Frank "Pancho" Martin (December 3, 1925 – July 18, 2012) was a United States' Hall of Fame trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses.
He began working at the track when he was 12 years old, starting as a hotwalker (walking horses after a run or workout) and becoming a trainer by the age of 16.
[3] Some of his top horses include: Manassa Mauler, who won the Wood Memorial Stakes in 1959; Never Bow, the Brooklyn Handicap winner in 1971; Hitchcock, the Suburban Handicap winner in 1972; Autobiography, the nation's Top Older Horse in 1972; Rube the Great, who won the Wood Memorial in 1974; Outstandingly, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 1984 and the Eclipse Award for top 2-year-old filly; and Watch the Bird, the Whirlaway Stakes winner in 1998.
Martin's son, Jose, and grandson, Carlos, have gone on to have successful careers as trainers of Thoroughbred racehorses as well.
Martin, portrayed by actor Nestor Serrano, is shown laying personal insults on the Secretariat team and proclaiming during a press conference that the horse is not worthy to compete with Sham.