SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — Philanthropist and husband of the late “Queen of Saratoga” Marylou Whitney, John Hendrickson, died Monday morning, sources confirmed to The Saratogian.
Hendrickson was 59 years old.
An avid horse lover and racing fan, Hendrickson was elected chairman of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2017, is a former board member of the New York Racing Association, and is a special advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo on racing matters at Saratoga.
Hendrickson married Whitney in 1997. Together, the two fought for the rights of backstretch workers at Saratoga and were instrumental in developing programs to benefit them. In 2008, the two founded the Backstretch Appreciation Program, and recently Hendrickson funded the construction of the Saratoga Backstretch Clinic, set to open in 2023, as a tribute to Whitney following her death in 2019.
This spring, after moving to Florida, Hendrickson put his and Whitney’s historic Cady Hill mansion up for sale.
Cause of death and funeral information have not been released. Follow the Saratogian for further updates.
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