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You are here: Home / Popular Culture / RIP, John Henry

RIP, John Henry

by John Cole|  October 18, 20076:27 pm| 64 Comments

This post is in: Popular Culture

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The end of the track for a great horse:

John Henry, a true superstar of the racing world, has died at the age of 32. The venerable gelding, winner of 39 of his 83 races and twice North American Horse of the Year, was put down at the Kentucky Horse Park, his retirement home since 1985.

Thirty-two is a tremendous age for a horse, the equivalent of something like 110 in human years. Those closest to him knew the end was near; he had been suffering intermittently from kidney failure and his typical uncertain temper had been mellowing. “John had always been known for his biting and kicking,” said Cathy Roby, barn manager at the establishment’s Hall of Champions. “But he had gotten to the point where he wasn’t really trying, He wasn’t John any more. He was ready to go.”

There is something about the name John Henry that I have always loved, and should I ever get a dog, I will name him John Henry.

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Reader Interactions

64Comments

  1. 1.

    Peter Johnson

    October 18, 2007 at 6:31 pm

    He was one of the greats. I saw him at Saratoga more than once.

    And is is just me or is John Henry a great name for a horse?

  2. 2.

    vg

    October 18, 2007 at 6:46 pm

    John Henry was a steel drivin’ man, lord, lord —
    He drove steel all across this land

    An’ ev’ry time a freight train go rollin’ on by,
    They say yonder lies a steel drivin’ man, Lord, Lord,
    Yonder lies a steel drivin’ man.

  3. 3.

    laneman

    October 18, 2007 at 6:53 pm

    John Henry Cole

    Sounds like a god name for a dog, and a better name for a big fat tom-cat. Who is orange.

  4. 4.

    Dennis-SGMM

    October 18, 2007 at 7:01 pm

    Where I come from we have a name for horses that bite and kick: dog food.

  5. 5.

    kid bitzer

    October 18, 2007 at 7:25 pm

    john, i hope you get that dog.
    you’re a man who deserves a dog,
    and john henry is a damn good name for one.

  6. 6.

    laneman

    October 18, 2007 at 8:02 pm

    Where I come from we have a name for horses that bite and kick: dog food.

    I dunno know, a good war horse will do that…

  7. 7.

    matt

    October 18, 2007 at 8:55 pm

    For a second, I thought you meant Ed Henry. Although come to think of it, having John Henry report on CNN wouldn’t be too different.

  8. 8.

    rachel

    October 18, 2007 at 9:20 pm

    There’s a They Might Be Giants album by that name.My favorite song on it is I Should Be Allowed To Think.

  9. 9.

    douglasfactors

    October 18, 2007 at 10:23 pm

    Did he die with his hammer in his hand?

  10. 10.

    Ninerdave

    October 18, 2007 at 11:58 pm

    Wow, John…NWA and horse racing (gambling)

    Explain to me how you ever considered your self conservative?

    Joking aside. Amazing horse and record, never got to see him race.

    On the political tip, do you think we’ll ever see the repeal of the internet gambling law?

  11. 11.

    Jimmmmm

    October 19, 2007 at 7:22 am

    Horses = NOT athletes. They’re horses. A famous one died. So fucking what.

    Sorry to break it to you that way.

  12. 12.

    cleek

    October 19, 2007 at 8:11 am

    Horses = NOT athletes

    hmmm. you’re the only person on this thread to use the “a” word. who are you arguing with ?

  13. 13.

    Raenelle

    October 19, 2007 at 8:29 am

    I’ve got the names Randy and Joan lined up for my next pair of pets.

  14. 14.

    Hugh

    October 19, 2007 at 8:34 am

    John I love your site and am a huge fan. But am I the only one here uncomfortable with the idea of naming a horse or a dog after an American icon who was black? Just grates on me. Pushes into historically ver hurtful territory.

  15. 15.

    Dennis-SGMM

    October 19, 2007 at 8:48 am

    I dunno know, a good war horse will do that…

    My destrier is my companion in battle and therefore, not a mere horse.

  16. 16.

    Bob In Pacifica

    October 19, 2007 at 9:33 am

    We have a very old dog. Big ol’ dog. He’s got cataracts, has problems sitting for a treat. When it rains he gets goofy and just stands there. The other day workmen left the side gate open and he wandered into the street and up the hill and then peed on the neighbors’ lawns. He likes riding in cars, but mostly he sleeps.

  17. 17.

    Zifnab

    October 19, 2007 at 9:35 am

    Totally off topic, but I’m surprised neither John nor Tim has commented on the whole FISA bill hold that Dodd set up. I was hoping to see a thread start on that since yesterday.

  18. 18.

    Jon H

    October 19, 2007 at 9:42 am

    “Horses = NOT athletes”

    Yeah, horses don’t roid themselves up.

