Legendary Classic winning-trainer dies aged 85 after long battle with dementia
Irish-born Leo O’Brien enjoyed most of his success in New York but famously prepared Fourstars Allstar to become the first US-trained horse to win a European Classic in the 1991 Irish 2,000 Guineas
Legendary trainer Leo O’Brien who made history when he captured the Irish 2,000 Guineas with Fourstars Allstar, has died after a long illness aged 85.
O’Brien, who passed away on Thursday, had been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive brain disorder. He trained for 38 years in New York, winning 568 winners of £28 million in the US before he retired in 2022.
Born in Newcastle, County Dublin, he started out as a jump jockey in Ireland, then moved to the US where he rode for 12 years until his career was ended by injury. He returned to Ireland to join his brother Michael, who had also ridden in the US until a serious injury left him paralysed from the waist down.
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They established a successful jumps stable until Leo moved back to the US to make New York his permanent home.
His son Keith told nyra.com: “He came here from Ireland in 1964 to ride over jumps and fell in love with New York racing – he fell in love with New York, and, in time, he made it his home.
“He was a quiet man; a dignified man and he always gave his best. He gave everything he had to the game, and he got a lot back out of it. He loved horse racing, and he loved racing in New York. It was always very special to him.”
O’Brien’s best horses included multiple graded stakes-winner Fourstardave, who won at least one race at Saratoga Race Course each year from 1987 to 1994, earning him the nickname, ‘The Sultan of Saratoga.’
His full-brother Fourstars Allstar made history when becoming the first American-trained horse to win a European classic by taking the Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas in 1991 with Mike Smith aboard.
Keith O’Brien said: “Dad was telling me about this idea when Fourstars Allstar was a two-year-old. He told me he was going to take the horse over to Ireland for the 2.000 Guineas. I said, ‘What are you talking about dad, are you crazy?’ But he said to me, ‘I think this horse is special, he might be able to do it’.”
Leo O’Brien’s daughter Leona is married to top US jockey John Velazquez.
