Crupi, prominent pinhooker and former trainer, dies at 79

Trainer and pinhooker James “J.J.” Crupi, the proprietor of Crupi’s New Castle Farm, died Thursday in Maryland. He was 79.

Crupi had just attended the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training on Monday and Tuesday.

Crupi was a trainer for more than three decades, earning four training titles at Monmouth Park and one at The Meadowlands, before turning his attention to working with young horses. In 1995, he launched his operation near Ocala, Fla. His focus was on creating a training center where the “atmosphere and protocol for each horse at the farm intentionally replicates that of a racetrack environment to ensure a smooth transition from farm life to the track,” the New Castle website states.

The stakes horses counted among New Castle’s graduates include Eclipse Award champion Uncle Mo, Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria, and classic-placed Grade 1 winners Audible and Stay Thirsty. All of those were trained by Todd Pletcher, one of Crupi’s most prominent associates.

"He was a great guy, good horseman, played a big role in both Mike Repole’s and Vinnie Viola’s operations," Pletcher said, naming two of his prominent owners. "He was responsible for buying Uncle Mo for Mike and breaking him and Liam’s Map for Vinnie. Usually, if he sent you one that he said could really run, he was right. He didn’t say it often, but those would be two examples of ones that he really liked and lived up to expectations."

Crupi, a perennial standout buyer at the yearling sales and a consignor at the 2-year-old sales, made headlines this season when he sold the $3.65 million sale-topping Curlin colt to the Coolmore group at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-old sale. He had just sold eight horses at the Midlantic sale, led by a $145,000 Mineshaft filly.

“If you knew him, this is a sad day,” tweeted trainer Gary Contessa, who also had been at the Midlantic sale. “A true horseman and incredible character!”

– additional reporting by David Grening