Remembering John Henry

Remembering John Henry

by Kellie Reilly

Hall of Famer and two-time Horse of the Year JOHN HENRY (Ole Bob Bowers),

whose improbable rise to stardom and indomitable will to win earned him legions

of fans, has died at the advanced age of 32. The gelding had spent the last 22

years of his retirement in the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions, greeting

and posing for his admiring public.

John Henry's biography reads like an Horatio Alger rags-to-riches tale. Bred

by Golden Chance Farm in Kentucky, he was foaled on March 9, 1975. The small bay

sprang from humble parentage, and when he sold for a trifling $1,100 as a

yearling at the 1976 Keeneland January Sale, few could have imagined that this

pony-sized youngster with the plebeian pedigree would go on to become the

world's richest Thoroughbred.

His was no meteoric rise to the top, however. After capturing his debut on

May 20, 1977, at the old Jefferson Downs in suburban New Orleans, John Henry

eventually dropped into the claiming ranks early in his sophomore season.

Sold

privately to Samuel and Dorothy Rubin for $25,000 in May 1978, he was transferred to his

third trainer, Robert Donato, who had the inspiration to switch him to the

grass. John Henry improved markedly, coming within a head of defeating that

year's champion turf horse, Mac Diarmida, in the Lexington H. (G2). Later that

season, John Henry romped by 12 lengths in the Round Table H. (G3) at Arlington

Park, foreshadowing glories yet to come on that turf course.

John Henry enjoyed a profitable four-year-old campaign, but really came into

his own as a five-year-old in 1980 to garner his first of four Eclipse Awards as

champion turf horse. Trained by Ron McAnally for the bulk of the season, he

compiled a six-race winning streak, all in graded stakes, including the San Luis

Rey S. (G1), San Juan Capistrano H. (G1) and Hollywood Invitational H. (G1). He

also spent part of the year in New York with Victor "Lefty" Nickerson. Although

he often employed front-running tactics, John Henry wrapped up year-end honors

with an off-the-pace score in the Oak Tree Invitational H. (G1).

Not only did John Henry repeat as champion turf horse in 1981, but the Dotsam

Stable colorbearer took

home Horse of the Year and champion handicap horse honors as well after showing sparkling form on the

dirt. He captured the Santa Anita H. (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup S. (G1) in

addition to defending his crowns in the San Luis Rey, Hollywood Invitational and

Oak Tree Invitational.

The iconic moment of his 1981 campaign was his photo-finish victory

over The Bart in the inaugural running of the Arlington Million S., a titanic

struggle now

enshrined in bronze at the Arlington Heights, Illinois, track. In the course of

that desperate stretch drive, John Henry's iron will to prevail, borne of his

ferocious temper, was displayed for an international audience to savor.

His 1982 season was interrupted by injury, but the McAnally charge managed to add a second Big 'Cap to his resume (via the disqualification

of Perrault [GB] for interference), along with his third straight Oak Tree

Invitational.

As an eight-year-old in 1983, John Henry recovered his crown as champion turf

horse, with tallies in the American H. (G2) and Hollywood Invitational Turf Cup

H. (G1). He also just missed in the Arlington Million, newly elevated to Grade 1

status, when trying to give multiple Group 1-placed Tolomeo (Ire) eight pounds.

In 1984, the grizzled veteran wasn't about to abdicate the throne. At the

ripe old age of nine, he went out in a blaze of glory, riding a four-race

winning streak, to become the oldest horse ever to earn Horse of the Year

honors. Besides racking up his third Hollywood Invitational, John Henry landed

the Sunset H. (G1) and bid goodbye to the West Coast. In his third crack at the

Arlington Million, he rolled past champion mare Royal Heroine (Ire) to score by

1 3/4 lengths, and he remains the only two-time winner of that prestigious race.

At Belmont, John Henry wired the field in the Turf Classic S. (G1), showing his

customary tenacity to hold on by a neck. In what turned out to be his swan song,

he roared from far back to take the Ballantine's Scotch Classic H. at the

Meadowlands by 2 3/4 emphatic lengths, equaling the course record (2:13 for 1 3/8

grassy miles) in the process.

Ruled out of the inaugural Breeders' Cup because of injury, John Henry was

training superbly for his reappearance as a 10-year-old in July 1985, only to

suffer a tendon injury that forced an end to his glittering career.

He was retired with a mark of 83-39-15-9 and a then-record $6,597,947 in earnings.

Amazingly, 30 of those victories came in stakes, 16 of them Grade 1 events, and

he set or equaled four course records. He also placed in 18 stakes, including

the 1980 Jockey Club Gold Cup and Turf Classic Invitational, two editions of the

San Luis Rey (1982 and 1984), the 1983 Oak Tree Invitational and 1984 Hollywood

Gold Cup H. (G1).

A remarkably tough and versatile performer who elicited comparisons to such

great geldings as Kelso and Forego, John Henry was elected to the National

Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 1990.