Jay Trump (1957–1988) 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 ...

racehorse 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 pr ...

and one of only two horses to win both the

Maryland Hunt Cup The Maryland Hunt Cup is a Timber race, which is an American Steeplechase. It was first run on May 26 1894 and won by Johnny Miller. Eight horses have won the race three times but no horse has won it four times. It is considered one of the most d ...

and the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...

steeplechase Steeplechase may refer to: * Steeplechase (horse racing), a type of horse race in which participants are required to jump over obstacles * Steeplechase (athletics), an event in athletics that derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing ...

races. Jay Trump won three Maryland Hunt Cups, 1963, 1964, 1966. In 1965 he won the English Grand National.

Background

Jay Trump was born April 1, 1957, and was the product of an unplanned breeding. His sire was Tonga Prince, his dam Be Trump. They were paddock mates, Be Trump was considered infertile. He spent his early years training at "Shanty Town", located near the Charles Town race track, in West Virginia, where he raced.

Racing career

Jay Trump's early race record was unremarkable; Jay Trump ran 8 times, with one second-place finish, earning $220. In 1960, amateur steeplechase jockey, Crompton "Tommy" Smith, purchased Jay Trump for Mary Stephenson, who was a family friend. He was purchased as a steeplechase prospect. Tommy Smith was the grandson of the great sportsman and steeplechase racer Harry Worcester Smith, who in 1912 and 1913 traveled to Ireland, England and France as the invited "Master of the Westmeath Hounds." Jay Trump won his first race in 1962. In 1963 he won his first Maryland Hunt Cup, setting a course record, defeating Mountain Dew. Plans were hatched to take Jay Trump to England for the Grand National, but it was thought better to wait another year. Jay Trump won the Maryland Hunt Cup for a second time in 1964, again defeating Mountain Dew. Later that year he was shipped to England. He won his first race for trainer

Fred Winter Frederick Thomas Winter, (20 September 1926 – 5 April 2004) was a British National Hunt racing racehorse jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Jockey four times and British jump racing Champion Trainer eight times. He is th ...

at Sandown on October 21, 1964; this was also the first winner for the trainer. Jay Trump went on to win two more races and finished second in the

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of ...

, as he prepared for the Grand National. In 1965 Jay Trump won the English Grand National, defeating Freddy in a remarkable battle to the line. He was the first Maryland Hunt Cup horse to win the Grand National, as well as the first American owned, bred and ridden winner of the Grand National. Since that time, Ben Nevis II has repeated the feat of winning the Maryland Hunt Cup in 1977 and 1978, and the Grand National in 1980. After his Grand National victory, Jay Trump went to France to run in the Grand Steeplechase. He was made the favorite, but finished third to Hyeres III, who had also won the race in 1964. Jay Trump then returned to the United States, where he ran in one more Maryland Hunt Cup, in 1966. He won that race, and was promptly retired. Mountain Dew was second to Jay Trump in this race for the third time. Mountain Dew also won three Maryland Hunt Cup races; Jay Trump and Mountain Dew formed a tremendous

rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...

in the 1960s.

Honors

Jay Trump is in 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 ...

. Jay Trump was part of the first group of horses that entered the Maryland Thoroughbred Hall of Fame. He is buried at the finish line of the

Kentucky Horse Park Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 (Iron Works Pike) and Interstate 75, at Exi ...

's Steeplechase course.

Books

Books that have been written about Jay Trump include Peter Winant's ''Jay Trump: A Steeplechasing Saga'', and Jane Mcllvaine's ''The Will to Win: The True Story of Tommy Smith and Jay Trump''.

Grand National record

References