Bruce Headley, California thoroughbred trainer, dies at 86
and last updated 2021-01-15 20:50:55-05
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) â Bruce Headley, the thoroughbred who developed sprint champion Kona Gold and many other stakes winners during a 61-year career based in California, died Friday. He was 86.
Santa Anita officials said Headley died at an Arcadia hospital from the effects of a stroke. He had been slowed in recent years by cardiac issues.
Headley was first introduced to racing at Santa Anita by an aunt at age six. At 14, he was mucking stalls and cooling out horses at a local ranch alongside 16-year-old Bill Shoemaker, who went on to become a Hall of Fame jockey.