  19. 19.

    capelza

    October 19, 2007 at 10:56 am

    Horses and dogs…(and elephants if they are drunk enough..and only till they’ve had enough and you don’t want to be in the way of their retreat) are the only animals that will go to war with us. Or did anyway.

    Secretariat…anyone who can’t call that magnificent animal an athlete never saw him win the Triple crown..and the Belmont by 31 lengths. I still get goosebumps thinking about it..and a strange fierce though vicarious pride.

    Full disclosure: love horses, my family raises them…they KNOW what it means to win. As do dogs. Cats could give a tinker’s damn.

    John Henry is a great name for a horse.

  20. 20.

    Davebo

    October 19, 2007 at 11:19 am

    Seriously John, John Henry is IMO a lousy name for a dog.

    Then again, I named mine Beaux and it turns out that sounds too much like “no!” so perhaps you should ignore my advice.

  21. 21.

    Bombadil

    October 19, 2007 at 11:52 am

    There is something about the name John Henry that I have always loved, and should I ever get a dog, I will name him John Henry.

    If you want to name your dog after a team owner, why not Steinbrenner?

  22. 22.

    The Stranger

    October 19, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    God Bless Rush and Limbaugh and Betty Casey for the more than $4.2 million to the Marine/Police Children’s Scholarship Fund.

    That’s more than 4x what Air American stole from the poor kids and sick old folks.

  23. 23.

    Bombadil

    October 19, 2007 at 12:51 pm

    God Bless Rush and Limbaugh and Betty Casey for the more than $4.2 million to the Marine/Police Children’s Scholarship Fund.

    That’s more than 4x what Air American stole from the poor kids and sick old folks.

    Have you driven past the Marine/Police children’s house and talked to their neighbors, to make sure they deserve all that largesse?

  24. 24.

    Mary

    October 19, 2007 at 1:00 pm

    God Bless Rush and Limbaugh

    He’s undergone mitosis?

  25. 25.

    Mike W

    October 19, 2007 at 1:02 pm

    “Horses = NOT athletes”

    Yeah, horses don’t roid themselves up.

    They have their owners/trainers do it for them!

  26. 26.

    CaseyL

    October 19, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    Horses are athletes. You ever compare a thoroughbred racer to a non-racer, even another (non-racing) thoroughbred, you can tell they’re the runners of horsedom: very lean and muscular.

    And they train. Every day, more or less. The training is particular to each horse’s personality and talents. The people who actually work with these animals – the ones who know them best – are not at all shy about saying horses are athletes.

  27. 27.

    Dennis-SGMM

    October 19, 2007 at 1:10 pm

    God Bless Rush and Limbaugh and Betty Casey for the more than $4.2 million to the Marine/Police Children’s Scholarship Fund.
    That’s more than 4x what Air American stole from the poor kids and sick old folks.

    Yes, they should be very proud of stealing more than four times what Air American (sic) stole!

    Rush and Limbaugh…
    Did he reproduce by binary fission? I only ask because he seems, despite copious Viagra consumption, unable to maintain a marriage.

    Thanks for playing!

  28. 28.

    Bombadil

    October 19, 2007 at 1:15 pm

    The Stranger Says:

    God Bless Rush and Limbaugh and Betty Casey for the more than $4.2 million to the Marine/Police Children’s Scholarship Fund.

    That’s more than 4x what Air American stole from the poor kids and sick old folks.

    WTF is this about, anyway?

  29. 29.

    Zifnab

    October 19, 2007 at 1:35 pm

    Who is Betty Casey?

  30. 30.

    cleek

    October 19, 2007 at 1:53 pm

    WTF is this about, anyway?

    Limbaugh auctioned-off a letter from some Senate Dems condemning his “phony soldiers” remarks. some wealthy nutbag bought it for $2M. so Rush matched the amount and donated the money to a charity.

    no word if the cash only goes to people who promise fealty to Bush.

  31. 31.

    Bombadil

    October 19, 2007 at 2:16 pm

    Limbaugh auctioned-off a letter from some Senate Dems condemning his “phony soldiers” remarks. some wealthy nutbag bought it for $2M. so Rush matched the amount and donated the money to a charity.

    no word if the cash only goes to people who promise fealty to Bush.

    Cool.

    Now, wtf does this have to do with “Air American”?

  32. 32.

    cleek

    October 19, 2007 at 2:29 pm

    Now, wtf does this have to do with “Air American”?

    that would be this

  33. 33.

    Bombadil

    October 19, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    Thanks, cleek.

    From cleek’s link:

    WorldNetDaily columnist Michelle Malkin has been among those covering the issue, writing “If a conservative radio network had been entangled in a scam to steal from black children to line the pockets of wealthy white con artists, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would already be staging hunger strikes in protest. But both have hefty political and financial stakes in Air America’s success – and the big mouths aren’t about to badmouth their friends.”

