King T. Leatherbury (born March 26, 1933 in Shady Side,

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

) is 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 trainer who ranks fifth all-time in wins among U.S. trainers. Called a Maryland racing legend by

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, famed for hosting the annual Kentucky Derby. It officially opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was ...

, King T. Leatherbury, along with

John J. Tammaro, Jr. John J. Tammaro Jr. (September 22, 1925 – February 25, 2001) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Early life and riding career Born in Baltimore, Maryland into a horse racing family, John Tammaro was still a young boy when his father ...

, Richard E. Dutrow, Sr. and

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

inductee Bud Delp, were known as Maryland racing's "Big Four". They dominated racing in Maryland during the 1960s and 1970s and helped modernize flat racing training. Born on a farm there, where his father raised horses, King Leatherbury graduated from the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

with a degree in

business administration Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...

then chose a career in thoroughbred racing. As a trainer, he won his first race in 1959 at Florida's Sunshine Park but made his reputation at racetracks in his native Maryland. He was the leading trainer at Delaware Park Racetrack on four occasions, won twenty titles at Laurel Park Racecourse and another twenty-five at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

. He led all Maryland trainers in wins for four straight years between 1993 through 1996 and has won five races in one day four times and on another occasion won six races on one card. On April 20, 2015, Leatherbury's induction 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 ...

was announced. His formal induction took place in ceremonies on August 7, 2015 in

Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

References

2005 Washington Post article on King T. Leatherbury

2003 Baltimore Sun newspaper article profile and interview with King T. Leatherbury titled ''Leatherbury: A breed apart''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leatherbury, King T. American Champion racehorse trainers 1933 births Living people United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees People from Anne Arundel County, Maryland