Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, who trained 1988 Horse of the Year Alysheba, died Wednesday morning after a long battle with cancer, according to reports in the Daily Racing Form and BloodHorse.He was 81.
Van Berg, a Nebraska native, trained 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Alysheba. The talented colt was champion 3-year-old male that season, and went on to earn Horse of the Year and champion older male honors in 1988.
Van Berg also trained Gate Dancer, winner of the 1984 Preakness.
Van Berg was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1985. His father, Marion, was inducted in 1970.
Van Berg was a mentor to trainers such as Bill Mott, Frankie Brothers, Loren Rettele and many others. Van Berg gave countless young people “a leg-up” in the horse racing industry and also helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes via his considerable talent as an auctioneer.
Van Berg, a Nebraska native, trained 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Alysheba. The talented colt was champion 3-year-old male that season, and went on to earn Horse of the Year and champion older male honors in 1988.
Van Berg also trained Gate Dancer, winner of the 1984 Preakness.
Van Berg was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1985. His father, Marion, was inducted in 1970.
Van Berg was a mentor to trainers such as Bill Mott, Frankie Brothers, Loren Rettele and many others. Van Berg gave countless young people “a leg-up” in the horse racing industry and also helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes via his considerable talent as an auctioneer.