    Sorry, Stranger, I’m underwhelmed.

  34. 34.

    Zifnab

    October 19, 2007 at 2:56 pm

    Wow. Conservatives really hate Air America with a passion, don’t they?

  35. 35.

    blogenfreude

    October 19, 2007 at 3:19 pm

    Sad. I had a horse called Target – made it to 34 or so. Although a gelding, when the mares came into season he’d bust through the fence, run down the road, then forget why he was there.

  36. 36.

    Chris Johnson

    October 19, 2007 at 4:29 pm

    I keep wanting to make an off-color joke but can’t think of a single thing that’s not so off-color it’s ridiculous… it’s like wanting to make a joke about Bush’s character.

  37. 37.

    Ted

    October 19, 2007 at 8:03 pm

    Wow. Conservatives really hate Air America with a passion, don’t they?

    They hate all dissent, and/or disagreement.

  38. 38.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 8:10 am

    Zifnab Says:

    Wow. Conservatives really hate Air America with a passion, don’t they?

    Hate Air America? Heck no. It’s the Mother Lode of comedy material.

    You’d have to be drunker than Randi Rhodes on a Sunday afternoon to actually take those clowns seriously.

    It’s hilarious. The moron got stone drunk, and did a face plant. To cover up her alcoholic black out, she lied and said she was mugged.

    There were eyewitnesses saying she had 14 Bloody Mary’s.

    She must have them for breakfast and lunch on a daily basis. That has to be the explanation for the idiotic crap she spews on her show. That….and stupidity.

  39. 39.

    ATS

    October 20, 2007 at 8:12 am

    I confess I had quite forgotten John Henry. I’d thought all the geldings had long since been confined to the National Defence Council.

  40. 40.

    Bombadil

    October 20, 2007 at 8:12 am

    To cover up her alcoholic black out, she lied and said she was mugged.

    Odd — I heard that others said that she was mugged (and later retracted), but never saw where she herself said that. You got a link to that?

  41. 41.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 8:49 am

    Odd—I heard that others said that she was mugged (and later retracted), but never saw where she herself said that. You got a link to that?

    Yup. Sure do.

    Be sure to take note to the part where she said she wrote an email to boss at Air America saying she was mugged.

    I think she probably has missed work on previous occasions because of alcoholic black outs so she felt the need to lie.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGdR3iEGSMQ

  42. 42.

    Bombadil

    October 20, 2007 at 9:03 am

    Yup. Sure do.

    Be sure to take note to the part where she said she wrote an email to boss at Air America saying she was mugged.

    I think she probably has missed work on previous occasions because of alcoholic black outs so she felt the need to lie.

    Thanks. Hadn’t heard that (I don’t listen to political talk radio of either stripe).

    I’m glad to see you’re willing to take a commentators’ words and lock them in stone like that, without the possibility of any further clarification. I assume then that you’ll be all over Limbaugh for the “phony soldier” remarks as well, regardless of how he wants to “clarify”.

  43. 43.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 9:12 am

    I’m glad to see you’re willing to take a commentators’ words and lock them in stone like that, without the possibility of any further clarification. I assume then that you’ll be all over Limbaugh for the “phony soldier” remarks as well, regardless of how he wants to “clarify

    ”.

    I’m confused. Are you trying to say that we should believe Randi Rhodes’ own words?

    I assume then that you’ll be all over Limbaugh for the “phony soldier” remarks as well, regardless of how he wants to “clarify”.

    No clarification needed. Media Matters, Harry Reid, and the lying corrupt MSM flat out lied what Limbaugh said.

    I have read the transcript and have listened to the audio of his remarks. You’d have to be drunker than Randi Rhodes on a Sunday afternoon to believe the misrepresentations of Limbaugh’s remarks.

  44. 44.

    Dennis-SGMM

    October 20, 2007 at 9:31 am

    John, I hope that everything’s all right with you and yours.

  45. 45.

    capelza

    October 20, 2007 at 10:42 am

    Dennis-SGMM Says:
    John, I hope that everything’s all right with you and yours.

    Ditto…

  46. 46.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 10:47 am

    Ditto…

    Limbaugh fan, are ya?

  47. 47.

    capelza

    October 20, 2007 at 10:50 am

    Fuck off Stranger…really.

    You are a petulant troll. I don’t respond to you because you are a complete ass. And even as I type this I know I shouldn’t this one time.

    Anyway, John Cole, I hope everything is okay…

  48. 48.

    Psycheout

    October 20, 2007 at 11:40 am

    What’s wrong with John Cole? Nobody told me about this.

    I’m getting worried now.

  49. 49.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 11:46 am

    That has to be the explanation for the idiotic crap she spews on her show.

    Hmm. I wonder what mind-altering substance is the explanation for all the idiotic crap that bloated fat ass Limbaugh spews every day. Got any ideas?

