Jonathan E. Sheppard

Jonathan E. Sheppard (December 2, 1940 – August 27, 2023) was an English Hall of Fame trainer in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He holds the record for the most wins in American steeplechase racing history with 1,242 victories, and led with the most U.S. steeplechase wins per year a record 26 times between 1972 and his retirement in 2020.[2]

Jonathan Sheppard
OccupationTrainer
Born(1940-12-02)December 2, 1940
Ashwell, Hertfordshire, England
DiedAugust 27, 2023(2023-08-27) (aged 82)
Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Career winnings$88,679,925[1]
Career wins3,426,[1] including 1,242 steeplechase[2]
Major racing wins
Steeplechase:
Colonial Cup Steeplechase
(1975, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000)
New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap
(1979, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994,1997, 2000, 2001, 2006)
Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings Hurdle
(2002, 2007, 2008)

Flat racing:
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (1982, 1983)
Diana Handicap (1993, 2008, 2009)
Black Helen Handicap (1995, 1997)
Man o' War Stakes (2001, 2002)
Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap
(2001, 2002)
United Nations Handicap (2002)
First Lady Stakes (2008)
Humana Distaff Handicap (2009)
Vinery Madison Stakes (2009)
Jenny Wiley Stakes (2009)
Chicago Handicap (2009)
Arlington Handicap (2009)
Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (2009)
Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes (2009)
Valedictory Stakes (2009)
Dixie Stakes (2014)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase
(1988, 1989, 1992, 1999)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2008)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2009)
Racing awards
U.S. Champion Steeplechase trainer by earnings (1973-1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2007)
Honours
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1990)
Jonathan Sheppard Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Significant horses
Cafe Prince, Flatterer, Highland Bud,
Storm Cat, Forever Together, Cloudy's Knight, Informed Decision

Through his career, Sheppard had considerable success in both steeplechase and flat racing. In both venues, he had a long working relationship with stable owner, George W. Strawbridge Jr., and in 2008 he conditioned Strawbridge's filly Forever Together to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Achievements

Steeplechase

Sheppard came to the United States in 1961 and in 1966 won his first race with his horse Haffaday in a steeplechase event at My Lady's Manor, Maryland. In 1973, he won his first earnings championship in steeplechase racing. He went on to win the earnings title another twenty-three times. He trained the winner of four Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechases and holds the record for most wins in the Colonial Cup Steeplechase with eleven. Sheppard is the only trainer to win the American steeplechase Triple Crown, doing it with Flatterer, the only horse to win the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Steeplechase horse four years in a row.

On September 25, 2010, he achieved his 1,000th steeplechase victory as a trainer. At Monmouth Park Racetrack his trainee Arcadius took the $100,000 Helen Haskell Sampson Stake (NSA-G1) by a length under Brian Crowley.[3] He became the first trainer to send out 1,000 jump winners in the United States. This is considered an impressive milestone, considering the low annual volume of National Steeplechase Association sanctioned races.[4]

On October 29, 2011, with the victory of the runner 'Dugan' at the Aiken Fall Races, Sheppard's career winnings in National Steeplechase Association races rose by $9,000 (USD) to $20,002,192. The British-born trainer was the first in the American sport ever to pass the $20-million mark, unadjusted for inflation. His closest competitor, Jack Fisher, had yet to hit the $10,000,000 mark at that time.[5]

Flat Racing

Sheppard achieved his 3,000th win as a flat trainer on Monday September 17, 2012, when Fugitive Angel won the seventh race at Delaware Park in Stanton, Delaware. Sheppard became the 28th trainer in North American racing history to win 3,000 races.[6] The 5-year-old horse was bred and owned by longtime client George Strawbridge Jr. and his Augustin Stables.

Saratoga Race Course

Sheppard won at least one race in every annual Saratoga Race Course meet since 1969 through and including 2015. This 47 year streak is a record unmatched by any other trainer. His 1st 2015 Race Meet victory was scored by Lune de Caro (TX) in a steeplechase race on August 18, 2015.[7] Jonathan remarked to the Times Union, “I said if I didn’t win one (at Saratoga) this year, I wouldn’t come back”. [7]

His winning streak of a win every summer at Saratoga ended with the 2015 meet. He failed to win at Saratoga during 2016 meet, thus ending the streak at 47.[8]

Sheppard was the leading Saratoga trainer in 1984 and 1985.

Recognition and awards

In 1990, he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

In 2004, Sheppard was elected president of the National Steeplechase Association.[9] In 2008, Sheppard joined fellow Hall of Fame inductee Sidney Watters, Jr. as the only men in American racing to have trained a champion over both jumps and on the flat. As of 2010, Sheppard's horses had won twelve Eclipse Awards:

Death

Sheppard died due to complications from late-stage lyme disease at his home in Hollywood, Florida, on August 27, 2023, at the age of 82.[2][10]

References
  1. "Trainer Profile Jonathan E. Sheppard". equibase.com. Equibase. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  2. Russo, Nicole (29 August 2023). "Steeplechase training legend Jonathan Sheppard dead at 82". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  3. "Arcadius gives Sheppard milestone win - Handicappers' Edge". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  4. "USA 1 000th winner for jumps legend Sheppard - Horse Racing News | Racing Post". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  5. "Jonathan Sheppard passes $20-million milepost « National Steeplechase Association". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  6. "Delaware Park: Sheppard wins 3,000th race as trainer - Daily Racing Form". www.drf.com.
  7. "Trainer wins race for 47th straight year at Saratoga". 19 August 2015.
  8. "Sheppard Streak Comes to an End - TDN - Thoroughbred Daily News - Horse Racing News, Results and Video - Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com.
  9. "Jonathan Sheppard Named Steeplechase President".
  10. Clippinger, Don (29 August 2023). "Hall of Fame Trainer Jonathan Sheppard Dies". thoroughbreddailynews.com. Thoroughbred Daily News. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
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