Frank Whiteley Jr., 93; enjoyed storied career as horse trainer
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Frank Whiteley Jr., the Hall of Famer who trained two Horse of the Year winners and the ill-fated filly Ruffian, died Friday in Camden. He was 93.
A man who answered the phone at Mr. Whiteley's home and identified himself as his son Alan confirmed the trainer had died. He did not want to give additional details or discuss his father's career.
"He had been very sick the last few months and was in and out of the hospital," Hall of Fame jockey Jacinto Vasquez said from New York.
Mr. Whiteley was a horseman who did things in a grass-roots way, according to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. "There just aren't that many around any more," he said.
It would certainly be hard for anyone to match Whiteley's success training thoroughbreds.
He grew up on a Maryland farm where he rode horses for his uncle at shows and fairs.
He took out his trainer's license in 1936, starting a career that lasted nearly a half-century.
Mr. Whiteley said he never worked under another trainer and never read Hall of Fame trainer Preston Burch's book, "Training Thoroughbred Horses."
He won his first Triple Crown race, the 1965 Preakness Stakes, with Tom Rolfe.
Two years later, Mr. Whiteley trained Damascus to Horse of the Year honors, winning the Preakness, Belmont Stakes, Travers, Wood Memorial, Dwyer, Bay Shore, Aqueduct Handicap, Woodward, and
Mr. Whiteley took over the training for Forego, who was selected Horse of the Year in 1976.
Perhaps Mr. Whiteley's best horse was the charismatic Ruffian, a filly who captured the nation's attention by winning her first 10 starts.
Her success led to racing's version of the "Battle of the Sexes," matching Ruffian with Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure at a packed Belmont Park on July 6, 1975.
Ridden by Vasquez, Ruffian shattered her right front ankle during the race and was later euthanized.
Mr. Whiteley became known to a later generation when Ruffian's story was told in a 2007 ESPN original movie. He was played by Sam Shepard.
"He was like a father to me," Vasquez said. "We spent a lot of time together, sometimes from 5:30 in the morning to six at night."
Mr. Whiteley was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1978. He spent his later years in racing breaking in young horses.
McGaughey remembered Mr. Whiteley's basic, caring style. When horses "got sick, he gave them aspirin. When they needed to be iced, he hosed them," McGaughey said.
"He was a fun guy to work for, and he had great stories," McGaughey said. "He wasn't easy, but the reason he wasn't easy was because he was teaching you."
Mr. Whiteley began a thoroughbred trend, shipping his horses to South Carolina for winter training.
He was honored by Camden in 2003 with "Frank Whiteley Day." He also earned the state's highest civilian honor, the "Order of the Palmetto."
Besides his son Alan, he leaves another son, David, who followed his father into the training business. 