Indonesia
English
Follow
SARGA.CO – Ron Turcotte, the legendary jockey who rode the iconic Secretariat to a 1973 Triple Crown victory, has passed away at 84. His family shared the news through longtime friend and business partner Leonard Lusky. Turcotte died of natural causes at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick, Canada.
Turcotte is forever remembered as the gifted rider who ended a Triple Crown drought dating back to 1948, winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes—twice in his career—cementing his place among the sport’s greats.
His most stunning triumph came at the Belmont Stakes, where Secretariat won by a jaw-dropping 31 lengths in a record 2:24 for 1½ miles—a mark unbeaten for more than 50 years. “I still had plenty of horse at the wire,” Turcotte recalled in 2023. “He wasn’t tired. It was incredible.”
Born July 22, 1941, in Drummond, Turcotte was one of 12 siblings. He left school to work as a lumberjack before moving to Toronto, starting as a stable hand and rising to become a leading jockey at Woodbine Racetrack, eventually reaching Triple Crown glory.
Over nearly two decades, Turcotte amassed 3,032 career wins. Tragically, a 1978 track accident left him paralyzed, yet it revealed his true character: he became a tireless advocate for permanently injured jockeys.
“His courage as a rider was extraordinary, but his dedication after injury showed who Ron Turcotte really was,” said David O’Rourke, President and CEO of the New York Racing Association.
Inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1979, Turcotte remained a champion for disabled jockeys throughout his life.
To his loved ones, he was more than a racing legend. “The world knew Ron as Secretariat’s jockey, but to us he was an amazing husband, loving father, devoted grandfather, and true horseman,” his family said.
Turcotte is now the last of the Secretariat team to pass, following Secretariat (1989), groom Eddie Sweat (1998), trainer Lucien Laurin (2000), owner Penny Chenery (2017), and exercise rider Charlie Davis (2018).
“Ron Turcotte was a true icon, a trusted partner to one of racing’s most legendary horses,” said Churchill Downs President Mike Anderson. “His contributions to the sport are immeasurable and he will be deeply missed.”
Ron Turcotte’s legacy of courage, humility, and dedication will endure—remembered not only as Secretariat’s jockey, but as a man who inspired the world.
(Source: ESPN)
Install SARGA.CO News
sarga.co
Rekomendasi