Turcotte and Secretariat at the 1973 Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. (Jim McCue)
Member of Order of Canada rode the iconic Thoroughbred Secretariat
Chris Lomon, Woodbine
TORONTO, Ont.– Ron Turcotte, the celebrated jockey renowned for riding iconic Thoroughbred superstar Secretariat to U.S. Triple Crown glory in 1973, has passed away at the age of 84.
“Ron Turcotte was a true Canadian icon whose impact on horse racing is immeasurable,” said Jim Lawson, Executive Chair of Woodbine Entertainment. “From his incredible journey aboard Secretariat to his lifelong commitment to the sport, Ron carried himself with humility, strength, and dignity.
“His legacy in racing, both here at Woodbine and around the world, will live forever. We mourn his loss and celebrate a life that inspired many.”
The diminutive horseman from Grand Falls, New Brunswick, was indeed a giant of the sport.
At the age of 18, Turcotte, the second oldest of 12 children, came to Toronto to work as a roofer. As the story goes, while watching television one day, he found himself watching the Kentucky Derby. The following day, he was at Woodbine Racetrack, looking for work. His career started mucking stalls, walking and rubbing horses, and then galloping for trainer Pete McCann in 1960.
Turcotte broke horses at Windfields and then galloped and worked horses for trainer Gordon Huntley in the spring of 1961. In 1962, at Fort Erie, Turcotte won his first race. By season’s end. he was the leading rider in Canada with 180 wins. In 1963, he was tops in Canada again with 216 wins before leaving in September to ride in Maryland and later New York and Delaware to ride against the leading jockeys in the United States. He was the leading jockey at nearly every place he competed at while riding some of the most distinguished Thoroughbreds of that era.
By 1965, Turcotte had attracted even more attention after a win aboard Tom Rolfe in the Preakness Stakes. He also began working with Canadian trainer Lucien Laurin at the track in Laurel, Maryland and, in 1972, rode Riva Ridge to wins in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.
The years 1972 and 1973 were, money-wise, Turcotte’s best, as he held leading stakes-winning jockey status on the continent both years.
That magical 1973 campaign with Secretariat was always close to his heart.
“I’ve ridden many good horses, but Secretariat was the best by far,” said Turcotte, who was unable to ride “Big Red” in his final race, the 1973 Canadian International at Woodbine, due to a riding suspension. “He did the same thing that any horse does but did it better and faster.”
Turcotte also rode Northern Dancer as a two-year-old, as well as other champions Shuvee, Damascus, Fort Marcy and Vent du Nord.
His stakes successes include triumphs in the Kentucky Oaks, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Florida Derby, the Travers, the Alabama, the Wood Memorial and the Santa Anita Handicap.
Over an 18-year career, Turcotte rode 3,032 winners.
Turcotte’s riding career came to a tragic end on July 13, 1978, when he was injured in a spill at Belmont Park. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.
The accident did not dampen Turcotte’s unabashed enthusiasm for the sport or its equine stars. He proudly served as Chairman of the March of Dimes campaign on Long Island, N.Y., and was involved with the Toronto chapter of March of Dimes.
He also made several appearances at racetracks throughout Canada and the U.S. to fete his time in the irons and to raise awareness for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. When his career ended, he moved back to his hometown in New Brunswick. In 2015, Grand Falls honoured Turcotte with a life-sized statue of him riding Secretariat.
Along with his place in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, Turcotte has been inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame and the New York Sports Hall of Fame. He has been honoured with the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, the George Woolf Memorial Award and Sovereign Award. He was named French Canadian Athlete-of-the-Year in 1973 and was the first person from Thoroughbred racing ever to be appointed a member of the Order of Canada.
Photo courtesy of Jim McCue
Statement from David O’Rourke, President & CEO of The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) “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. NYRA extends our sympathies to Ron Turcotte’s family and friends, and we join the horse racing community in mourning his loss.”
National HBPA Statement on the Passing of Ron Turcott The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association joins the entire racing community in mourning the passing of Ron Turcotte, one of the sport’s most celebrated and beloved jockeys.
Best remembered as the rider of Secretariat during the unforgettable 1973 Triple Crown, Ron’s place in racing history is secure. Yet beyond the record-breaking victories, he was admired for his humility, courage and lifelong dedication to Thoroughbred racing. His legacy will forever be intertwined with the greatness of our sport.
On behalf of horsemen and horsewomen across the country, we extend our deepest condolences to Ron’s family, friends and all who were touched by his remarkable life.
Friends of Pimlico
Editor’s Notes: Four years ago, Ron Turcotte made some comments on Facebook about which race was Secretariat’s best. He said it was the Preakness. Mr. Turcotte then came on my Facebook page, Friends of Pimlico, to future explain his comments. It was a thrill to interact with one of the greatest that will ever be!
In His Own Words: Ron Turcotte on Secretariat’s Historic 31-Length Belmont
By Ryan Martin
ELMONT, N.Y. – On June 9, 1973, at Belmont Park, a crowd of 69,138 saw the epitome of athletic greatness on full display in the form of a well-built chestnut thoroughbred named Secretariat, who left his foes with broken hearts and those watching with mouths agape, winning the Belmont Stakes by an unprecedented 31 lengths.
Click to read entire story. (original publish date June 5, 2023)
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