Hall of Fame Trainer Leroy Jolley passes away at 79

by Najja Thompson

Hall of Fame Trainer LeRoy Jolley, a fixture on the New York Racing Association circuit for more than four decades, died on Monday morning at Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y., after battling lung cancer. He was 79.

Born on January 14th, 1938 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Jolley was raised in a racing family and apprenticed under his father trainer Moody S. Jolley, before acquiring his trainer’s license in 1958. He was 20 when he saddled his first winner, Somnus, who was bred by his father and owned by his mother.

A dominant figure on the NYRA circuit, his major victories in New York included two Travers wins with Honest Pleasure in 1976 and General Assembly in 1979. He also captured the Whitney Handicap twice with Nearly On Time in 1977 and Track Barron in 1985.

In 1987, he trained 3-year-old Gulch, who won the Wood Memorial in April and Metropolitan Mile Handicap in May, while also finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Preakness Stakes.

Inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1987, Jolley trained two Kentucky Derby winners, with Foolish Pleasure in 1975 and Genuine Risk, only the second filly to win the race, in 1980. He also trained three Eclipse Award Champions with Honest Pleasure, who won juvenile champion male in 1975, What a Summer, champion sprinter in 1977, and 2-year-old filly Meadow Star in 1990. Three of his trainees — Manila, Foolish Pleasure and Genuine Risk were inducted in the Hall of Fame.  According to Equibase records, Jolley amassed over 900 wins in his career, with over $35 million in earnings.  

Jolley is survived by two sons, Leroy, Jr. and Tim, and daughter Laurie. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Jolley family at a later date.