Ron Turcotte, the Hall of Fame jockey who was the regular rider of the legendary Secretariat, died on Friday at his hometown in New Brunswick, Canada, according to friends. Turcotte, who had been a paraplegic since a riding accident in 1978, was 84.
Although Turcotte had an illustrious 16-year riding career, he will forever be remembered for his association with Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner whose performances electrified the world. Turcotte was aboard Secretariat for all but three races in the colt’s 21-race career, including all of his victories in the Triple Crown.
Indeed, Secretariat’s 31-length triumph in the Belmont Stakes provided one of the most iconic images in all of racing’s history, a photograph captured from the inner rail in deep stretch, in which Turcotte can be seen peering over his shoulder to look at the tote board clock, the rest of the field far in the background.
“Many horsemen have seen Turcotte looking at the timer and now they’re looking at it too,” wrote William Nack in his book “Secretariat.” “He is racing the clock, his only competitor, and he is beating it badly as he rushes the red horse through the final yards. . . . Looking, Turcotte sees the hands shoot up in the grandstand, the thousands on their feet, hundreds lining the rail of the homestretch with the programs waving and the hands clapping and the legs jumping.”
Under Turcotte, Secretariat was 15 for 18, with a third in the Wood Memorial and two seconds, in the Whitney Handicap and Woodward Stakes. None of the losses were blamed on the rider. Sadly, Turcotte was unable to ride Secretariat in his final race, the Canadian International in his native Canada, due to a suspension.
Born in New Brunswick and one of 12 children, Turcotte dropped out of school at age 14 to support his family. His first job was as a lumberjack, but he soon found his way to the racetrack, starting as a hotwalker. Eventually, he began galloping horses, and he took out his rider’s license in 1962.
While still an apprentice in 1962, Turcotte scored one of his first wins with another Thoroughbred legend, Northern Dancer, who went on to win two legs of the Triple Crown and later became a foundational sire. Turcotte rode the colt three times, all in his 2-year-old season.
By the time Secretariat came around, Turcotte was a well-established rider, guiding Hall of Famers Damascus, Fort Marcy, Arts and Letters, Shuvee, and Dark Mirage to stakes victories. In Secretariat’s 2-year-old season, Turcotte rode Riva Ridge to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, securing his place as the regular rider for Meadow Stables and trainer Lucien Laurin.
Turcotte’s riding career came to an abrupt end on July 13, 1978, when he fell from Flag of Leyte Gulf at the start of a race at Belmont Park. He would never walk again.
For his riding career, Turcotte won 3,032 races. He led the stakes list for jockeys in both 1972 and 1973, the same year he was given the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, an honor voted on by his peers. He was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1979.
After his career ended, Turcotte was an advocate for disabled riders, making frequent visits to racetracks and charity functions to raise funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. During his appearances, he invariably wore a lapel pin displaying Secretariat’s silks.
“As an ambassador for both the sport and the legacy of the great Secretariat, Ron made countless people into fans of racing through his kindness and the time he gave to all, whether telling stories about Big Red, signing autographs, or posing for pictures,” said the Racing Hall of Fame in a statement. “He was a fierce competitor on the track and a gentleman off of it. He will forever be remembered as one of the game’s greats.”
William J. Punk, the chairman of the PDJF, called Turcotte “one of our greatest champions and ambassadors.”
“Ron’s tireless advocacy and efforts on behalf of his fellow fallen rider is beyond measure,” Punk said. “Although he is appropriately recognized as a member of the Racing Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the saddle, his contributions to the PDJF established him as a giant in the hearts of all associated with this organization. His memory and his impact will live on forever.”
Other racing organizations released statements on Friday in praise of Turcotte’s post-riding work, including the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, which said Turcotte was “admired for his humility, courage, and lifelong dedication to Thoroughbred racing,” and the New York Racing Association, which said the rider “built a legacy defined by kindness and compassion.”
Turcotte is survived by his wife of nearly six decades, Gaetane; four daughters; and five grandchildren.
In 2015, Turcotte was in an accident when a van he was driving near his home in New Brunswick “hit an icy patch,” according to his spokesman, and flipped over. Turcotte sustained fractures in both of his legs.
Turcotte asked the doctor to set the legs in one white cast and one blue cast, the colors of Secretariat’s silks.
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