Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode Secretariat to a historic Triple Crown victory in 1973, has died at the age of 84. His family announced that he died of natural causes on Friday at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick.
Turcotte won more than 3,000 races during a career spanning nearly two decades. He claimed the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes twice each, most notably sweeping all three with Secretariat in 1973, ending a 25-year Triple Crown drought. Secretariat's record-breaking 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes, in a time of 2:24, still stands today.
"Ron was a great jockey and an inspiration to so many, both within and outside the racing world," said Leonard Lusky, his longtime business partner and friend. "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's career was cut short in 1978 when he was injured in a fall from a horse, leaving him paraplegic. He subsequently became a powerful advocate for injured riders. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall 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," his family said in a statement. Woodbine Racetrack chairman Jim Lawson paid tribute, calling Turcotte "a true Canadian icon whose impact on horse racing is immeasurable."
