MCCARRON GOES OUT A WINNER.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer INGLEWOOD - For 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. , it was an emotional retirement party Sunday, an afternoon of serenades and poetry and tears at Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may be several places:
But there were unsentimental moments, too. After all, McCarron had horse races Flat races Argentina
And during those six races, from the starting gate starting gate n. Sports 1. A series of stalls with interconnected doors that open simultaneously at the beginning of a race. 2. to the finish line, for a combined total of about 7 1/2 minutes on his last day at his oval office, McCarron displayed all the calculating cool that has made him one of the world's great thoroughbred jockeys for more than a quarter-century. ``I take a lot of pride in my ability to focus, (to) block out distractions and still maintain an awareness of the things that are going on around me,'' said McCarron, professional to the end. Not until he drove Came Home past the finish two dominant lengths in front in the Affirmed Handicap - his 34,230th and final race and 7,141st and final victory - did McCarron allow emotion to catch up to him on the track. ``Without question, there was a different feeling when I crossed the wire this time than ever before,'' said the 5-foot-2 giant who announced eight days ago that Sunday would be his last in the saddle. ``All the way back (to the winner's circle win·ner's circle n. pl. winners' circles An enclosed area at a racetrack where the winning horse and jockey are brought for awards and publicity. Noun 1. ), I just kept pinching myself. It's too good to be true. It's absolutely too good to be true.'' In front of 16,850 fans at the track where he won nearly half of his 25 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, riding championships, McCarron went out a winner on a beautiful summer afternoon, finishing first with heavy favorites Blind Ambition Blind Ambition may refer to:
Came Home is an important horse in his own right, this year's Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. winner, but his victory in the $107,500 Affirmed will be remembered as McCarron's swan song. ``I run horses in million-dollar races,'' said Paco Gonzalez, Came Home's trainer, ``and today I was more nervous than any other race, believe me.'' ``All I wanted,'' said co-owner Trudy McCaffery, ``was a storybook sto·ry·book n. A book containing a collection of stories, usually for children. adj. Occurring in or resembling the style or content of a storybook: storybook characters; a storybook romance. ending.'' Sending Came Home to the lead on the backstretch back·stretch n. The part of an oval racecourse farthest from the spectators and opposite the homestretch. and turning back Kamsack and runner-up Tracemark, McCarron pulled away from the field entering the stretch, and the crowd's cheers and applause took on the sound of a ticker-tape parade. The convincing victory was McCarron's 285th at the stakes level at Hollywood Park, matching Laffit Pincay for the track record. When he arrived back at the packed winner's circle, McCarron, 47, raised his whip and mouthed ``Thank you'' to the still-clapping fans,then looked to the sky and repeated the gesture. ``Galloping out after the race, I flashed back to Most Active at Bowie (Md.) Race Course on Jan. 24 (1974),'' McCarron said, referring to the horse with whom he finished last in his career debut as an 18-year-old kid out of Massachusetts. ``I got nothing but dirt kicked over me. I rode the whole race with three pairs of goggles goggles, n the protective eyewear worn by dental personnel and patients during dental procedures. goggles see periocular leukotrichia. and never pulled one down. I remember not being able to see a thing from the three-eighths pole to the wire.'' He came a long way - winning two Kentucky Derbies, riding three horses of the year and earning a 1989 Hall of Fame induction - to the Sunday when the sport played him songs (``Unforgettable,'' ``I'll Be Seeing You''), relived his highlights on videotape and embarrassed him with praise. McCarron was moved to tears frequently during a half-hour, mid-afternoon ceremony featuring speeches from rivals, McCaffery, ex-trainer Gary Jones and racing executives. ``Your courage, intensity, competitive spirit and integrity have been an inspiration to all of us,'' jockey Gary Stevens said. McCarron broke down when Erin, the oldest of his three daughters, read a poem, and when Gregg, the brother he followed into jockeys' boots, made a surprise appearance. ``I thought I was ready for (Sunday's festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. ), but I wasn't even close,'' McCarron said. But he was ready to win races. As he always was. McCARRON'S TOTALS Races: 34,230 First: 7,141 (20.9 percent) Second: 5,727 Third: 4,672 Earnings: $264,351,579 Note: McCarron's horses' earnings place him first among jockeys all-time; his victory total ranks sixth all-time. CAPTION(S): box Box: McCARRON'S TOTALS (see text) |
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