BROKEN NECK JEOPARDIZES PINCAY'S CAREER.Byline: Rich Hammond Rich Hammond Los Angeles Daily News sports writer. Instrumental in bringing the Los Angeles Kings hockey organization closer to the fans. He is the atypical "what a guy" to Kings fans everywhere. Rich Hammond on himself. Staff Writer Laffit Pincay Jr. has battled weight problems, a fading career and countless tons of horseflesh horse·flesh n. 1. The flesh of a horse. 2. Horses considered as a group, especially for driving, riding, or racing. horseflesh Noun 1. over the last 39 years to become one of the most remarkable legends in all of American sports. Now, the winningest jockey in thoroughbred racing history faces a challenge he can't conquer on the track. Pincay, who remains one of the country's top riders at age 56, might never race again after he was thrown from his horse in a race Saturday at Santa Anita Santa Anita may refer to:
Laffit Pincay III, the jockey's son, said in a statement that a decision about his father's future in racing ``will be made at a future date.'' ``It's unbelievably tragic,'' said Chris McCarron Christopher John "Chris" McCarron (b. March 27 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame retired jockey. He was introduced to the sport of thoroughbred racing by his older brother, jockey Gregg McCarron. , a fellow Hall of Fame jockey who retired in June, ``but thank God he's going to be OK. It's a scary, scary business, and he came within a fraction of an inch of being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.'' Pincay, a Granada Hills resident, believed he had suffered only minor neck bruises and facial cuts after his mount, Trampus Too, clipped heels with Rainman's Request and fell during the fifth race. Pincay was treated and released at the track's first-aid center and planned to ride in six races this afternoon. But the pain persisted this week, and doctors discovered Pincay had fractured a bone, the cervical 2, in two places. Bob Meldahl, Pincay's agent since 1991, said Pincay expects to be released from a local hospital today or Saturday. ``It's obviously part of the business,'' Meldahl said, ``but for this to happen to somebody who has meant so much to the sport and is so well liked, it's tough to take. I talked to him for a little while (Thursday) morning and he wasn't in a very good mood, but if anybody can come back from something like this, it will be him.'' Tony Farina, the jockey whose horse clipped heels with Pincay's mount, was suspended for seven days for ``altering course without significant clearance.'' McCarron, who will take over as Santa Anita's general manager this month, said he accompanied Pincay's wife, Jeanine, and their son, Jean-Laffit, to the first-aid center Saturday and was relieved to find that Pincay had escaped relatively unscathed. ``Then I called him at home on Sunday afternoon,'' McCarron said, ``and he said he felt like a truck had run over him, which is pretty normal. (On Wednesday) I saw him walking around, and he went into the jockeys' room to get the masseur masseur /mas·seur/ (mah-sur´) [Fr.] 1. a man who performs massage. 2. an instrument for performing massage. to work on him, and the masseur told him he was in way too much pain.'' Pincay, who started racing in his native Panama in 1964, has 9,531 victories and surpassed Bill Shoemaker's previous record of 8,833 in 1999. He is second in this year's Santa Anita meet's jockey standings and seemed on pace to reach 10,000 victories. ``He's incredibly dedicated, and he has a tremendous tolerance for pain,'' McCarron said. ``He's ridden with broken collarbones and all kinds of injuries. They don't come any tougher than that guy, no matter which sport we're talking about.'' Pincay began riding in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. in 1966 and was elected to racing's Hall of Fame in 1975. He won the 1984 Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. and claimed three victories in the Belmont Stakes Belmont Stakes Oldest of the three U.S. horse races that constitute the Triple Crown. The Belmont originated in 1867 and is named after August Belmont (see Belmont family). The stakes is held in early June at Belmont Park, near Garden City, Long Island; the course is 1.5 mi (2,400 m). and five Eclipse Awards, given annually to the country's top jockey. But it didn't come easy for Pincay. His first wife committed suicide in 1985, and for years Pincay struggled to keep his weight in line with the strict jockey limits. At one point, Pincay considered moving away from the competitive Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, tracks as he tried to chase down Shoemaker's mark. A move wasn't necessary, as Pincay's resurgence has allowed him to keep going strong well beyond the time when most jockeys decide to walk away. ``As long as I keep feeling well and riding good horses, why should I retire?'' Pincay said in 2001 after winning the Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may be several places:
PINCAY FILE Name: Laffit Pincay Jr. Age: 56 Birthplace: Panama City Panama City, city (1990 pop. 34,378), seat of Bay co., NW Fla., on St. Andrews Bay; inc. 1909. A Gulf Coast resort with amusement parks and excellent fishing, it is also a port of entry. The city's industries produce paper, clothing, and chemicals. , Panama Residence: Granada Hills Victories: 9,531 (most in history) Years racing: 39 (38 in the U.S.) Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1975 Key achievements: 1984 Kentucky Derby victory (on Swale swale n. 1. A low tract of land, especially when moist or marshy. 2. A long, narrow, usually shallow trough between ridges on a beach, running parallel to the coastline. 3. ); three Belmont Stakes victories ('82, '83, '84); seven Breeders' Cup victories; five Eclipse Awards. CAPTION(S): photo, 2 boxes Photo: (color) Laffit Pincay Jr., the winningest jockey in the history of horse racing, might have to dismount once and for all after an injury to his neck. Benoit Photo/Associated Press Box: (1) PINCAY FILE (see text) (2) OUT OF THE GATE |
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