Here is the gravesite of John Henry who passed at age 32 on October 8, 2007. He is buried near the paddock at the Kentucky Horse Park where he reigned since 1985 as a resident in the Hall of Champions! He was named after the "steel-drivin'" folk hero because as a baby, he loved to rip up steel water buckets and feed tubs and stomp 'em good. He was bought as a yearling at the Keeneland sale for $1,100. He was over at the knee, plain, small, and he had just whacked his head, so was all bloody.
But he paid for himself over and over. He raced for 10 years and had a 83: 39, 15, 9 record. He earned Horse of the Year twice, a place in the Racing Hall of Fame, the Santa Anita Handicap twice, the Arlington Million Handicap twice, the Graded 1 Hollywood Invitational and Oak Tree Invitational each three times, and the Jockey Gold Cup. He was the first horse to pass $4 million in earnings and ultimately earned $6,497,947 on the track. Chris McCarron, one of his friends and jockey, said that John Henry was so smart that he felt that "I'm just along for the ride." JH would look at the scoreboard after races, looking for his place and for his betting earnings. And he was so competitive that he pulled his groom to the winner's circle once, after having lost a race!
Cranky wonderul old man! Hope he's running in heaven with his friend Cigar and other great racers!