Thomas J. Barry (July 27, 1907 – March, 1987) was a trainer of

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 ...

who won two

American Classic Races In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three r ...

with foreign-bred horses. Born in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, as a young man he emigrated to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

where he became a citizen around 1930. In 1951 Tom Barry won the training title at

Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

Oceanport, New Jersey Oceanport is a borough situated in the Jersey Shore region, within Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, specifically Central Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,150, an increase of 318 (+5.5 ...

which marked the beginning of a decade in which he enjoyed considerable racing success. In 1952, Barry began the race conditioning of a colt named Errard King for owner Joseph Gavegnano. Under regular jockey Sam Boulmetis, Sr., in 1953 the two-year-old Errard King won the

Tyro Stakes The Tyro Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near in July at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. A non-graded stakes race offering a current purse of $60,000, it is open to two-year-old horses weighted at 122 p ...

and the

Laurel Futurity Stakes The Laurel Futurity is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late September at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Run over a distance of miles on turf, at one time it was a Grade I stakes race on dirt, and one of the rich ...

and the following year captured two very important races, the

American Derby The American Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race first run at Chicago's old Washington Park Race Track on the city's South Side and raced there until 1905 when the facility was closed following the state's ban on gambling, and horse ra ...

and

Arlington Classic The Arlington Classic Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three year old horses over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in late May at Arlington Park race track near Chicago. History The event was inaugurated ...

American Classic Races

In his only appearance in the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

, in 1956 Tom Barry trained High King to a tenth-place finish. He had two horses run in the

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

Celtic Ash Celtic Ash (1957–1978) was an English-bred Thoroughbred racehorse raised in Ireland who is best known for winning the 1960 Belmont Stakes. Background Celtic Ash was a bay horse bred by Lord Harrington. He was out of the mare Ash Plant and si ...

finished third in 1960, and Vimy Ridge earned fourth place in 1962. However, from two entries in the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

, Tom Barry's horses won both. For owner Joseph E. O'Connell, a banker from

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, Barry used his knowledge of the Irish Thoroughbred industry and had O'Connell buy

Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...

in the belief that the Irish-born colt was genetically suited to run its best at longer distances. Barry proved correct as the colt won the 1958

, at a mile and a half, the longest of the U.S. Triple Crown races. In winning, Cavan spoiled

and

winner Tim Tam's bid to capture the Triple Crown. Two years later in 1960, Tom Barry and Joseph O'Connell's Green Dunes Farm did the same thing when they purchased the British-bred colt

in Ireland. Bought for $22,000, in the United States Celtic Ash earned more than $130,000. In the 1 3/16 mile Preakness Stakes of 1960, Celtic Ash finished third but then won the much longer Belmont Stakes. Tom Barry owned Ardmore Farm in

Darlington, Maryland Darlington is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place in northeastern Harford County, Maryland, Harford County, Maryland, United States.

where he was living at the time of his death in 1987. The property was purchased from his Estate by Audrey and Allen Murray who renamed it Murmur Far

References

June 20, 1960 ''Sports Illustrated'' article titled ''Tom Barry's Waiting Game''

Tom Barry's Belmont Stakes wins at
CBSSports.com, CBS Sportsline {{DEFAULTSORT:Barry, Thomas J. 1907 births 1987 deaths American racehorse trainers Irish emigrants to the United States People from Harford County, Maryland