Ex-wrestler who faced Randy Orton, Dave Bautista and Big Show now trains horses

04 October 2023 , 13:59

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Frank Miller broke 36 different bones during his wrestling career

Frank Miller reckons he has realised two dreams in one lifetime.

For 20 years he lived the life of a rock star, travelling the length and breadth of the US and touring Europe, Asia and Australia as the professional wrestler Trailer Park Trash.

His signature move was the leg drop of the top rope and the knife-edge chop to the chest. He won heavyweight, tag team and hardcore championships, along the way compiling up an extensive injury list of 36 different bone fractures and 16 concussions.

The 6ft 1in Miller wrestled and trained the likes of Randy Orton, Dave Bautista, The Big Show and Brock Lesnar as a member of the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion, a primary source of future WWE talent.

Since retirement the 52-year-old has forged a new career as a racehorse trainer based at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby.

Housebound ex-serviceman enjoys special window visit from physio's horse

“In my lifetime I had two childhood dreams and I have been very fortunate to live them both,” he says. “I always wanted to be a professional wrestler and train horses.

“When I was a full-time wrestler we would drive over 100,000 miles a year, visiting a different town every night. At my busiest I wrestled 354 days in one year. I’ve been to every state except Hawaii, plus 13 different countries including Japan, Australia, England and Mexico. We did live the life of rock stars.”

Miller was given his wrestling name by Jerry ‘the King’ Lawler, the former wrestler and WWE commentator.

Miller won heavyweight, tag team and hardcore championships

The 6ft 1in Miller trained the likes of Randy Orton, Dave Bautista, Big Show (pictured) and Brock Lesnar (Getty Images)

“I was recommended to Jerry Lawler by my trainer,” he explains. “At that time I was wrestling under the name ‘Jack Slayer’ and when I got to meet him I had wrestled the night before in Kentucky and had driven straight to Memphis.

“Needless to say I didn’t look the best. Lawler took one look at me and said, ‘How about we call you Trailer Park Trash’. I didn’t care. It’s a show, it’s entertainment.

“But not long after that we turned that around to not reflect people who lived in trailers, and as I used to be one of them I was living proof you could live your dream.

"So I went from being the bad guy to the good guy. People loved the name and loved what I stood for.”

Trainer Frank Miller, aka professtional wrestler 'Trailer Park Trash'

Miller eventually went part-time and wrestled closer to home to raise his daughter as a single parent until emulating his grandfather and taking out a training licence. He has trained 35 winners of £665,000 prize-money.

“I’ve always been a bottom level trainer who trains for blue collar people,” he says. “My day rate is probably the cheapest around, but no expense is spared on the horse. I do a lot of the elbow grease myself.

“My record don’t jump out on paper but if you look back at the horses I’ve had, it is actually pretty good.

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“I am living proof you don’t have to come from a rich family. I grew up dirt poor. Other than having a few better horses, I don’t think things could get much better.”

Jon Lees