Jay Trump (1957–1988) was an American

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

and one of only two horses to win both the

Maryland Hunt Cup The Maryland Hunt Cup is a Timber race, which is an American Steeplechase. It was first run on May 26 1894 and won by Johnny Miller. Eight horses have won the race three times but no horse has won it four times. It is considered one of the mos ...

and the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

races. Jay Trump won three Maryland Hunt Cups, 1963, 1964, 1966. In 1965 he won the English Grand National.

Background

Jay Trump was born April 1, 1957, and was the product of an unplanned breeding. His sire was Tonga Prince, his dam Be Trump. They were paddock mates, Be Trump was considered infertile. He spent his early years training at "Shanty Town", located near the Charles Town race track, in West Virginia, where he raced.

Racing career

Jay Trump's early race record was unremarkable; he ran 8 times, with one second-place finish, earning $220. In 1960, amateur steeplechase jockey, Crompton "Tommy" Smith, purchased Jay Trump as a steeplechase prospect for Mary Stephenson, who was a family friend. Smith was the grandson of the great sportsman and steeplechase racer Harry Worcester Smith, who in 1912 and 1913 traveled to Ireland, England, and France as the invited "Master of the Westmeath Hounds." Jay Trump won his first race in 1962. In 1963, he won his first Maryland Hunt Cup, setting a course record while defeating Mountain Dew. Plans were hatched to take Jay Trump to England for the Grand National, but it was thought better to wait another year. He won the Maryland Hunt Cup for a second time in 1964, again defeating Mountain Dew. Later that year, he was shipped to England. He won his first race for trainer

Fred Winter Frederick Thomas Winter, (20 September 1926 – 5 April 2004) was a British National Hunt racing racehorse jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Jockey four times and British jump racing Champion Trainer eight times. He is t ...

at Sandown on October 21, 1964; this was also the first winner for the trainer. Jay Trump won two more races and finished second in the King George VI Chase as he prepared for the Grand National. In 1965, Jay Trump won the English Grand National, defeating Freddy in a battle to the line. He was the first Maryland Hunt Cup horse to win the Grand National as well as the first American-owned, -bred, and -ridden winner of the Grand National. Since that time, Ben Nevis II has repeated the feat of winning the Maryland Hunt Cup in 1977 and 1978 and the Grand National in 1980. After his Grand National victory, Jay Trump went to France to run in the Grand Steeplechase. He was the favorite but finished third to Hyeres III, who had also won the race in 1964. Jay Trump then returned to the United States, where he ran in one more Maryland Hunt Cup, in 1966. He won that race and was promptly retired. Mountain Dew was second to Jay Trump in this race for the third time. Mountain Dew also won three Maryland Hunt Cup races.

Honors

Jay Trump is in the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

. Jay Trump was part of the first group of horses that entered the Maryland Thoroughbred Hall of Fame. He is buried at the finish line of the

Kentucky Horse Park Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 (Iron Works Pike) and Interstate 75, at ...

's Steeplechase course.

Books

Books that have been written about Jay Trump include Peter Winant's ''Jay Trump: A Steeplechasing Saga'', and Jane Mcllvaine's ''The Will to Win: The True Story of Tommy Smith and Jay Trump''.

Grand National record

References