Jack Ketch (horse) Jack Ketch (horse) Jack Ketch (foaled 1954 in Ireland) was a thoroughbred racehorse. Raced at age two under trainer Stephen Quirke, son of Irish champion jockey, Martin Quirke, Jack Ketch won the Maher Nursery Handicap. At age three, the colt won three important Irish races including the Classic 2,000 Guineas. In 1958, Jack Ketch was sold to American Allie E. Reuben who raced under the name of Hasty House Farm. Trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Harry Trotsek, he made his American debut on 14 July 1958 at Chicago's Arlington Park with a win on turf in
Jack Ketch at the execution of Lord Russell, the Duke of Monmouth, and other political offenders." Because of his botched executions, the name "Jack Ketch" is used as a proverbial name for death, Satan, and executioner. Ketch took office in 1663, succeeding the late Edward Dun, to whom he had been apprenticed. He is first mentioned in the Proceedings of the Old Bailey for 14 January 1676, although no printed notice of the new hangman occurred until 2 December 1678, when a broadside appeared called "The Plotters Ballad, being Jack Ketch's incomparable Receipt for the Cure of Traytorous Recusants and Wholesome Physick