Sad Passing of Jon Kelly

Tara Madgwick - Sunday July 26

Prominent US businessman and well known bloodstock investor Jon S Kelly has died aged 84.

An owner of horses all around the world with such trainers as Jessica Harrington, Bob Baffert, Richard Mandella and in Australia, Gai Waterhouse, he made his name in radio and television, founding the Kelly Broadcasting Company.

He was also successful in banking and real estate owning since the early 1960s with his most successful being multiple US Group I winner Borrego.

He was best known in Australia for a string of high priced purchases from the Magic Millions Yearling Sale in conjunction with Reg Inglis and Paul Frampton that included the 2018 sale-topper, Faretti, an I Am Invincible colt bought for $2million.

Jon Kelly at the Gold Coast in 2018 with his sale-topper. - image Magic Millions

His green, white and red colours were most recently carried with success by Cayenne Pepper, who was second in the Group I Irish Oaks is now raced by his wife Sarah.


 

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Australian Guineas Aim for Flying Artie Colt
Flying Artie always looked to have a strong three year-old crop to run for him this season and leading the charge is talented colt Sixties, who is his highest priced yearling ever sold and comes from a family very much on the up.
New SW Staphanos - Special Sakura Wins Listed
Taranaki visitor Special Sakura upset the applecart when she led from go to whoa to bring up just her third career victory, and first at black-type level, when winning the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie.
Another Staying Star for St Jean?
It turns out Caufield and Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours was not the only promising stayer by the ill-fated sire St Jean (IRE) sold as part of the Halo Racing Unreserved Reduction on Inglis Digital in November 2024. 
Wrote Mare Turns Back the Clock for Second G3 Bellmaine
Seven-year-old mare Wrote To Arataki landed her second Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) three years after her first, with a strong front-running success under Dean Yendall at Caulfield on Saturday.
Breeding To Win - 2026 G3 ATC Widden Stakes
The Group III ATC Widden Stakes (1100m) has drawn a field of 10 lovely fillies and none have won a race so we are relying on potential and pedigree to find the winner.
Hidrix Breeder Speechless After $1.7mColt Wins on Debut
The $1.7m Easter colt Hidrix (Extreme Choice) surged into Golden Slipper contention with a dominant debut victory in today’s G3 Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill.
Widden Stakes - A Race Rich in History
2YO racing in Australia was not always the popular slice of the racing spectrum that it is today.
30th SW Almanzor - Manzor Blue Wins G3 Wellington Cup
Palmerton North mare Manzor Blue caused a major upset when taking out the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday.
Black Type for Home Affairs Blueblood Filly
The Group III MRC Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday for colts and fillies produced a dominant winner in Big Sky with blueblood filly La Gitana a gallant third on debut.
Torryburn Stud Out To Continue Outstanding Classic Success
As the highest prizemoney earning Australian-bred still in training, six-time G1 winner Voyage Bubble is a graduate of the Inglis Classic yearling sale, having topped the 2020 sale when knocked down to Hong Kong trainer Ricky Yiu for $380,000m when offered by the Cornish’s Torryburn Stud. In 2026, the team presents a quaility draft of seven yearlings, four fillies and three colts.