W.E. Adams, 67; Trained Preakness Winner, Other Horses
From Staff and Wire Reports
W.E. “Smiley” Adams, 67, who trained Master Derby to victory in the Preakness Stakes in 1975, died Thursday at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lexington, Ky., a hospital official said. The cause of death was not announced.
A native of Versailles, Ky., Adams left school at the age of 14 to work at the racetrack. After serving in the Marines, Adams returned to racing, eventually training horses for Golden Chance Farm in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The Adams-trained Master Derby defeated Kentucky Derby-winner Foolish Pleasure by a length to win the 1975 Preakness.
In 1977, he trained Run Dusty Run, who ran second in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont and third in the Preakness to Seattle Slew, who won the Triple Crown that year.