Rodney Rash
Encyclopedia
Rodney R. Rash was an American
trainer
of Thoroughbred
racehorses
.
Born in Frederick, Maryland
, Rash grew up on a dairy farm and was exposed to the sights and sounds of Thoroughbred horse racing when he helped his father deliver hay to horse farm
s and racetracks
. Rash left home at age sixteen and found work as a hot walker with the Santa Anita Park
racing operations of renowned U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
trainer, Charlie Whittingham. During his early working years, Rodney Rash went through a self-destructive wild period when alcohol and drug abuse
became a problem. As recounted by Jay Hovdey, author of Charlie Whittingham's biography and an acclaimed racing journalist, Whittingham's son Taylor died as a result of drug abuse and he took Rash under his wing. Associates of Rash also told reporters how Whittingham had been very patient with the young man, bailing him out of jail and making reparations for the damage Rash had done. By 1987, the then twenty-eight-year-old Rash had turned his life around and dedicated himself to his training duties. He worked his way up to become Whittingham's head assistant then in April 1991 opened his own training operation.
Among his clients, Rodney Rash trained stakes-winning horses for Vistas Stable owned by Motown Records
founder, Berry Gordy
and for the racing partnership of sportsman Bruce McNall
and ice hockey
superstar Wayne Gretzky
. A notable international racehorse owner today, Amderican Gary A. Tanaka entrusted Rash with the conditioning of his first horses and credits the young trainer with introducing him to Thoroughbred racing. During his short career as a licensed trainer, Rodney Rash had two horses run in the American Classics, finishing eighth in the 1994 Kentucky Derby
and in the Preakness Stakes
, an eighth with Honor Grades and ninth with Powis Castle. He also had had four Breeders' Cup
starters, but none finished in the money. His most significant win came in 1995 when he won the Santa Anita Handicap
with Urgent Request. His last win came with Celtic Arms
when he captured the 1996 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes in Florida
.
In late February 1996, Rodney Rash was suffering from head aches, fatigue, and symptoms he had attributed to a case of the flu. When his condition became exacerbated, he was taken to Los Angeles Midway Hospital where the thirty-six-year-old died on March 1 from the rare blood disorder, Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
. Rodney Rash was survived by his mother, Doris, and two sisters, Susan Scardapane and Rachelle Skinner.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
of Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
.
Born in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, Rash grew up on a dairy farm and was exposed to the sights and sounds of Thoroughbred horse racing when he helped his father deliver hay to horse farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s and racetracks
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
. Rash left home at age sixteen and found work as a hot walker with the Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
racing operations of renowned U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
trainer, Charlie Whittingham. During his early working years, Rodney Rash went through a self-destructive wild period when alcohol and drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
became a problem. As recounted by Jay Hovdey, author of Charlie Whittingham's biography and an acclaimed racing journalist, Whittingham's son Taylor died as a result of drug abuse and he took Rash under his wing. Associates of Rash also told reporters how Whittingham had been very patient with the young man, bailing him out of jail and making reparations for the damage Rash had done. By 1987, the then twenty-eight-year-old Rash had turned his life around and dedicated himself to his training duties. He worked his way up to become Whittingham's head assistant then in April 1991 opened his own training operation.
Among his clients, Rodney Rash trained stakes-winning horses for Vistas Stable owned by Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
founder, Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
and for the racing partnership of sportsman Bruce McNall
Bruce McNall
Bruce Patrick McNall is a former Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and a sports executive who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League .McNall claimed to have made his initial fortune as a coin collector, though...
and ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
superstar Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
. A notable international racehorse owner today, Amderican Gary A. Tanaka entrusted Rash with the conditioning of his first horses and credits the young trainer with introducing him to Thoroughbred racing. During his short career as a licensed trainer, Rodney Rash had two horses run in the American Classics, finishing eighth in the 1994 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
and in the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, an eighth with Honor Grades and ninth with Powis Castle. He also had had four Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
starters, but none finished in the money. His most significant win came in 1995 when he won the Santa Anita Handicap
Santa Anita Handicap
The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses four years old and up , and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during the winter racing season...
with Urgent Request. His last win came with Celtic Arms
Celtic Arms
Celtic Arms was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed successfully in both France and the United States. Bred by Georges Wegliszewski, he was out of the mare Amour Celtique, a daughter of American horse Northfields, winner of the Hawthorne and Louisiana Derbys...
when he captured the 1996 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Turf Stakes in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
In late February 1996, Rodney Rash was suffering from head aches, fatigue, and symptoms he had attributed to a case of the flu. When his condition became exacerbated, he was taken to Los Angeles Midway Hospital where the thirty-six-year-old died on March 1 from the rare blood disorder, Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is a rare disorder of the blood-coagulation system, causing extensive microscopic thromboses to form in small blood vessels throughout the body...
. Rodney Rash was survived by his mother, Doris, and two sisters, Susan Scardapane and Rachelle Skinner.