Thanks to Mike and Ed for sharing their personal accounts and memories of John. Then out from under that martinet, Alydar would win the Bluegrass by 13 lengths, the Arlington Classic by 13 and beat older horses in the Whitney by 10!” He was cast in a role of the “ almost horse” time after time against Affirmed. Certainly, in one way the career of Alydar was a repetition of grim stanzas. Once while participating on a panel, John went so far as to say he would sometimes just look at Alydar and remark to himself about how God had given that horse the powers that he had. Even the morning after the Belmont Stakes, there he was in the Belmont backstretch sitting on the fender of his Jaguar eating a fudgesicle and in his friendly manner saying, “I still think I can beat Affirmed.” I was always impressed by the way John handled those close, grinding losses to Affirmed. Still, the impression held for some time. The suggestion that Alydar would have the edge as the distances got longer was proven to be false. Racing a mile for the first time, Alydar laid off the pace and came running in the stretch to win by 1¼ lengths.
#Newest grim dawn trainer series
What seemed a key moment in the series came in the Champagne Stakes. Then Alydar entered his rivalry with Affirmed. Markey was patient and understood that she had not turned over a lot of talent to the young man. Calumet had fallen in lean times and Veitch’s first year as head trainer brought little success. This was Calumet Farm, the former powerhouse under Warren Wright Sr. Veitch was on his own and had managed to land a job that harkened back to the old days for an owner who stressed sportsmanship and wanted a private trainer.
The Man will be here soon, etc.”įive years later, Alydar came into the picture. So, when speaking of Burch, John referred to him as the “The Man.” Talked to the Man this morning. In that situation, John thought that it was not appropriate to call his boss “Elliott,” but somehow Mr. There was John, the son of a highly acclaimed trainer Sylvester Veitch and he was working for the son of another great trainer, Preston Burch. I first got to know John in the spring of 1972, when he came to Kentucky with Key to the Mint, Paul Mellon’s Kentucky Derby Prospect. “John Veitch was a product of a former era which he revered, but he was also a horseman for his own day.
He has also agreed to share some reminisces of him with our readers. He had deep respect for the history and tradition of thoroughbred racing, and he did his best to honor it with sportsmanship.”Įdward Bowen, former editor of Bloodhorse magazine and past President of the Grayson Foundation, was John’s great friend. As did his father, John preferred training for a private stable, and I believe he was happiest in that role. Later in his career he trained for Darby Dan Farm and guided Sunshine Forever to a national title as champion turf horse. So John asked his father to saddle Our Mims for him at Saratoga while he would saddle Alydar in the Sapling. Our Mims was going to run in the Alabama Stakes on August 13, the same day Alydar was slated for the rich Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park. One of my favorite memories of John concerned the dilemma he faced during the 1977 Saratoga meet. He did, by developing champions Our Mims and Before Dawn, along with Alydar.
John hoped he could play a role in restoring the famed establishment to its former glory. It was Alydar who put John on the national scene in 19 with his gallant performances against the great Triple Crown winner Affirmed. I have strong memories of them getting together after training hours on many mornings during the Saratoga meetings of the 1970s and 80s. His father, Sylvester Veitch, son of Silas, is a Hall of Fame trainer who developed five national champions for owners C.V. His grandfather Silas Veitch was a very accomplished horseman who trained jumpers and flat horses in Canada and the United States for leading owners of his time such as Joseph Seagram, George Hendrie and Walter Salmon. “John Veitch was born to be in thoroughbred racing. Recently I asked his cousin, Saratoga’s resident horse racing writer and historian Michael Veitch to share some of his thoughts and recollections of him with our readers at Saratoga Today. Hall of fame trainer John Veitch passed away on the 14th of February.
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