all in Legends

Once upon a time, not all that many years ago, there was a Thoroughbred racehorse named Wickerr who called California his home.

Much like the fabled Goldilocks, Wickerr was a picky individual with clear-cut preferences. But whereas Goldilocks could verbally communicate her disdain for poorly made porridge or uncomfortable beds, Wickerr – being a horse – could only communicate his preferences with visual demonstrations. We’re left to imagine his reasoning.

In today’s world of Thoroughbred horse racing, the path to winning an Eclipse award as champion 2-year-old is relatively clear. First, you win a maiden race for horses who have never won a race before. Then, you try to win at least one graded stakes race (preferably a Grade 1) and hopefully more; finally, you win either the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile or Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to become the clear-cut champion of your division.

Sackatoga Stable’s 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide, one of the most popular racehorses of this century, has died due to complications of colic at 23 years old.

World history would make the 1940s as the decade of war, starting with the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939 and ending with the descent into a conflict that left the planet cold with fear at times. On the racetrack, the decade was one of Triple Crown winners – four in total, the most of any decade so far – yet those years were rich with great performances, a long list of great horses vying for the hearts and minds of the fans that stood trackside.

As difficult to comprehend as it might be for someone living at a time when statistics have become an obsession, there’s no way of telling exactly how many races trainer Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. won in his career.

Numbers, though, are probably the least effective way of measuring the quality of his work and the tremendous respect he gained during the 48 years he spent caring for the horses in his barn.

newsletter sign-up

Stay up-to-date with the best from America's Best Racing!

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube