Jonathan Sheppard was a thoroughbred trainer whose horses had more steeplechase victories than any other trainer’s in U.S. history.
- Died: August 27, 2023 (Who else died on August 27?)
- Details of death: Died in Hollywood, Florida, of complications from Lyme disease at the age of 82.
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Jonathan Sheppard’s legacy
When Sheppard came to the United States from England in 1961, he began one of the greatest legacies in horse racing history. He won his first race as a trainer in 1966. Seven years later, he won his first of 23 earnings championships in steeplechase racing. His success in steeplechase was unprecedented, including a record 1,242 victories and leading the circuit in annual wins 26 times between 1972 and 2020.
Sheppard trained the winner of four Breeders’ Cup Grand National Steeplechases, 11 Eclipse Award-winning horses with 15 victories between them, and won at least one race a year at one of the world’s most difficult courses, the Saratoga Race Course, for 47 straight years. He has 11 Colonial Cup Steeplechase wins, more than any other trainer, and with Flatterer, he became the only trainer to win the American steeplechase Triple Crown. Flatterer was also the only horse to win four straight Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Steeplechase horse. Sheppard had success in other racing arenas, too, including over 3,000 victories as a flat trainer.
Sheppard is widely regarded as one of the greatest trainers in the sport’s history. He is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, has been president of the National Steeplechase Association, and in 2013, was given the F. Ambrose Clark Award for his contributions to the sport.
Tributes to Jonathan Sheppard
Full obituary: Thoroughbred Daily News
