H. Allen Jerkens
Harry Allen Jerkens (April 21, 1929 – March 18, 2015) was an American thoroughbred race horse Hall of Fame trainer.
Jerkens' father owned a riding academy on Long Island that led to his interest in horse racing, and in 1950 he trained his first winner. Sometimes called the "Giant Killer", he is best known for his upsets. Jerkins saddled the 1973 Whitney Handicap winner Onion (defeating Secretariat), 1973 Woodward Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Prove Out (defeating Secretariat and Riva Ridge, respectively), and Beau Purple, who defeated Kelso in three of their four meetings. His horses defeated other greats such as Buckpasser, Cougar II, and Forego.
In 1973, Jerkens was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer, and in 1975 he became the youngest trainer ever inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame at the age of 45.
Another of Jerkens' top horses was the filly Sky Beauty, who in 1993 swept the American Triple Tiara by winning the Acorn Stakes, the Mother Goose Stakes and the Coaching Club American Oaks. She won four Grade I races the following year en route to an Eclipse Award as outstanding older female.
In total, Jerkens won more than 200 stakes races.[2]
Jerkens was hospitalized in Florida on March 3, 2015 with an infection.[3] He died on March 18, 2015 at the age of 85.[2] Among his survivors are sons Jimmy and Steven, who are also thoroughbred trainers.[2]
References
- ^ "Trainer Profile - H. Allen Jerkens". equibase.com. Equibase Company. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^ a b c Goldstein, Richard (18 March 2015). "Allen Jerkens, 'Giant Killer' of Horse Racing, Dies at 85". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^ Genaro, Teresa (3 March 2015). "HOF Trainer Jerkens in Intensive Care in FL". bloodhorse.com. The BloodHorse. Retrieved 19 March 2015.