MacKenzie Miller
Encyclopedia
Mackenzie Todd Miller (16 October 1921 – 11 December 2010) was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse trainer
and owner/breeder. During his forty-six year career, he conditioned seventy-two stakes winners, including four Eclipse Award
champions.
Miller grew up near the Keeneland Race Course
, and attended its first race in 1936. In 1947 he went to work as a stable hand for Calumet Farm
. He became involved with conditioning horses, and took out his training license in 1949.
Miller trained 1974 Epsom Derby
winner Snow Knight
who had been purchased by E. P. Taylor
; Snow Knight was selected 1975's American Champion Male Turf Horse. Miller also trained for Charles W. Engelhard, Jr.
. He was then was hired by Paul Mellon
for his Rokeby Stables
. He and Mellon had their first Kentucky Derby
win in 1993 with Sea Hero
. Among their other successes, Winter's Tale won the 1980 Brooklyn Handicap
, the Suburban Handicap
, and the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap
. In 1984, Fit to Fight
won the New York Handicap Triple
, a feat accomplished just three times in the near one hundred years that the three races existed simultaneously. No horse has won the Handicap Triple in since.
Miller was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in 1987. There is a Mack Miller Exhibit at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum
, where he operated a winter training facility for many years before selling to Janice and Robert McNair, the then owners of Stonerside Stable
. Other honors he has received include the 1993 Honor Guest at the Thoroughbred Club of America's Testimonial Dinner from the National Turf Writers Association
. Following his retirement, he was elected to The Jockey Club
in 1997. He was the co-breeder of De La Rose
, the 1981 American Champion Female Turf Horse, and Chilukki
, the 1999 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Miller died at the University of Kentucky
Hospital. He had been hospitalized on December 5 following a stroke
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse 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/breeder. During his forty-six year career, he conditioned seventy-two stakes winners, including four Eclipse Award
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
champions.
Miller grew up near the 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...
, and attended its first race in 1936. In 1947 he went to work as a stable hand for Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of Lexington's blue grass country, the finest horse breeding region in...
. He became involved with conditioning horses, and took out his training license in 1949.
Miller trained 1974 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner Snow Knight
Snow Knight
Snow Knight was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won Britain's most prestigious race in 1974, the Epsom Derby, then the following year earned an Eclipse Award as the American Champion Male Turf Horse.-Background:...
who had been purchased by E. P. Taylor
E. P. Taylor
Edward Plunket Taylor was a Canadian business tycoon and famous breeder of thoroughbred race horses. Known to his friends as "Eddie", he is universally recorded as "E. P...
; Snow Knight was selected 1975's American Champion Male Turf Horse. Miller also trained for Charles W. Engelhard, Jr.
Charles W. Engelhard, Jr.
Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. was an American businessman who controlled an international mining and metals conglomerate, as well as a major owner in Thoroughbred horse racing, and a candidate in the 1955 New Jersey State Senate Elections.Engelhard made his fortune in the precious metals industry,...
. He was then was hired by Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon KBE was an American philanthropist, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder. He is one of only five people ever designated an "Exemplar of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame...
for his Rokeby Stables
Rokeby Stables
Rokeby Stables was an American thoroughbred racehorse breeding farm in Upperville, Virginia involved with both steeplechase and flat racing. The operation was established in the late 1940s by Paul Mellon who won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder in 1971 and again in 1986...
. He and Mellon had their first Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
win in 1993 with Sea Hero
Sea Hero
Sea Hero is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the 1993 Kentucky Derby as an almost 13:1 longshot. It marked the first Derby win for jockey Jerry Bailey and for 71-year-old trainer MacKenzie Miller...
. Among their other successes, Winter's Tale won the 1980 Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
, the Suburban Handicap
Suburban Handicap
The Suburban Handicap is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is run at the classic one-and-one-quarter mile distance on dirt for a $400,000 purse....
, and the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap
Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap
The Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap was a Thoroughbred horse race first run in September 1973 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade 1 race for horses 3 years old and up, it was raced over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on a dirt track....
. In 1984, Fit to Fight
Fit to Fight
Fit to Fight was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New York Handicap Triple in 1984.-Background:...
won the New York Handicap Triple
New York Handicap Triple
The New York Handicap Triple is the name used to refer to three American handicap races for older Thoroughbred racehorses run by the New York Racing Association at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York...
, a feat accomplished just three times in the near one hundred years that the three races existed simultaneously. No horse has won the Handicap Triple in since.
Miller was 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 1987. There is a Mack Miller Exhibit at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum
Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum
The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplechase Thoroughbred horses that trained in Aiken, South Carolina....
, where he operated a winter training facility for many years before selling to Janice and Robert McNair, the then owners of Stonerside Stable
Stonerside Stable
Stonerside Stable is an American Thoroughbred horse breeding farm and horse racing operation in Paris, Kentucky. Until September 2008 it was owned by Robert and Janice McNair, who also own the National Football League team, the Houston Texans...
. Other honors he has received include the 1993 Honor Guest at the Thoroughbred Club of America's Testimonial Dinner from the National Turf Writers Association
National Turf Writers Association
The National Turf Writers Association is an American association of journalists, columnists and other writers involved with reporting on the horse racing industry...
. Following his retirement, he was elected to The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
in 1997. He was the co-breeder of De La Rose
De La Rose
De La Rose was an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse. Regally bred in Kentucky, she was the daughter of English Triple Crown champion Nijinsky. Her grandsire was U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Northern Dancer, and her damsire was another U.S. Hall of Famer, Round Table...
, the 1981 American Champion Female Turf Horse, and Chilukki
Chilukki
Chilukki was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse, who during her racing career set two track records at Churchill Downs. She was bred in Kentucky by Dr. R. Smiser West and U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller....
, the 1999 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
Miller died at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
Hospital. He had been hospitalized on December 5 following a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
.
Champions trained by Mack Miller
- Leallah – American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1956)
- AssagaiAssagai (horse)Assagai was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Kentucky, he was sired by Warfare and out of the mare, Primary. Purchased by the international business tycoon Charles W. Engelhard, Jr., he was trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, MacKenzie Miller. At age three, Assagai was...
– American Champion Male Turf Horse (1966) - HawaiiHawaii (horse)Hawaii was a South African bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was a Champion at age two and three in South Africa after which he was sent to race in the United States by owner Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. where he was voted the 1969 American Champion Turf Horse honors...
– American Champion Male Turf Horse (1969) - Snow KnightSnow KnightSnow Knight was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won Britain's most prestigious race in 1974, the Epsom Derby, then the following year earned an Eclipse Award as the American Champion Male Turf Horse.-Background:...
– American Champion Male Turf Horse (1975)
Further reading
- Fisher, Jonelle. MacKenzie Miller: The Gentleman from Morgan Street (2006) St. Crispian Press ASIN B000OBE14G