Byron McClelland

Byron McClelland

Personal information
Born	c. 1855 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	(1897-06-11)June 11, 1897 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Resting place	Lexington Cemetery
Occupations	Trainer, owner, breeder
Horse racing career
Sport	Horse racing
Major racing wins
Selected wins as owner-trainer: Eclipse Stakes (1890) Great Eastern Handicap (1890) Spinaway Stakes (1890) Surf Stakes (1890) Alabama Stakes (1891) United States Hotel Stakes (1891) Manhattan Handicap (1891) Dash Stakes (1893) Golden Rod Stakes (1893) Dolphin Stakes (1894) Travers Stakes (1894) Phoenix Hotel Stakes (1895) Clark Handicap (1895) Selected wins as trainer: Foam Stakes (1884, 1885) Preakness Stakes (1896) American Classic wins: Belmont Stakes (1894) Kentucky Derby (1895) Preakness Stakes (1896)
Significant horses
Sallie McClelland, Bermuda, Henry of Navarre, Halma, Margrave, Badge
Updated on August 13, 2026

Byron McClelland (c. 1855 – June 11, 1897) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing owner, breeder and horse trainer based in Lexington, Kentucky. During a career that reached its height in the 1890s, McClelland developed several of the leading American racehorses of the period, including Sallie McClelland, Henry of Navarre and Halma.

As both owner and trainer, McClelland won the 1894 Belmont Stakes with Henry of Navarre and the 1895 Kentucky Derby with Halma. The following year, as trainer for August Belmont Jr., he won the 1896 Preakness Stakes with Margrave. He therefore won each of the three races that were later grouped as the American Triple Crown, although the Triple Crown concept did not yet exist during his lifetime.

McClelland was particularly noted for purchasing relatively inexpensive young horses, developing them into major winners and then selling some of them to wealthier owners. His best horse, Henry of Navarre, was retrospectively recognized as American Horse of the Year in 1894 and 1895 and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1985.

Early life and entry into racing

McClelland was born in Lexington, Kentucky, into a family involved with horses. His father worked as a horse trainer, and his older brother, John W. McClelland, also became a trainer and later worked in California racing.

The exact year of McClelland's birth is uncertain. Later sources commonly give approximately 1855. Contemporary reports published after his death disagreed about his age: one account described him as 41, while the Police Gazette Sporting Annual reported that he was 45.

McClelland began working around racing stables when young. According to later biographical accounts, his mother initially hoped he would pursue another occupation, and he briefly worked for a Lexington newspaper before returning to the horse business.

He later trained horses for H. Price McGrath, owner of the prominent McGrathiana Stud near Lexington. McGrath's stable had been one of the strongest in American racing during the 1870s and included 1875 Belmont Stakes winner Calvin and the influential stallion Aristides.

McClelland subsequently formed a racing partnership with Richard "Dick" Roche. The partnership bought and developed horses for racing and resale and helped establish McClelland's reputation as a judge of equine ability.

One of their most successful acquisitions was Badge, a colt formerly owned by August Belmont Sr. McClelland acquired Badge cheaply after Belmont's stable had discarded him and developed him into a successful stakes performer.

The Roche–McClelland stable was dispersed at auction at the Elizabeth racecourse in New Jersey in November 1889. McClelland thereafter operated principally on his own account.

Trainer for other owners

Before becoming nationally prominent as an owner, McClelland trained horses for several established racing interests.

Among his early major successes were consecutive victories in the Foam Stakes at Sheepshead Bay. In 1884 he trained Florio and in 1885 Quito, both owned by Pennsylvania politician and horseman William Lawrence Scott.

McClelland's ability to succeed for wealthy owners while simultaneously developing horses he could eventually race himself became characteristic of his career.

The McClelland stable

Sallie McClelland

McClelland's emergence as a nationally important owner-trainer was closely associated with the filly Sallie McClelland.

The filly was bred at Runnymede Stud by Ezekiel Clay and Catesby Woodford. Roche and McClelland originally purchased her as a yearling, and when their partnership was dissolved McClelland bought her outright for $2,600 and named her for his wife, Sallie.

As a two-year-old in 1890, Sallie McClelland became one of the leading juvenile fillies in the country. Her major victories included the Surf Stakes, Debutante Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Atlantic Stakes, Spinaway Stakes, Autumn Stakes and Great Eastern Handicap.

She earned $53,969 during her juvenile campaign, then an American earnings record for a two-year-old filly. She was later retrospectively recognized as co-champion American two-year-old filly of 1890.

Sallie McClelland suffered a serious injury in a fall during the spring of 1891. She returned to win the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga but never completely regained her juvenile form.

She retired with eight victories from 29 starts and earnings of $57,055.

McClelland retained her for breeding. Her influence ultimately extended well beyond his lifetime. Her daughter Audience won the Kentucky Oaks and later produced Whisk Broom II, while other daughters established successful branches of the family.

Bermuda

Another prominent McClelland runner during the same period was Bermuda.

Bermuda won the United States Hotel Stakes and Manhattan Handicap in 1891 and became one of the horses that helped establish McClelland as a major owner-trainer in eastern racing.

