The “Reinman” of Racing
Far too often we hear from our local racing "fundis" about how good
our South African jockeys are and how they can compare favourably with
their peers anywhere in the world.
Well, at the risk of bursting many
bubbles and deflating numerous egos, I beg to differ. The grounds for
my disagreement are, amongst others, the GREAT man, Laffit Pincay Jnr.
Please take time to read the FACTS about a jockey who not only
could compare and compete with his peers anywhere in the world, but is
revered by them. The story goes like this...
Laffit Alejandro Pincay, Jr. (born 29th December 1946) in Panama
City Panama is now retired; he was based primarily in the USA.
Laffit Pincay Jr. began his riding career in his native Panama in
1964 and after only 2 years in the saddle, his talent was so obvious
that prominent horseman, Fred W Cooper and agent, Camilo Marin sponsored
him to go to the United States and ride under contract. He started his
American career at Arlington Park in Chicago where he won eight of his
first eleven races.
in 1970, Pincay Jr. was voted the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award;
this honours a rider whose career
and personal conduct exemplifies the very best example of participants
in the sport of thoroughbred racing.
In 1996, he was voted the Mike Veneza Award for sportsmanship. He has won the Eclipse Award for
Outstanding Jockey on four occasions and was the United States'
leading jockey seven times.
With his 8,834th win on 10th December 1999 at Hollywood Park
Racetrack in California, aboard Irish Nip, he broke the career victory
record previously held by Bill Shoemaker.
He won the Kentucky Derby in 1984 aboard Swale and also took three
consecutive Belmont Stakes between 1982 and 1984.
At the time of his retirement (in April 2003) he remained horse
racing's record holder world wide for most winners ridden, with 9,530
career victories in just under 40 years in the saddle (an average of
over 238 winners a year) - a record that stood for just under 4 years,
until December 2006, when Russel Baze passed Pincay on the all-time win
list.
In 2004, Hollywood Park Racetrack announced the creation of the
Laffit Pincay Jnr Award to be presented annually on Hollywood Gold Cup
Day that features the race he won a record nine times. The award was
designed by American sculptor, Nina Kaiser, and is presented to someone
who has served the horse racing industry with integrity, dedication,
determination and distinction.
Pincay, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and
Hall of Fame in 1975 , is currently married to his second wife,
Jeanine, with whom he has a son, Jean Laffit Pincay.
Amazing... This is the kind of record that I'm afraid any current South
African jockey could only dream of and aspire to.
I’m off to read up
on this Russel Baze fella who actually surpassed Laffit's record (the
mind boggles) and will report back soonest.
Till we 'beat' again, good
racing.
The Big G
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