Hall of Fame horse trainer T.J. Kelly dies

MIAMI -- Hall of Fame horse trainer T.J. "Tommy" Kelly has died after a 54-year career in which he won 65 stakes races. He was 93.

Son Timothy D. Kelly said his father died Friday at a rehabilitation center after a brief illness.

Among Kelly's standouts was Plugged Nickle, the 1980 champion sprinter. Plugged Nickle was a top 3-year-old in 1980, winning the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial before finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby.

Kelly was elected to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 1993. He retired in 1998 after spending much of his time at tracks in New York and Florida.

Kelly also was a successful breeder and owner. In 1997, he bred Evening Attire, a horse who won more than $2.9 million and was trained by another son, Pat. -- AP