Bermuda was later retained as a breeding horse and was mated with Sallie McClelland. Their daughter Frances McClelland became an important broodmare and ancestor of later major stakes horses.

Henry of Navarre

McClelland's greatest racing success came through Henry of Navarre.

The colt was bred in New Jersey by Lucien O. Appleby and was by 1884 Preakness Stakes winner Knight of Ellerslie out of Moss Rose. McClelland purchased him as a yearling for approximately $3,000.

Henry of Navarre raced in McClelland's green-and-gold colours at ages two and three, with McClelland serving as both owner and trainer.

Two-year-old season

Henry of Navarre won six of ten starts as a two-year-old in 1893. His victories included the Dash Stakes and Golden Rod Stakes, and he earned $10,785.

His accomplishments were overshadowed that season by the unbeaten Domino, but Henry developed rapidly and became Domino's principal rival the following year.

1894 Belmont and championship season

Henry of Navarre's three-year-old campaign was the defining season of McClelland's career.

The colt won 13 of 20 starts in 1894 and finished in the money in 19 of them. His major victories included the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Dolphin Stakes, Foxhall Stakes, Iroquois Stakes and Bay Stakes.

Henry defeated future Hall of Fame rival Domino in the Belmont Stakes with Willie Simms aboard.

After the Belmont, Henry began a nine-race winning streak.

The rivalry between Henry of Navarre and Domino became one of the principal stories of the 1894 racing season. Domino had defeated Henry by a head in the Withers Stakes, while a subsequent match between the two ended in a dead heat.

On October 6 at Morris Park, approximately 25,000 spectators attended a special three-horse race involving Henry of Navarre, Domino and the older champion Clifford. Henry defeated Clifford by three-quarters of a length, while Domino finished well behind after injuring a foot.

Henry of Navarre was retrospectively recognized as the 1894 American Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male.

Sale to August Belmont II

Henry continued to win for McClelland as a four-year-old in 1895, beginning the season with victories in Kentucky and Ohio.

In August, McClelland sold him to August Belmont Jr. Contemporary newspaper reports gave the purchase price as $25,000, although the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame later listed the figure as $35,000.

Belmont transferred Henry to trainer John J. Hyland. The horse continued at championship level, winning further major races and later repeating as Horse of the Year.

Henry of Navarre retired with 29 victories from 42 starts and earnings of $68,985. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1985.

Halma and the 1895 Kentucky Derby

McClelland's next outstanding acquisition was Halma, a black colt by Hall of Fame stallion Hanover out of Julia L.

Halma was bred in Kentucky by Augustus Eastin and Samuel E. Larabie. McClelland purchased him as a yearling and trained him in his own stable.

The colt won for the first time as a two-year-old in 1894. At three, Halma developed rapidly and won the Phoenix Hotel Stakes at Lexington before traveling to Churchill Downs.

On May 6, 1895, Halma won the 1895 Kentucky Derby for McClelland. Fifteen-year-old jockey James "Soup" Perkins sent Halma to the lead and remained there throughout the 1+1⁄2-mile race.

The 1895 running was the final Kentucky Derby contested at its original distance of 1+1⁄2 miles. Beginning in 1896, the Derby was shortened to 1+1⁄4 miles.

Halma next won the Clark Handicap, again with Perkins aboard.

Soon afterward, McClelland sold Halma to Charles Fleischmann of the Fleischmann yeast-manufacturing family. Contemporary reports gave the price at approximately $30,000, although other later accounts have listed lower figures.

Halma later became important at stud. He sired 1902 Kentucky Derby winner Alan-a-Dale, becoming the first Kentucky Derby winner to sire another winner of the race.

Training for August Belmont II

After selling Henry of Navarre, McClelland increasingly trained horses for August Belmont Jr.'s racing stable while continuing to maintain his own interests.

Among the Belmont horses in his care was Margrave, a chestnut colt bred at Belmont's Nursery Stud.

Margrave was by St. Blaise out of Lady Margaret and raced for Belmont's Blemton Stable.

On June 6, 1896, McClelland saddled Margrave to win the Preakness Stakes, which was then being run at Gravesend Race Track in Brooklyn rather than at Pimlico. Henry Griffin rode the colt.

Margrave also won the Boulevard Stakes, Hempstead Handicap and Tidal Stakes under McClelland's training.

The Preakness gave McClelland a training victory in the third of the races that would later make up the American Triple Crown. He had already won the Belmont with Henry of Navarre and the Kentucky Derby with Halma as both owner and trainer.

Business model and reputation

McClelland operated in an era when many of the dominant racing stables belonged to extremely wealthy industrialists and financiers such as the Belmonts, Dwyers, Keenes and Lorillards.

Unlike those owners, McClelland initially built his racing capital through training and horse trading. He developed a reputation for identifying relatively inexpensive young stock or horses discarded by larger stables, improving them, and reselling them after they established substantial racing value.

Sallie McClelland, Henry of Navarre and Halma were prominent examples of this strategy. Henry was purchased for approximately $3,000 and sold after becoming a champion; Halma was likewise purchased as a yearling and sold following his Kentucky Derby and Clark victories.

