A. Jack Joyner
Encyclopedia
Andrew Jackson "Jack" Joyner (August 4, 1861 - September 1, 1943) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing
Hall of Fame
trainer
and owner.
Known as "Jack" and reported as "A.J." and "A. Jack," Joyner was born in Enfield, North Carolina
, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Henry Joyner. A fan of horse racing, in 1879 the seventeen-year-old Joyner had hung a series of racing pictures on the wall in the small town post office
where he was working when they were spotted by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer William Burch
. Joyner's enthusiasm led to Burch offering him a job with his racing stable. From there, Jack Joyner went work for a short time as a jockey
before turning to the training horses. He saddled his first winner in 1884 in a career that would span fifty-nine years. From that, six years were spent in England following passage of State of New York
Hart-Agnew anti-betting law in 1908, the year he won more races than any trainer in the United States.
Jack Joyner's abilities led to him training for major owners such as James B. A. Haggin, Sydney Paget
, and for Harry Payne Whitney
and August Belmont, Jr.
whose horses he raced in England including Whisk Broom II
. In addition, Joyner owned and raced a number of horses for himself both in the United States and in England. Jack Joyner worked in England from the time the racing season opened on March 23, 1909 until November 1915 when he returned to the United States and began a twenty-five-year association as trainer for stable owner George D. Widener, Jr.
During his career, Jack Joyner trained five Champions:
Jack Joyner died on September 1, 1943 at age eighty-two at George Widener's Erdenheim Stud at Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania
. Following its creation, he was part of the inaugural class inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in 1955.
For a time, Keeneland Race Course
in Lexington, Kentucky
ran the A. J. Joyner Handicap, a six furlong event that notably was won by Whirlaway
in 1941.
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
Hall of Fame
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 race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
and owner.
Known as "Jack" and reported as "A.J." and "A. Jack," Joyner was born in Enfield, North Carolina
Enfield, North Carolina
Enfield is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina founded in 1740 and it is a predominantly African American town. The population was 2,347 at the 2000 census.Enfield is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Henry Joyner. A fan of horse racing, in 1879 the seventeen-year-old Joyner had hung a series of racing pictures on the wall in the small town post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
where he was working when they were spotted by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer William Burch
William P. Burch
William Preston Burch was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer. A native of South Carolina, William Burch served as a courier in the Confederate States Army under Lieut. Gen. Wade Hampton III during the American Civil War...
. Joyner's enthusiasm led to Burch offering him a job with his racing stable. From there, Jack Joyner went work for a short time as a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
before turning to the training horses. He saddled his first winner in 1884 in a career that would span fifty-nine years. From that, six years were spent in England following passage of State of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Hart-Agnew anti-betting law in 1908, the year he won more races than any trainer in the United States.
Jack Joyner's abilities led to him training for major owners such as James B. A. Haggin, Sydney Paget
Sydney Paget
Sydney Augustus Paget was an English aristocrat who owned and raced Thoroughbred racehorses in the United States and who managed the racing operations for prominent owners, William C. Whitney and James Ben Ali Haggin....
, and for Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...
and August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr. was an American financier, the builder of New York's Belmont Park racetrack, and a major owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.-Early life:...
whose horses he raced in England including Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II was American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the United Kingdom and in the United States.-Background:...
. In addition, Joyner owned and raced a number of horses for himself both in the United States and in England. Jack Joyner worked in England from the time the racing season opened on March 23, 1909 until November 1915 when he returned to the United States and began a twenty-five-year association as trainer for stable owner George D. Widener, Jr.
George D. Widener, Jr.
George Dunton Widener, Jr. was an American businessman and thoroughbred racehorse owner; one of only five people ever designated "Exemplars of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
During his career, Jack Joyner trained five Champions:
- Ethelbert, American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (1899)
- Waterboy, American Champion Older Male Horse (1903)
- Hamburg Belle, American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1903)
- St. James, American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (1923)
- JamestownJamestown (horse)Jamestown was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred and raced by George D. Widener, Jr., an Exemplar of Racing and someone described by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune newspaper as "one of thoroughbred racing's most respected horsemen." Bred in Kentucky, Jamestown's racing success...
, American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (1930)
Jack Joyner died on September 1, 1943 at age eighty-two at George Widener's Erdenheim Stud at Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Chestnut Hill is bounded as follows:...
. Following its creation, he was part of the inaugural class inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
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 race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
in 1955.
For a time, Keeneland Race Course
Keeneland
Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
ran the A. J. Joyner Handicap, a six furlong event that notably was won by Whirlaway
Whirlaway
Whirlaway was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse.The chestnut horse was sired by English Derby winner Blenheim II, out of the broodmare Dustwhirl. Whirlaway was bred at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky....
in 1941.