In 2013, Shared Belief became Hollendorfer's second Eclipse Award winner when he was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Male after several impressive victories including the CashCall Futurity.
Shared Belief became the early favorite for the 2014 Kentucky Derby but developed an abscess on his hoof and missed the race.
He finished fourth after a troubled trip but rebounded with wins in the Malibu, San Antonio and Santa Anita Handicaps.
After being injured in his next race, Shared Belief was on the road to recovery when he suffered a severe attack of colic and died on December 3, 2015.
[12] In June 2019, Hollendorfer was banned forever from Stronach Group facilities, owners of Santa Anita Park, following the death of four of his horses in a six-month period at the track.