Owner and breeder Edward P. Evans, who
campaigned dozens of stakes winners in New York
through the years including 2010 Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Woodward
winner Quality Road,
died December 31 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New
York. He was 68.
“Edward Evans was one of the most prominent horsemen on the New York circuit and you
would be hard pressed to find someone more passionate about horses and horse
racing,” said NYRA President and CEO Charles
Hayward. “Among many graded winners in New York over the years, I particularly enjoyed watching Quality Road compete,
setting a new track record at Saratoga
and winning prestigious races such as the Met Mile and Woodward. It is not
going to be the same without his presence at the NYRA tracks, and he will be
sorely missed throughout the industry.”
The son of thoroughbred owner Thomas Mellon Evans, Evans had his first
major New York stakes winner in 1980, when Misty Galore won the Berlo, the
Distaff, the Bed o’Roses and the Hempstead (later renamed the Ogden
Phipps). Other outstanding horses who carried Evans’ distinctive
yellow-and-black colors include Dismasted, winner of the 1986 Flower Bowl and
Long Island; Raging Fever, who won eight stakes from 2000-2002 including the
Ogden Phipps, the Distaff, the Frizette and the Matron; Summer Colony, winner
of the 2002 Personal Ensign, and Gygistar, victorious in the 2002 Riva Ridge,
Dwyer and King’s Bishop.
More recently, Evans was the leading owner in earnings in 2010 at Saratoga
Race Course with seven winners of more than $1.2 million, including Malibu
Prayer, who took the Grade 1 Ruffian, and A Little Warm, winner of the Grade 2
Jim Dandy, as well as Quality Road.
For the year, he ranked seventh among North American owners with earnings of
$3,617,508.
“He was a terrific owner for us and our stable and he cared
greatly about his horses,” said Todd Pletcher, who trained the recently
retired Quality Road
and Malibu Prayer for Evans. “He was a tremendous person for the sport
and loved the game, and took great pride and pleasure in breeding, raising, and
racing his horses.”
The former chairman and CEO of Macmillian publishing group, Evans
bought the core of his 3,000-acre Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, Va., in 1969,
and went on to become Breeder of the Year in that state nine times. In 2002, he
shared the Ogden Phipps Award for Outstanding Breeder from the New York Turf
Writers Association with the Phipps family, and in 2009 was chosen as Breeder
of the Year by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He bred more
than 100 stakes winners, including 2005 Horse of the year Saint Liam.
A member of the Jockey Club, Evans was the leading owner on The New
York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit at the 2000 Belmont Park
spring/summer meet and the 2000 Saratoga meet, as well as taking the 2001, 2002
and 2004 Aqueduct spring meets.
Evans, who received his MBA from Harvard
University, was a 1964 graduate of Yale University,
to which he donated $50 million last week.
Funeral services will be private.