Born: April 3, 1965

Birthplace: New York City, NY

Residence: Walnut, IL

Family: Wife, four sons

First Winner: Ituna

Started Ownership: 2005

Tampa Trainers: Dale Bennett, Tom Proctor and David Hinsley

James Montesano gained an interest in horses though the clientele of his institutional money management firm. Says Montesano of Thoroughbred ownership, “I liked betting on them, and thought I might like owning them more!”  Ituna, his first horse, was also his first winner.  Montesano counts the six-year-old bay mare among his favorites in his 45-horse barn. He claimed Ituna on August 31, 2005, and since then, she has won five races for Montesano, including three victories in a row the 2006-2007 Tampa Bay Downs season. The mare has earned $181,475 in her 38 career starts, finishing in the money sixteen times from those attempts; seven of those in-the-money finishes have been for Montesano.

James Montesano has a wife and four sons – “Future horsemen!” he laughs - and his favorite moment in racing came when his family was with him for Ituna’s first victory in the Montesano racing silks.  “We pulled the kids out of school for the race, and they had a great time.”  Montesano says of his experiences in horse racing, “It’s a great family experience.  We love it; the kids, my wife, we all enjoy it very much.”  He, his wife and sons go to the track often together, and have recently been spending Montesano’s birthday at Tampa Bay Downs.