John Hendrickson, the chairman of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame since August 2017, died unexpectedly Aug. 19 at the age of 59 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
"John Hendrickson was a visionary leader who had a tremendous passion for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the Saratoga Springs community, and racing in general," said Cate Masterson, the museum's director. "He was truly one of a kind and this loss is immeasurable. The entire museum board and staff is deeply saddened by his passing. Our hearts are with his family and his numerous friends. We all loved him very much."
A native of Alaska, where he was a former aide to Gov. Walter J. Hickel, Hendrickson married the late racing idol Marylou Whitney in 1997 and became the racing manager for Marylou Whitney Stables. He was also president and chief operating officer of Whitney Industries. Hendrickson continued the racing stable after Whitney died in 2019 at the age of 93 and campaigned graded stakes winners Pretty Birdie and Super Quick under the Marylou Whitney Stables banner.
Hendrickson led numerous initiatives that enhanced the museum, including spearheading a $20 million capital campaign to develop a state-of-the-art Hall of Fame and introduce an innovative and immersive signature film experience, as well as numerous renovated and reimagined galleries. He led the museum through a time of great prosperity, as attendance and finances steadily improved during his tenure.
Along with the world-class Hall of Fame, Hendrickson's time as chairman included beautification projects that brought new life to the museum's Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Courtyard and recently the Beautiful Pleasure East Garden Courtyard. Dozens of iconic jockey statues representing historic and modern racing stables were added to enhance the grounds while serving as a significant source of revenue for the museum.
Hendrickson also led the museum's popular online Foal Patrol project, a series of live cameras that gave racing fans the unique opportunity to watch and learn about the foaling process of Thoroughbred mares. Foal Patrol received millions of views during its five-year run and influenced numerous farms that started similar programs.
Hendrickson's generosity and leadership were impactful throughout the racing and Saratoga Springs communities. After serving as a New York Racing Association board member, Hendrickson took on a special adviser role through an appointment by then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo from 2012 through 2016. For the New York racing community, Hendrickson and Whitney created the Saratoga Backstretch Appreciation Program in 2008, organizing free events and services for backstretch workers. After Whitney's death, Hendrickson continued to support backstretch appreciation dinners, English as a second language classes, and entertainment, among other initiatives.
As a tribute to his late wife, Hendrickson funded the construction of a backstretch clinic, which opened in 2023 and provides on-site healthcare services at Saratoga Race Course. The clinic, which is operated by Saratoga Hospital in partnership with the Backstretch Employee Service Team, provides a dramatically improved experience for those receiving primary and emergency healthcare services at the track through doctors and medical professionals from Saratoga Hospital. He also contributed funding toward the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy Center at Belmont Park in 2023.
Chaplain Humberto Chavez of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy called Hendrickson a "blessing."
"John's exemplary support has left a lasting impact on our organization and the Thoroughbred racing industry, and his generosity and commitment to the backstretch community will be remembered with great respect. The entirety of the backstretch will mourn his loss," said Chavez.
Numerous charitable organizations throughout Saratoga Springs benefited from Hendrickson's generosity, including Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Hospital, and the National Museum of Dance. In 2015, as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the city, Hendrickson and Whitney commissioned a life-size bronze sculpture of legendary racehorse Native Dancer and gifted it to the city to celebrate the milestone. Two years earlier, Hendrickson was instrumental in the planning of the citywide celebration of the 150th anniversary of the inaugural 1863 Saratoga race meeting.
"The New York Racing Association mourns the sudden passing of John Hendrickson, longtime husband to Mrs. Marylou Whitney," said NYRA president and CEO Dave O'Rourke. "John was a highly respected civic leader in the Saratoga community who played an important role as board chair of the National Museum of Racing, and as an instrumental member of the committee that orchestrated the 150th anniversary of horse racing at Saratoga. John was a devoted philanthropist in support of the Saratoga backstretch community and, most recently, played a pivotal role in the construction of the Saratoga Backstretch Clinic. His contributions to horse racing and to Saratoga will long be remembered."
Hendrickson was elected chairman of the Museum Aug. 10, 2017, succeeding Gretchen Jackson, who had served in the position since 2014.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
