Hall of Fame trainer Mackenzie “Mack” Miller died on Saturday at the
University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He was
taken to the hospital after suffering a stroke on December 5. Miller was 89.
Miller attended his first race at Keeneland as a teenager in 1936, but didn’t
begin his racing career until after serving in the Air Force during World War
II. He returned from the war and became a stable hand at Calumet Farm near
Lexington, Kentucky, in 1947. Two years later, Miller took out his training
license and earned his first win as a conditioner in 1950.
Known as the “Gentleman Trainer,” Miller saddled four champions during his
career, which comprised 46 years and 72 stakes winners. His most famous pupil is
likely to be Sea Hero, winner of the 1993 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Travers S.
(G1).
Miller sent out Sea Hero to classic victory for Paul Mellon’s Rokeby Stables.
The pair enjoyed an 18-year run that included such success stories as Winter’s
Tale, back-to-back winner of the Suburban H. (G1) as well as triumphant in the
Marlboro Cup (G1) and Brooklyn H. (G1); and Fit
to Fight, the last horse to accomplish a sweep of the New York Handicap Triple
comprised of the Metropolitan H. (G1), Suburban and Brooklyn. Fit to Fight
joined only three others to have succeeded in capturing those three races in the
almost 100 years that they’ve been run together.
Miller’s first champion came when Leallah earned year-end honors as the top
two-year-old filly of 1956 by Daily Racing Form. It would take another 10 years before one of his
charges took home another award, but that moment came with 1966 champion grass
horse Assagai. Miller quickly followed when putting together a campaign that saw
dual South African champion *Hawaii honored as the champion grass horse of 1969.
The latter two sported the colors of Charles Engelhard.
Miller took over conditioning duties on *Snow Knight when the 1974 Epsom
Derby (Eng-G1) winner was purchased by E.P. Taylor and brought to North America.
Snow Knight earned the 1975 title of champion grass horse and Canadian champion
grass horse following wins in the Canadian International Championship (G1), Man o’ War S. (G1) and Manhattan H. (G2).
Others of note in Miller’s shedrow included Grade 1 winner Halo — who would
go on to sire the likes of Sunday Silence, Sunny’s Halo, Devil’s Bag and Saint
Ballado — as well as Java Gold, whom the trainer ranked as the best horse he
ever trained. Java Gold would capture the 1987 runnings of the Travers, Marlboro
Cup
and Whitney H. (G1) over such notables as Alysheba, Bet Twice, Broad Brush,
Cryptoclearance, Gulch and Polish Navy.
Miller not only conditioned champion Thoroughbreds he also co-bred them, as
proved by 1981 champion turf female De La Rose and 1999 champion juvenile filly
Chilukki.
Miller was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1987
and retired as a trainer in 1995.
A memorial service will be held at the Versailles Presbyterian Church in
Versailles at noon on Tuesday.