by Kelly McAninch

Nearly 100 fans gathered at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on Friday to celebrate John Henry’s 32nd birthday.

The seven-time Eclipse Award-winning Ole Bob Bowers gelding, who was Horse of the Year in 1981 and ’84, grazed quietly in his paddock during the celebration, only venturing near the fence lined with fans a few times. His home has been the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park since 1985 after his eight-year career concluded the previous season with $6,591,860 in earnings and 39 wins, including 25 graded stakes, in 83 career starts.

“John Henry has decided that he is retired—from everything,” said Cathy Roby, Hall of Champions barn manager. “So as you can see where he’s standing [away from the crowd], that’s what he thinks of people now.”

John Henry’s unsociable attitude did not stop the festivities, though. Flowers, carrots, and birthday cards covered the outside of his stall. A wreath of peppermints and roses, annually sent by a fan in Texas, stood in the barn near a television monitor that replayed John Henry’s most memorable races.

“We pray every year that this won’t be his last birthday,” said a visitor from Florida who makes a trip every year to see John Henry. Many fans expressed their astonishment at the longevity of John Henry, but all were glad to see the horse they so highly regard.

Among the attendees was retired Racing Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted John Henry during his last 14 starts.

“I want to express my appreciation to…everybody here at the Horse Park... for putting on this celebration,” McCarron said. “I really appreciate the effort that goes out to perpetuate that wonderful animal out there that is so near and dear to me and my family.

“It’s once in a lifetime that an equine hero like John Henry comes down the pipe and having him be around this long is just a real blessing for racing.”

“I feel I was very fortunate to even come close to this one,” said Bob Donato, one of John Henry’s former trainers. “He’s the best horse I’ve ever trained, probably that I ever will train.”

Others in attendance were representatives from Golden Chance Farm, which bred John Henry, and former owner, Jean Callaway, who named him. 

Addressing the crowd, John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park, recognized the individual ways in which John Henry's career had touched each visitor.

“Each of you have, within your hearts, the reason that you want to be here, to show tribute to John Henry," Nicholson said.  “I think one of the greatest gifts John’s given us [is] that you do not have to have the great advantages in life, you do not have to have the great pedigrees in life, to be a champion in life. I think for 1,000 years, that’s what John Henry is going to stand for.”

Nicholson said that the Horse Park would soon receive from the Rubin family estate John Henry’s racing trophies and other memorabilia from his career.

“More than two decades ago, [owners] Sam and Dorothy Rubin of Dotsam Stables gave the Kentucky Horse Park one of its greatest blessings when they sent John Henry to live here," Nicholson said. "Now I have the very happy duty of announcing that the heirs of the Rubin family estate have also done something wonderful for our park by donating the family’s cherished collection of John Henry’s racing memorabilia to our International Museum of the Horse.

“It has been our great privilege to be John Henry’s stewards all these years, and now we’ll have this fine collection on permanent display in our museum to tell the story of his unparalleled racing accomplishments.”

Nicholson also unveiled the John Henry tribute print by Fred Stone called “The Final Call” that will be on display in the Visitor Center at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Kelly McAninch is a Thoroughbred Times intern