Raised in the industry, his father, Douglas Small Jr., was a successful trainer as was his uncle, Sidney Watters Jr., a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee.
[1] Richard Small learned the business from his father but the Vietnam War temporarily interrupted his career when he served three years with the army Green Berets.
[2] A highlight of Small's career was his 1994 win of the $3 million Breeders' Cup Classic with Concern.
Ridden by Jerry Bailey, the three-year-old colt was owned and bred by Robert Meyerhoff.
[3] Small won 1,199 races over a 40-year career, including the 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic.