Trainer Pat Kelly, who had for several years been slowly winding down his New York-based stable, has officially retired as a trainer after 45 years of racing.
"There are so many other hats I wear in New York that we've kept our foot in the door to do all the other stuff," said Kelly, who is 75. "But now it's time. I'm still lucky enough to play golf. I don't feel 75, so I'm going to enjoy it while I can."
Kelly, a son of the late Hall of Fame trainer Tommy "T.J." Kelly, said he never contemplated another profession. He attended the University of Miami so he could walk hots for his father on weekends at Hialeah Park.
"I thought about some other things but this was a natural progression," he said, noting his younger brothers Larry, Tim, and Dan, and a sister, Patricia, have all been involved in the business. Larry was a trainer and now works in horse transportation. Dan helped his father at Calder Race Course and later became an assistant starter. Tim is now a New York Racing Association safety steward, and Patricia used to help clock horses at Saratoga Race Course.
"It's a family tradition. In our group, it's Kellys and horses and that's about it," he said.
Kelly saddled the winners of 50 graded stakes during his career that included the conditioning of grade 1 stars such as Evening Attire, Riskaverse, Christiecat, and Live Oak Plantation's homebred half brothers Sultry Song and Solar Splendor.
Since 1977 he saddled 8,795 starters that were lauded in a winner's circle 877 times. His runners placed in another 2,073 races on their way to collectively earning $42,399,845.
Kelly's last racehorse proved to be a testament to his lifelong contributions to the racing community. Fight On Lucy, a now 7-year-old daughter of Musket Man, recently became the 1,000th horse retired by New York's TAKE THE LEAD program, for which Kelly serves on the board. The program was created in 2013 by the late trainer Rick Violette to assist owners and trainers at NYRA tracks in finding accredited aftercare for their horses. TAKE THE LEAD serves as a liaison between the horsemen and women and the aftercare organizations, gathering the necessary information, diagnostics, and paperwork on each horse, then finding a placement with a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-approved partner and arranging for transportation from the track.
The care of all horses and workers on the backstretch have long been as important to Kelly as the racehorses in his care. He is a trustee for the Backstretch Pension Fund and has also served on the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association board since 1990, when the organization was part of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
"We've been very fortunate over the years to work with some really nice horses and some great people," Kelly said. "Without the people, you can't train the horses. You can't just close the factory for a couple days; it is a seven-day a week job."
Kelly and his wife of 43 years, Karen, will be spending the winters at their house in Miami Springs and plan to be back in New York for the summertime.
"I have a granddaughter who is one and a half in Floral Park, so we'll be around," he said.
