obituary

Vinnie Roe, who won the G1 Irish St Leger from 2001-2004, has died. The pensioned son of Definite Article was 27. Bred by Virginia Moeran, the bay was out of Kayu (Tap On Wood) and sold for 48,000gns as a foal. In 1999, he made IR£50,000 to subsequent trainer Dermot Weld at Goffs. Vinnie Roe carried the silks of Irish film director Jim Sheridan and Antonio Balzarini, and was partnered by the legendary late Irish jockey Pat Smullen in all bar one of his 29 starts. A stakes winner and...

Stuart Angus of Lexington, Kentucky passed away in Nashville, Tennessee on August 28 after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 60 years old. Angus is survived by his son, Drew, and daughter-in-law, Alexa, along with their two foster children. Stuart was one of three children born to his parents, Carol and Douglas Angus. Angus was born and raised in New Jersey. During his youth, he fell in love with horses and that love of the thoroughbred shaped the rest of his life. His friends issued an obituary, which reads:...

Cal Fischer, owner of Madera Thoroughbreds Racing LLC, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the age of 88 years old. Prior to monitoring the development of yearlings, weanlings, and sales stock at Madera Thoroughbreds, Fischer served on the Board of the Northern California Thoroughbred Association. Fischer is survived by his wife Jill, and his son Todd, the current Assistant Stallion Manager at Calumet Farm.

Former Group 1-winning jockey Bruce Raymond has died. More recently racing manager for some of the biggest owners of the sport, he was 82. The victory of Rainstorm in the 1962 Newbury Autumn Cup was a breakthrough win for Raymond, who was also successful in the July Cup, Nunthorpe Stakes, and Ayr Gold Cup. A three-time winner of the Haydock Sprint Cup, Raymond never won a Classic race, but did finish second with Blue Judge (Rainbow Quest) in the 1993 Derby. Closely associated with trainer Michael Jarvis, he also prevailed...

Former Irish Champion Flat Jockey and two-time Classic-winning rider Tommy Murphy died at a hospital in Cashel on Wednesday. A rider and later an assistant trainer to the late Vincent O'Brien, he was 88. Murphy rode his first winner in 1954 in Ireland and spent six years riding in England before beginning a 10-year stint with Clem Magnier in Co Meath. Successful twice in the Galway Hurdle and also at the Cheltenham Festival, he joined O'Brien's stable in 1974. His brace of Classic scorers were in 1977--Lady Capulet (Sir Ivor)...

Grass Wonder (Silver Hawk) has died at the age of 30, Japan's Big Red Farm announced on Friday. The 1997 Japanese champion juvenile colt, the paternal grandsire of 2015 Japanese Horse of the Year Maurice, was diagnosed with multiple organ failure on Thursday and died August 8. A statement from the farm read, "Grass Wonder passed away today, August 8, 2025. He was undefeated from his debut, winning the Asahi Hai in record time and had a brilliant career as a racehorse, including three consecutive Grand Prix victories. "As a...

Captain Fred Barker, owner of the picturesque King Edward's Place Stud on the edge of the Downs near the Ridgeway, died recently at the age of 88. Born into a world where hunting, racing and breeding were a way of life, horses were always at the core of Fred's being. He did just enough to survive his five years at Harrow and then spent several very happy years in the 11th Hussars, before taking over the running of King Edward's Place, which was once a discreet country retreat of Edward...

New Years Eve (Night Conqueror), believed to be the second-oldest American Thoroughbred on record, has passed away in Pennsylvania. He was 39 and reported to be the oldest living Thoroughbred at the time of his death. We shared his story in March, shortly after his official birthday. Called 'Axl' by those closest to him, the beloved dark bay was foaled the same year as Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. History's oldest-known American Thoroughbred, a gelding named Dead Solid Perfect, died in 2022 at 39 years and 188 days. New Years...

One of the most iconic personalities in horse racing and a man that helped transform the face of the industry over the past half a century, D. Wayne Lukas passed away at his home in Louisville Saturday night from complications from a severe infection. He was 89. Lukas is survived by wife Laurie, grandchildren Brady Wayne Lukas (Dani) and Kelly Roy (David) and great grandchildren Johnny Roy, Thomas Roy, Walker Wayne Lukas and Quinn Palmer Lukas. A statement from Lukas's family released Sunday, read, "It is with heavy hearts that...

Edited Press Release  The Emerald Downs' racing community is mourning the loss of longtime trainer Bonnie Jenne, who succumbed to lymphoma Thursday at age 76. A mainstay since the track's opening in 1996, Jenne saddled 247 winners at Emerald Downs, including 15 stakes victories and over $2.9 million in earnings. "Today is a very sad day in the Washington Thoroughbred community," said Emerald Downs Director of Publicity Joe Withee. "Bonnie Jenne has been part of every Longacres, Yakima Meadows, and Emerald Downs race meeting since the late 1960s as a...

Sheila M. Maloney, who started young horses and worked with older rehabbing horses in Camden South Carolina for decades, passed away at home on May 25 after a long illness. She was 78 years old. Maloney was born on Apr. 26, 1947, to James Woodruff Maloney, Sr. and Elizabeth Hyland Maloney of East Norwich, Long Island, New York. Her father, a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, was inducted into the National and Aiken Thoroughbred Halls of Fame. Her mother, Lib, was a show rider during the 1930s and was awarded the Alfred...

Longtime Canadian-based trainer, breeder and owner Paul Buttigieg died, according to a Woodbine release Wednesday. Over the course of his career at Woodbine, the horseman amassed 672 wins and more than $19 million in earnings as a trainer. Buttigieg also operated his own training center in Egbert, Ontario--Buttigieg Training Centre--where trainers such as Robert Tiller, Kevin Attard and Michael De Paulo were stabled. Buttigieg's most significant horses were led by champion Phil's Dream, who he bred, owned, and trained. Phil's Dream captured the GI Nearctic Stakes in 2013 and was...