Harold T. McCormick, minority owner of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, died April 19.
The news was announced on the Stonestreet Farms Facebook page April 20. There was no cause of death given. McCormick owned Rachel Alexandra, who was purchased following her 20-length victory in the 2009 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), along with his friend Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables. McCormick and Jackson, who died April 21, 2011, were friends for more than 50 years.
A resident of Birmingham, Ala., McCormick was 83.
He owned golf courses in Florida and was involved in a number of other businesses. He was formerly president of Rust Engineering.
During her championship season, Rachel Alexandra would go on to win the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) for her new owners, becoming the first filly to do so in 85 years. She also won the Mother Goose (gr. I) by 19 lengths and then won the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) over 3-year-old males and the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) over older males.