Herbert John "Dick" Thompson (September 21, 1881 - November 12, 1937) was an American
U. S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer of
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 ...
racehorses
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 ...
. He was the trainer of the winning horse of the
Kentucky Derby in 1921, 1926, 1932 and 1933.
In 1916, Thompson went to work as an assistant trainer to
Cliff Hammon at the
Idle Hour Stock Farm Idle Hour Stock Farm was a 400-acre (1.6 km2) thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm near Lexington, Kentucky, United States established in 1906 by Colonel Edward R. Bradley.
Beginning with the sire, Black Toney, and a roster of quali ...
of
Edward R. Bradley
Edward Riley Bradley (December 12, 1859 – August 15, 1946) was an American steel mill laborer, gold miner, businessman and philanthropist. As well as a race track proprietor, he was the preeminent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehor ...
near
Lexington, Kentucky. Following Hammon's death on July 28, 1918, he took temporary charge of the stable and was permanently appointed head trainer in March 1919.
Champions Trained by Thompson:
*
Blue Larkspur
Blue Larkspur (1926–1947) was a bay Kentucky-bred thoroughbred race horse. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957, and ranks Number 100 in The Blood-Horse's top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20t ...
,
American Horse of the Year, 1929
*
Baba Kenny,
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, 1930
*
Burgoo King,
American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both ''Turf & Sport ...
, 1932
*
Barn Swallow
The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. ...
,
American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.
The award originated in 1936 when both ...
, 1933
*
Balladier,
American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse, 1934
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Herbert J.
1881 births
1937 deaths
American horse trainers
United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
People from Detroit