Bookmark
This Site!

 

HorseFix Home













website stats


Lonesome Glory

Written by J. Drake

Lonesome Glory may not have been a Grand National winner, but he had a right to his own reasons to brag. The chestnut gelding would become one of the most successful steeplechasers America has ever known.

Lonesome Glory was born in 1988 and inherited as a two year old by Kay Jeffords when her husband, Walter Jeffords Jr., died in 1990. He was going to be used as a show horse by Kay, initially, but showed himself to be too wild for the show ring. Kay Jeffers then sent the two year old colt over to trainer F. Bruce Miller to be trained as a steeplechaser.

Lonesome Glory's career includes a long list of accomplishments on his resume. As a three year old, Lonesome Glory won his first, and only hurdle start, and won four of his six starts the next year. Over the next seven years of his life, Lonesome Glory would go on to be awarded five Eclipse Awards, win 24 of 44 career starts between 1991 and 1999 (only losing two of his American starts) and would become the leading money-earning horse in steeplechase history with $1.4 million in winnings.

At the age of 11, Lonesome Glory was retired to life on his trainer's farm. Just Three years into his retirement, however, tragedy found its way to Lonesome Glory as he got cast in his stall and broke his left hind leg. When efforts failed to repair the broken bone he was euthanized on Feb. 25, 2002. His body was buried at the National Steeplechase Museum on the Springdale Race Course property in Camden, South Carolina.

Lonesome Glory's stunning total of five Eclipse Awards is matched or exceeded by only four other Thoroughbreds in racing history: Forego, John Henry, Affirmed and Secretariat. That said, Lonesome Glory is the only steeplechaser among them.

Lonesome Glory Facts:
Sire: Transworld
Dam: Stronghold
Breeder: Walter M. Jeffords, Jr.
Owner: Kay Jeffords
Trainer: F. Bruce Miller
Breed: Thoroughbred
Color: Chesnut
Markings: Wide blaze and sock on Left hind.
Country: USA
Record: 44: 24-5-6
Earnings: $1,325,868
Career Highlights:
Supreme Handicap (1992)
Breeders Cup Steeplechase (1993)
Temple Gwathemy Handicap (1994)
New York Turf Writers Cup (1995)
Colonial Cup (1994, 1995 & 1997)
Iroquois Steeplechase (1995)
Hard Scuffle Steeplechase (1998)
The Royal Chase for the Sport of Kings (1999)
Carolina Cup (1997 & 1999)
Awards:
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Steeplechase horse (1992, 1993, 1995, 1997 & 1999)
United States Racing Hall of Fame (2005)
Leading money-winning horse in American Steeplechase history
A bronze statue of him is now on display in the Museum at Saratoga Springs, New York.






 
 
  Contact - Site Map - ADVERTISE WITH HORSEFIX.COM