Edward L. Bowen

Biography

Ed Bowen was one of thoroughbred racing’s most prolific and beloved storytellers. If he had done nothing else to contribute to the sport, Bowen would have had an extraordinary legacy in the game. But he did do more — so much more.

Bowen was the author of a remarkable 22 books about racing … he led one of the sport’s most respected and important publications … he spearheaded significant fundraising that benefitted horses … he provided invaluable leadership to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame … he won the sport’s most coveted award for writers.

If someone had a historical question about racing, all one usually had to do was ask Ed Bowen. He was the human Google of racing history.

A southern gentleman with a kind soul, Bowen spent more than 60 years connected to racing in various capacities. At the time of his death in early 2025 at the age of 82, he was preparing for his 38^th year as the chairman of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.

Born in West Virginia in 1942, Bowen grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Influenced by a father who liked horses, Bowen rode ponies as a boy and became a fan of thoroughbred racing from watching the sport on television and from reading the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley. In 1960, he attended the University of Florida to study journalism, then in 1963 transferred to the University of Kentucky, a move that allowed him to also write for the Lexington-based BloodHorse magazine.

In 1968, Bowen accepted a job in Canada as editor of The Canadian Horse. Two years later, he returned to Kentucky to work for The BloodHorse as its managing editor, remaining with the magazine for another 23 years and rising to be its editor in chief.

Winner of an Eclipse Award in 1972 for magazine writing, Bowen contributed chapters, forewords, or prefaces for 17 books about racing in addition to the 22 he authored. He also wrote two books on natural attractions open to the public. Before he died, Bowen contributed two chapters to an upcoming book about the history of America’s racetracks being published by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. His top-selling books included Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century, which was the first book published by Eclipse Press; along with Man o’ War from the Thoroughbred Legends series, and At the Wire: Horse Racing's Greatest Moments. 

In January 1987, Bowen succeeded his mentor, Kent Hollingsworth, as editor in chief at BloodHorse. Bowen held that post for five years, transitioned to senior editor in 1992, and left the publication in 1993.

Bowen began a new chapter when he was hired as president of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation in 1994. From then until his retirement at the end of 2018, Bowen’s role at the foundation included raising sufficient funds to provide $22 million for research projects that benefited all horses, not just thoroughbreds — a mission important personally to Bowen. He oversaw the first year that the foundation was able to give out $1 million for equine research. At the time of Bowen’s retirement, the foundation was annually giving out at least $1 million per year.

A unique knowledge of racing and breeding history also made Bowen a one-of-a-kind asset to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He was a Museum trustee and served as chair of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee from 1987 until his death. Bowen also chaired the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor Selection Committee and previously the Historic Review Committee, Pillars of the Turf Committee, and Steeplechase Review Committee.

In addition to the Eclipse Award, Bowen was honored with the National Turf Writers Association’s Walter Haight Award, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Charles Engelhard Award, Pimlico’s Old Hilltop Award, ForeWord magazine’s Gold Level designation (sports category), and the Ocala-Marion County Chamber of Commerce Journalism Award.

Bowen was honored as a Kentucky Colonel in 2022 and was a past president of the Thoroughbred Club of America and a former board member of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. He was the TCA Honor Guest in 2022. Bowen served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve and was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant.

Tributes to Bowen came from throughout the sport after his passing.

“No one loved thoroughbred racing — the sport and the community — more than Ed Bowen,” Eric Mitchell wrote in The BloodHorse. “Many share the veteran journalist and racing historian’s passion, but his dedication to capturing the stories of the sport’s colorful characters and the exhilarating feats of its athletes was unsurpassed.”

Claiborne Farm’s Dell Hancock got to know Bowen in the 1970s when she was working as a photographer for The BloodHorse. Bowen and Hancock became great friends, and they again collaborated professionally when Hancock became chair of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

“I never heard Ed say anything bad about anyone, and I never heard anyone say anything bad about Ed — and there are not a lot of people you can say that about when it works both ways,” Hancock said. “He was a true gentleman, he was smart, just so many things to so many people.”

Perhaps it was Bowen’s son, George, who said it best when describing his father’s impact on racing. During Bowen’s recognition in 2022 as the Thoroughbred Club of America’s Honor Guest, George introduced him and referenced an article in which his father was called a “steward” of the sport.

“That is such a beautiful compliment. A steward cares for something, you nurture something, but it really means you were given something, and you give it back better than how you received. I think we can agree the thoroughbred industry is better because of my father,” he said.