Contemporary racing writers frequently described McClelland as an unusually astute judge of horses. His stable became wealthy enough during the 1890s that he was able to retain valuable mares for breeding while continuing to purchase yearlings and train for outside clients.

He also developed close working relationships with several leading African American jockeys of the era. Riders associated with his stable included Willie Simms, George "Spider" Anderson, Alonzo Clayton and James Perkins.

Breeding interests

McClelland did not operate a breeding farm on the scale of the major Kentucky studs of his period, but he retained selected mares and developed an increasingly important broodmare band.

Sallie McClelland was the most significant. McClelland bred her to several stallions before his death, and her descendants eventually included Kentucky Oaks winner Audience and, through Audience, Horse of the Year Whisk Broom II.

The mating of Sallie McClelland to Bermuda produced Frances McClelland, whose descendants included 1926 American Horse of the Year Crusader and later champion Bald Eagle.

After McClelland's death, his widow inherited Sallie McClelland and continued breeding from her.

Newspaper interests

Outside racing, McClelland became involved in Lexington newspaper publishing during the final years of his life.

In late 1895 he helped establish the Lexington newspaper The Evening Argonaut and served as its first president. The publication later appeared as The Daily Argonaut.

The venture represented a return to the newspaper business in which McClelland had reportedly worked briefly before becoming a professional trainer.

Possible European campaign

During the final years of McClelland's life, American racing faced increasing pressure from anti-gambling legislation.

New Jersey's restrictions on race betting contributed to the closure or decline of major tracks in that state, while racing interests feared similar legislation in New York. Some American owners responded by increasing their participation in British racing.

McClelland began nominating horses for British races and reportedly considered campaigning a group of young horses at Newmarket Racecourse.

His death later that year prevented the plan from developing into a significant European campaign.

Illness and death

McClelland became seriously ill at his Lexington home in early June 1897.

A June 8 report in The New York Times described him as suffering from a serious illness.

Contemporary reporting stated that he initially suffered from malarial fever before pneumonia developed.

McClelland died on June 11, 1897.

His exact age was reported inconsistently. The New York Times obituary described him as 41, while another contemporary sporting annual reported him as 45. His birth year is therefore best treated as approximate.

His estate was estimated by contemporary newspapers at between $300,000 and $500,000.

McClelland was buried in Lexington Cemetery.

A large and costly memorial was erected at his grave after his death; contemporary reporting placed the cost of the sarcophagus at approximately $10,000.

Stable after his death

McClelland's racing and breeding interests did not immediately disappear with his death.

His widow, Sallie McClelland, and her brother John D. Smith continued to race and breed horses associated with the McClelland estate for several years.

This distinction is important when compiling McClelland's personal training record. Some stakes victories later credited to the "McClelland stable" occurred after June 1897 and therefore were not victories by Byron McClelland himself as a trainer. In particular, the 1898 Dash Stakes and 1898 Sapphire Stakes should not be listed among his personal training wins.

The mare Sallie McClelland remained in his widow's ownership after his death and later passed to Kingston Stud.

Legacy

Although McClelland died while still in his early-to-mid forties, his career overlapped with several major developments in late nineteenth-century American racing.

He was among the relatively uncommon horsemen of his era to achieve major success simultaneously as a professional trainer and as the owner of his own stable. His two most important self-owned colts, Henry of Navarre and Halma, won two races that later formed part of the American Triple Crown, while Margrave supplied the third as a horse trained for August Belmont Jr.

Henry of Navarre became McClelland's most enduring racing legacy. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame credits the horse with 29 wins from 42 starts, two Horse of the Year titles and induction into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

McClelland's influence also continued through his broodmares. Sallie McClelland established a female family that produced major stakes winners and champions for several generations.

Major wins

As owner and trainer

• Eclipse Stakes – Sallie McClelland (1890)
• Great Eastern Handicap – Sallie McClelland (1890)
• Spinaway Stakes – Sallie McClelland (1890)
• Surf Stakes – Sallie McClelland (1890)
• Alabama Stakes – Sallie McClelland (1891)
• United States Hotel Stakes – Bermuda (1891)
• Manhattan Handicap – Bermuda (1891)
• Dash Stakes – Henry of Navarre (1893)
• Golden Rod Stakes – Henry of Navarre (1893)
• Dolphin Stakes – Henry of Navarre (1894)
• Belmont Stakes – Henry of Navarre (1894)
• Travers Stakes – Henry of Navarre (1894)
• Phoenix Hotel Stakes – Halma (1895)
• Kentucky Derby – Halma (1895)
• Clark Handicap – Halma (1895)

As trainer for other owners

• Foam Stakes – Florio (1884)
• Foam Stakes – Quito (1885)
• Preakness Stakes – Margrave (1896)
• Tidal Stakes – Margrave (1896)

Further reading

• Trevathan, Charles E. (1905). The American Thoroughbred. New York: Macmillan.
• The American Turf: An Historical Account of Racing in the United States (PDF). New York: The Historical Company. 1898 – via Internet Archive.