LOVED ONES SAY GOODBYE TO LONGDEN.

Byline: Art Wilson  Staff Writer

ARCADIA - Less than a mile from the racetrack where much of his legendary status was built, Hall of Fame jockey Johnny Longden was honored Monday by about 300 family members and friends in a memorial service at Church of the Good Shepherd.

Competitive, courageous and compassionate were the buzz words used during and after the 40-minute service to describe Longden, who died Feb. 14 on his 96th birthday at his Banning home.

``When somebody mentions John's name, you've got to think about probably the fiercest competitor you'll ever deal with,'' said former jockey Donald Pierce, who rode against Longden for many years at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar racetracks.

Longden became the sport's winningest jockey in 1956, when he broke the record of 4,870 victories held previously by Sir Gordon Richards of England. He finished with 6,032 career victories and was inducted into thoroughbred racing's Hall of Fame in 1958.

Church of the Good Shepherd is located about three-quarters of a mile south of Santa Anita, where at age 59 Longden rode George Royal to a thrilling victory by a nose in the 1966 San Juan Capistrano Handicap, the final ride of a 39-year career.

Longden rode Count Fleet to the Triple Crown in 1943. He later became the first man to ride and train a Kentucky Derby winner when he found the winner's circle at Churchill Downs with Majestic Prince in 1969.

``John was the greatest competitor I've ever seen in any sport, and I've seen a number of them,'' said Pete Pedersen, a Santa Anita racing official since 1950.