Michael G. "Mickey" Walsh

Michael G. “Mickey” Walsh was born into a family of Irish horsemen in County Cork in 1906. He came to the United States in 1925 and succeeded first with show horses and jumpers. As a steeplechase trainer he had his first winner in 1941.

Inducted

1997

Born

Sept. 8, 1906, Kildorrery, Ireland

Died

Aug. 16, 1993, Southern Pines, North Carolina

Career

1941-1990

Biography

Michael G. “Mickey” Walsh was born into a family of Irish horsemen in County Cork in 1906. He came to the United States in 1925 and succeeded first with show horses and jumpers. As a steeplechase trainer he had his first winner in 1941.

In 1952, Walsh’s stable was wiped out by a fire, but he rebuilt quickly enough to be North America’s leading steeplechase trainer in races won each of the next three years. He also topped all steeplechase trainers in earnings in 1953, 1954, and 1960.

Walsh’s 31 stakes winners at major courses included King Commander, winner of the Temple Gwathmey among seven major career victories and the champion steeplechaser of 1954; Independence, winner of the American Grand National; Rythminhim, winner of seven major races; Nautilus, winner of the New York Turf Writers Cup and Saratoga Steeplechase; plus Sandhill Flight, Langton Breeze, Appollon, Gift of Gold, Reno Sam, Breaking Dawn, and Red Brock House.

Walsh won the Carolina Cup and Saratoga Steeplechase six times each. By 1964, Walsh had become the third steeplechase trainer to surpass $1 million in earnings, and his career total eventually reached $1,993,881.