    I think she probably has missed work on previous occasions because of alcoholic black outs so she felt the need to lie.

    So did Limbaugh, to the Florida state police, when explaining why his maid was buying hundreds of pills for him in Wal-Mart parking lots. He should have just come right out and explained that he was too much of a coward to buy them himself.

    Good thing he was more than rich enough to have his inner ears replaced!

  50. 50.

    capelza

    October 20, 2007 at 11:47 am

    I don’t know that anything’s wrong. He’s been completely AWOL since this post two days ago.

    Maybe he’s out having a great time somewhere… I just noticed his absence. As did the person above me.

  51. 51.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 11:53 am

    Anyway, Stranger, when it comes to people’s addiction problems, pulled out of your ass, or actually true, maybe you’re just plain stupid for even going there for partisan gain. Because there’s more than enough of it going on on your fetid side of politics.

  52. 52.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 12:00 pm

    First Ted says this:

    So did Limbaugh, to the Florida state police, when explaining why his maid was buying hundreds of pills for him in Wal-Mart parking lots.

    Then Ted says this:

    Stranger, when it comes to people’s addiction problems, pulled out of your ass, or actually true, maybe you’re just plain stupid for even going there for partisan gain. Because there’s more than enough of it going on on your fetid side of politics.

    You just can’t make this stuff up. Hilarious.

  53. 53.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    You’re an idiot. If you can’t tell when a point is being made by example, well, that’s just sad.

    Anyway, I doubt you’re actually that stupid, political affiliation notwithstanding.

  54. 54.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    Ted Says:

    You’re an idiot. If you can’t tell when a point is being made by example, well, that’s just sad.

    Didn’t I, too, make a point by example?

    What a weasel. Hilarious.

  55. 55.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 12:40 pm

    What a weasel. Hilarious.

    I think Stranger might like some Pie. Might just have to update that and make it available to the regulars here.

  56. 56.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 12:43 pm

    Regarding the worries over John, it is strange that neither he nor Tim would show up for a day and a half. Haven’t seen that before, anyway.

    Probably just recreation, or unexpected events.

  57. 57.

    The Stranger

    October 20, 2007 at 12:47 pm

    I think Stranger might like some Pie. Might just have to update that and make it available to the regulars here.

    If I didn’t know any better, I would take this as some sort of thinly veiled threat. Hilarious…and wierd.

    This just goes to prove the conventional wisdom; scratch a liberal, find a fascist.

  58. 58.

    ThymeZone

    October 20, 2007 at 1:53 pm

    John Henry can’t wipe the hooves of Mister Ed.

    As long as we are going to project humanness onto animals, let’s at least pick one that can carry on a conversation.

  59. 59.

    Psycheout

    October 20, 2007 at 1:54 pm

    The Stranger’s scared of pie? No wonder he’s obsessed with a nobody like Ranty Roads.

  60. 60.

    Dennis-SGMM

    October 20, 2007 at 2:11 pm

    Scratch a conservative, find a fear-monger.
    From today’s Washington Post:
    “IEDs Seen As Rising Threat in The U.S.”

    The wonderful folks at DHS have discovered yet another potential threat. That it coincides with Bush’s popularity dropping to Nixonian levels is pure chance of course.

  61. 61.

    ThymeZone

    October 20, 2007 at 2:16 pm

    Scratch a conservative, find a fear-monger.
    From today’s Washington Post:
    “IEDs Seen As Rising Threat in The U.S.”

    So after all this time, we are going to be afraid of another Timothy McVeigh, the crazy-ass rightwing American terrorist?

    Wow, only twelve and a half years later, a reaction.

  62. 62.

    Ted

    October 20, 2007 at 4:56 pm

    The Stranger’s scared of pie? No wonder he’s obsessed with a nobody like Ranty Roads.

    I just have to say what a wonderful labor of love your site has been. This stuff is great:

    Right now, RINOs, Helioleftists, and various other atheist moonbat treefrog America-haters are spreading rumors that Brownback is withdrawing from the GOP race today.

    I know you’ll never drop out of character, but it’s all truly a work of art.

  63. 63.

    scarshapedstar

    October 20, 2007 at 7:30 pm

    John Henry is a bitchin’ name for a porn star.

  64. 64.

    Tax Analyst

    October 22, 2007 at 10:58 am

    Well, I’m late (again) and this thread seems about as dead as wonderful John Henry is, but I was a pretty big horse-racing junkie during this gelding’s career and he was a fantastic horse. Since horse’s don’t talk (except for Mr. Ed, of course) there’s no way to know what J.Henry was “thinking”, but he sure didn’t like to get beat and until he started to slow down a bit with age he almost always seemed to find a way to get his nose to the wire first. Had an excellent trainer, too (Ronald McAnally).

    Thirty-four? Pretty ripe-old age for a horse.

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