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About Tony Leonard
Tony Leonard may be history's single greatest Thoroughbred
photographer. For forty years, since he began work in 1962, he has
documented the great champions, the classic races, the dramatic
moments, and the historic scenes of the sport of kings. No stallion or
mare of note - Northern Dancer, Secretariat, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid,
Genuine Risk, John Henry, Cigar -- has escaped his lens. No major race,
track, farm or horse has gone unrecorded.
Tony Leonard's work is recognized the world over as
the pinnacle in sports journalism. Winner of the acclaimed Eclipse
Award for photography, industry periodicals such as The Blood-Horse,
Thoroughbred Times, and Equus have relied on his photography as a
staple for decades.
Tony is one of the few journalists whose work has
ascended into the realm of art, and has hung on the walls of major
institutions such as Keeneland, the Japan Racing Association, the
Cannon Building in Washington, D.C., and the Nikon corporate offices.
His photographs are also favorites of private collectors, including the
chairman of Fuji, former President Ronald Reagan, actor John Forsythe,
Queen Elizabeth, and many other notable individuals.
Tony Leonard is a story in his own right. Growing up
poor in Cincinnati, he has traveled the world not only as a
photographer but also as a singer. A former Broadway performer, Tony
has twice sung the national anthem for the New York Yankees. But it is
his four decades on the backstretch, his photographer's eye, his
irrepressible personality, and his penchant for story-telling that
makes Tony a virtual encyclopedia of racing lore. There are few horses,
jockeys, trainers, or breeders who have not repeatedly crossed paths
with Tony. He has also been invited by many nations to record their
major Thoroughbred events, and has served, by Her Majesty's request, as
Queen Elizabeth's official photographer on her trips to Kentucky. |
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