Ron Turcotte – The Incredibly Outstanding Jockey aboard World No.2, Secretariat
Horse Racing is a sport where a number of factors come into play passively but very integrally to result into one great performance by the jockey and his mount. What may seem a straight and simple run by a horse is greatly influenced by the role of its connections, be its owner, trainer, jockey or the groom. The psychology behind an animal and its understanding is a skill that is most closely understood and interpreted by the team that works closely with it; the jockey earning his highest regards as a horse and its jockey are partners in crime.
When Secretariat lost during his first race at the Aqueduct racetrack, little did the audience interpret about his painful upper lip due to an abscess than his connections, who wouldn’t give up until discovering the actual reason behind his defeat. The smoke soon cleared with his comeback in the Saratoga following into the Triple Crown. Throughout Secretariat’s flaring career lined with record breaking and making performances, his jockey stayed consistently accompanying him to every win; Ron Turcotte, who may have ridden may more horses before and after Secretariat is still most prominently and proudly known as Secretariat’s jockey.
During his entire career, Ron earned his most acclaimed races aboard Secretariat and his stable-mate predecessor, Riva Ridge. The Riva-Ron pair won the 1972 Kentucky Derby and also the Belmont Stakes. However he soon returned with Secretariat in 1973 to win the Triple Crown as a whole and establish himself as the most wanted and prized jockey in the US despite his Canadian roots. What started as a lumberjack, soon grew to be rated the best jockey in the United States aboard many horses, most prominently being the world number 2.
Ron’s beginning as a reputed name in horse racing began after his first crucial win aboard Northern Dancer in the year 1962. Ron’s career as a crème de la crème jockey took off immediately once he won the Preakness as well with Tom Rolfe. His most important race and the consecutive victory in the US resulted from his win in the two Triple Crown races with Meadow Stable horse Riva Ridge. 1972, the launch of Secretariat, then two year old from Meadow Stable again found him recommended by trainer Lucien Laurin. Since 1902, Ron became the only jockey to have won two Kentucky Derbys in a row and also the only jockey to have accomplished the feat of conquering five out of six consecutive Triple Crown races.
A very significant acclaim of his work and conduct as a jockey was recognized through the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award and his appointment in the Order of Canada team of members. His entire career lined him 3,032 wins out of countless races. His career came to an abrupt end following an unfortunate mishap during a race in 1978, Belmont Park. Ron was aboard Flag of Leyte Gulf and following a stumble by his mount he tragically landed on his back; the accident left him paraplegic. He now is a part of different organizations that work together for the benefit of the injured jockeys and their rehabilitation along with raising funds and bringing more awareness towards the safeguard of the jockeys on the race tracks.
Ron still is remembered as one of the most outstanding jockeys of all times. His mount was the second best in the world. To experience the racing aboard the most remarkable horse and a participation in the world’s leading races, racing enthusiasts can now become a part of the online horse racing games that allow free download along with an online platform. The free games require a simple registration to create a user identity before allowing its players an inexhaustible database of incredible race horses designed in amazing 3D simulation and many exciting features that form the backbone of these fantastic horse racing games.
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