RON TURCOTTE, who famously rode one of the world’s most famous racehorses Secretariat, has died at the age of 84.
The Hall of Fame jockey died at his home in Canada of natural causes on Friday.
In a career spanning nearly two decades, Turcotte rode over 3,000 winners but was best-known for riding the legendary Secretariat – the horse who even had a Hollywood film made about him.
Secretariat won the US Triple Crown in 1973, ending a 25-year drought after Citation’s treble in 1948.
The horse, nicknamed ‘Big Red’, ran out a record 31-length winner of the final leg of the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.
President of the New York Racing Association, David O’Rourke said: “Ron Turcotte will be forever remembered for guiding Secretariat to Triple Crown glory in 1973.
“While his courage as a jockey was on full display to a nation of adoring fans during that electrifying time, it was after he faced a life altering injury that we learned about the true character of Ron Turcotte.
“By devoting himself to supporting fellow jockeys struggling through similar injuries, Ron Turcotte built a legacy defined by kindness and compassion.”
Turcotte’s career ended in 1978 when he suffered injuries in a horrible fall that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
Despite being in a wheelchair, Turcotte was a regular presence at major races, signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans.
Turcotte’s accomplishments earned him a place in six different Halls of Fame, including the National Racing Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
In his later years he was a tireless supporter for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
A photograph of Turcotte aboard Secretariat, looking back as he romped to a stunning 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes to secure the Triple Crown, is one of the sport’s most iconic images.
Turcotte told the LA Times in 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s win: “I couldn’t hear the announcer all the time, saying how far I was in front.
“I knew I was quite a ways in front because I couldn’t hear any other horses hitting the ground behind me.
“When I got the quarter pole I looked and I could barely see them and I looked at the clock and saw 1:59 on the board, which was faster than we ran the Derby.”
