Harry Allen Jerkens (April 21, 1929 – March 18, 2015) was an American

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

race horse Hall of Fame trainer. Jerkens' father owned a

riding academy An equestrian facility is created and maintained for the purpose of accommodating, training or competing equids, especially horses. Based on their use, they may be known as a barn, stables, or riding hall and may include commercial operations descr ...

on Long Island that led to his interest in

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

, and in the spring of 1950 he obtained a trainer's license. Sometimes called the "Giant Killer", he is best known for his upsets. Jerkens saddled the 1973 Whitney Handicap winner

Onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...

(defeating Secretariat), 1973 Woodward Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Prove Out (defeating Secretariat and

Riva Ridge Riva Ridge (April 13, 1969 – April 21, 1985) was a Thoroughbred racehorse, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in 1972. Often remembered simply as a stablemate of Secretariat, Riva Ridge was a successful racehorse in his own rig ...

, respectively), and

Beau Purple Beau Purple (foaled in 1957) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is most famous for defeating the champion gelding Kelso and champion colt Carry Back in three of their four meetings. Background He was trained by George P. Odom until mid ...

, who defeated Kelso in three of their four meetings. His horses defeated other greats such as

Buckpasser Buckpasser (1963–1978) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1966 Horse of the Year. His other achievements include 1965 Champion Two-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Three-Year-Old, 1966 Champion Handicap Horse, and 1967 Champi ...

Cougar II Cougar II (1966–1989) was a Chilean Thoroughbred racehorse who also competed in the United States, where he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Cougar was noted for his late running style and versatility, winnin ...

, and

Forego Forego (April 30, 1970 – August 27, 1997) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse that won eight Eclipse Awards including Horse of the Year, Champion Handicap Horse and Champion Sprinter. Background Foaled at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky ...

. 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 The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

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 The Mother Goose Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced on dirt in late June or early July, the race currently offers a purse of $300,000. Inaugurated in 1957 at a mi ...

and the

Coaching Club American Oaks The Coaching Club American Oaks is a race for thoroughbred three-year-old fillies and the second leg of the Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing. Originally run at Belmont Park, the Grade I $500,000 stakes race was moved to Saratoga Race Course in 2 ...

. 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. Jerkens was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

in the Horse Racing Category with the Class of 1992. Jerkens was hospitalized in Florida on March 3, 2015, with an infection. He died on March 18, 2015, at the age of 85. Among his survivors are sons

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and Steven, who are also thoroughbred trainers, son Allen and daughter Julie. In 2017 the New York Racing Association renamed the King's Bishop Stakes for Jerkens, who himself trained

King's Bishop King's Bishop (1969–1981) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Background King's Bishop was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by Warner L. Jones, Jr. He was sired by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Round Table. He was out of the mare Sp ...

to wins in the 1973 Carter Handicap and Fall Highweight Handicap for

Allaire du Pont Allaire du Pont (May 4, 1913 – January 6, 2006) was an American sportswoman and a member of the prominent French-American Du Pont family of chemical manufacturers who is most remembered as the owner of the Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fam ...

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

runs another race, the

H. Allen Jerkens Stakes The H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred horse race open to three year olds and up run at a distance of two miles on turf. The race is named in honor of the late U. S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens. The ...

, every December.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerkens, H. Allen American horse trainers Eclipse Award winners United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees People from Long Island 1929 births 2015 deaths