By Stephen Whyno | Related Press
Corridor of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973, has died. He was 84.
Turcotte’s household mentioned by means of his longtime enterprise accomplice and buddy Leonard Lusky that the Canada-born jockey died of pure causes Friday at his dwelling in Drummond, New Brunswick.
He received the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes twice every, most notably sweeping the three with Secretariat to finish horse racing’s Triple Crown drought that dated to Quotation in 1948. Secretariat’s document time of two:24 within the Belmont, profitable by 31 lengths, nonetheless stands 52 years later.
“Ron was a great jockey and an inspiration to so many, both within and outside the racing world,” Lusky mentioned. “While he reached the pinnacle of success in his vocation, it was his abundance of faith, courage, and kindness that was the true measure of his greatness.”
Turcotte received greater than 3,000 races over an almost two-decade profession that resulted in 1978 when he fell off a horse early in a race and suffered accidents that left him with paraplegia.
Completely Disabled Jockeys Fund chairman William J. Punk known as Turcotte one of many sport’s best champions and ambassadors and praised him for his advocacy and efforts to assist fellow fallen riders.
He was inducted into the Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame in 1979.
“The world may remember Ron as the famous jockey of Secretariat, but to us he was a wonderful husband, a loving father, grandfather, and a great horseman.” the Turcotte household mentioned in an announcement by means of Lusky.
Turcotte was born in Drummond on July 22, 1941, as one among 12 youngsters. He give up college to work as a lumberjack earlier than transferring to Toronto to get entangled in horse racing, first as a hotwalker after which a jockey, changing into the main rider at Woodbine Racetrack earlier than rising to the Triple Crown stage.
Woodbine chairman Jim Lawson mentioned Turcotte was “a true Canadian icon whose impact on horse racing is immeasurable.”
“Ron carried himself with humility, strength and dignity,” Lawson mentioned. “His legacy in racing, both here at Woodbine and around the world, will live forever.”
Turcotte received the Preakness in 1965 aboard Tom Rolfe and the Derby in 1972 with Riva Ridge. However it was his time with Secretariat that made Turcotte a family identify in racing, and he known as it “love at first ride.”
“He was the type of horse that you’ll never see again,” Turcotte mentioned in 2023, practically 50 years to the day since using Secretariat within the Belmont. “He was doing something that you’ve never seen before and will probably never see again.”
