Frank Whitely

[joanied]

Another sad note...



BloodHorse.com Breaking News

Hall of Fame trainer Frank Y. Whiteley Jr., 93, the trainer of Ruffian, died May 2.

[Shenanigans]

One hell of a horseman.

[GlenninOhio]

One hell of a horseman.

"In addition to Ruffian and Forego, Whiteley trained Damascus, who became the 1967 Horse of the Year after winning the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Woodward Stakes. He also trained Tom Rolfe, the champion 3-year-old colt of 1965, who gave the trainer his first win in a Triple Crown event with that year's Preakness Stakes.


Whiteley took over the training of Forego from an ailing Sherrill Ward in 1976, when the top stayer was already 6. Forego was named Horse of the Year and champion handicap horse that year after winning the Brooklyn, Metropolitan, Marlboro Cup and Woodward. In 1977, Forego was again the champion handicap horse. He retired after two starts at 8."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/ho...tory?id=3378937 (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=3378937)

(I've seen it happen too often to believe that it's coincidence, where people die around significant days for them - birthdays and so on. Maybe Frank was trying to hang in there for one more Derby, but couldn't quite pull it off. RIP, Frank - there will never be another Ruffian.)

[Premier Turf Club]

One hell of a horseman.

And how. That's too bad.

May he rest in peace.

[classhandicapper]

Very sad loss for racing.

[bigmack]

FW remembers Ruffian (http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm129/Classvids/?action=view&current=hof10.flv)

[joanied]

And he really wasn't the mean spirited person they make him out to be...he was a little grumpy, but mostly he just wanted to be left alone and didn't like alot of people, especially the media, around the barn.
If you'd had sen him after Ruffian, you would have seen his heart.

RIP, Frank.

[CryingForTheHorses]

Frank was a great guy,My wife and I galloped horses for him at his farm,In a field early in the morn when it was 18 degress,Frank would be seen sitting under his pecan trees barking orders to move faster,keep quiet, or to start galloping as we jogged around...He was also a lot of fun kibitzing back and forth..Frank hated smokers as he always had a unlit smoke to chew on..The greatest thing about him was that he had a heart for a kid that wanted to ride..Until you learned how to ride,You were just a saddlefiller in his eyes..ps..My wife Lisa was one of his favorites..He would only let her breeze his horses while the others watched...Rest in peace Frank,We will always remember the fun we had at your farm in Camden SC