Kentucky Horse Park - January 2009

John Henry lived at the Kentucky Horse Park for 22 years before his death at the age of 32 due to kidney failure on October 8, 2007, and his many fans continue to deliver flowers to his grave. Sold as a yearling for just $1100 and as a 3-year-old for $25,000, John Henry went on to win 39 of 83 starts and earned $6,591,860, at the time racing's all-time money leader. Among those 39 victories, he won the inaugural Arlington Million in 1981 and came back to win the same race in 1984, the Oak Tree Turf Championship and Hollywood Invitational Handicap three times each, the San Luis Rey and the Santa Anita Handicap twice each, along with the Hialeah Turf Cup, San Gabriel, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Turf Classic, and the Sunset. He was named champion turf horse four times and Horse of the Year twice. In 1990 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame at Saratoga Springs.

The history of John Henry